Telling Our Story – Woodland Elementary

Press release from Hicksville Public Schools:

May 10, 2021

“Looking through all of these old albums and scrapbooks was like finding a buried
treasure,” explained Beth Swanson, Principal of Woodland Elementary School, as
she explored boxes of information previously in storage about the history of her
school. “You study the faces of all these individuals that attended or worked at
Woodland over 60 years ago, and once sat in the very same classrooms and walked
the same hallways that exist today and you can't help but feel some kind of
connection to them, while not having known them at all. It's like finding pictures of
old relatives that you've never met but wish you could.”

Mrs. Swanson experienced a potent sense of nostalgia spilling into the present as
she turned the pages of each scrapbook documenting her school’s past. There were
clippings from the local papers, programs from concerts and events, letters, and
photos, lots of photos.

Principal Swanson grew up in adjacent Syosset, and still visits the same parks and
stores with her own children as she did growing up so very close to the school that
she now leads. In fact, she points out that Syosset borders parts of Ketcham Road,
the street where Woodland is located. It’s a landscape she can see every day as she
glances up from her desk.

With the exception of Willet Avenue, now leased by BOCES, Woodland is the
district’s “newest” elementary school. Opened in September of 1953, the school
serves the northeast corner of Hicksville and is located on 10 acres of property. The
school was expanded with a first and second floor addition constructed from 2006-
2008 to accommodate an increasing student population.

Currently during the pandemic, Woodland serves 273 K-5 students – 212 in-school
and 61 fully remote. Mrs. Swanson, teachers and staff have worked diligently to
accommodate as many students as possible safely within the building. Masks are
worn by all, social distancing is practiced, hand-washing is a regular activity, and
deep cleaning is done daily by the custodial staff.

Through it all, it is important to Principal Swanson to maintain a family feeling in
her school. “I want Woodland to be a place that all students love to be and think of
as home,” explained Mrs. Swanson.

Mrs. Swanson received her B.S. in Elementary Education and Early Childhood
Education from SUNY Oneonta, and her M.S. and Administrative Certification from
Queens College. She taught sixth grade in Queens for three years before moving to
Connetquot CSD where she taught for 12 years. Mrs. Swanson accepted a special
assignment while serving in Connetquot - helping with the roll-out of the Common
Core as Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction.

Feeling ready to move into school administration, Mrs. Swanson accepted an
Assistant Principal position in Levittown Public Schools and served there for five-
and-a-half years, split between two buildings. In 2018, she accepted the Principal’s
position at Woodland Elementary. She has two elementary-level children of her
own, and lives close by in a home her husband built for the family.

Principal Swanson has brought several new initiatives to Woodland including a
Character Education Committee, Family Game Night, and a “Deck the Halls” Holiday
Open House, to name a few. Mrs. Swanson regularly posts photos on Woodland’s
Instagram account. “I often take pictures of students engaged in their learning.”
Principal Swanson was recently recognized for her dedication to the school
community by being named a 2021 PTA Founder’s Day Honoree. “I was shocked to
receive this honor.”

Like at many of the schools in Hicksville, teachers at Woodland share Mrs.
Swanson’s feelings of deep dedication and commitment to the community. Many
teachers have served at Woodland for decades. Lisa Dawber and Beth Garner are
two such individuals.

a wonderful school,” shared Mrs. Dawber. “When I was a student there, I wanted to
be a teacher because of the teachers I had at Woodland. All of my memories are one
better than the next. There is longevity in Hicksville. People stay, and that says a lot.”
Mrs. Dawber has served the district for 34 years and actually taught third grade in
the same classroom where she once was a third grade student. “I started in
Hicksville as a kindergartner and will retire from there!”

Music teacher Beth Garner has served 33 years in the school district. “This school is
unique; everyone pulls together,” shared Mrs. Garner as she prepared for a remote
class. “They’re like my second family here. The teachers go above-and-beyond. It’s a
great place.”

One thing is for sure – Woodland is a school filled with hope and joy. It is the embodiment of its motto: The only thing better than our past is our future.

To learn more about the history of each of the schools in Hicksville School District, please visit the “Telling Our Story” web page on the district website under Departments, Public Information:

Hicksville Public Schools - "Telling Our Story"

This press release was produced by Hicksville Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.