Garden City Public Schools

Board of Education Trustee Candidate Packets Available

Individuals interested in running for a trustee position on the Board of Education may now pick up candidate packets from the Business Office.

Prospective candidates should visit the Administration Building during regular business hours to retrieve the required materials.

For additional information, please contact the Business Office directly.  

Garden City High School student self-publishes debut book

Garden City High School senior Isabella Fuertes is making her mark as a young author with the self-publication of her first book, “Before 18.” Her debut poetry collection reflects her commitment to creative expression and her belief that young writers deserve space, respect and visibility in the literary world.

“Before 18” is available as a free e-book on Amazon, reflecting Fuertes’ belief that art exists to be shared, not sold. The collection is personal and celebrates individuality and vulnerability while speaking to the experiences of young readers. By self-publishing, Fuertes hopes to show other young writers that creating and sharing their work for the love of it is what truly matters — no awards or recognition required.

Fuertes’ passion for writing began early. She credits her fifth grade teacher, Ms. DiMartino, with setting her on a path toward literary confidence through high expectations, structure and a passion for reading and writing. In her classroom, Fuertes began reading extensively and discovered a deep connection to storytelling and poetry that would continue to grow throughout her academic career.

Throughout her time at Garden City schools, Fuertes has been inspired by peers and mentors alike. Fellow student writers challenged her to elevate her craft, each leaving a lasting impression through their distinct voices and approaches to writing. She also credits English teachers Ms. Orriani and Mr. Rebolini for shaping her appreciation of literature through their empathy, kindness and respect for storytelling. Fuertes recalls that Mr. Rebolini’s willingness to sit in silence to read poetry, often without an audience or any embellishments, instilled in her a deep and lasting love for literature.

In addition to her work as an author, Fuertes is involved in the school’s literary community. She serves as president of the Literary Circle, president and chief editor of ECHO, an editor at Inkspots and a student representative on the literacy committee. She has also been nominated for the Nassau County Young Poet Laureate and serves as a student facilitator for Garden City Literacy and Math Nights. Outside of school, Fuertes shares her creativity through singing and playing guitar, further reflecting her belief that art exists to be shared.

Fuertes emphasizes the importance of recognizing young voices and honoring creativity at every stage of life. “Kids our age never write books for kids our age, and indie writers aren’t recognized as much as they should be,” she said. “I wanted this book to be a little odd and unique and to show other young writers that you can publish yourself. Art isn’t meant to be a competition or corporate. We all are beginners at one point, and we all have important things to say. I wasn’t any less of a person back then, and I just wanted to immortalize and validate everything I’ve gone through. I just want to share my work and let people read it.”

To read Isabella’s book, please visit this Amazon link..

Garden City’s Coach Heedles named to NYSSCOGS' NYS HS Girls Soccer Hall of Fame

Garden City High School’s longtime girls soccer coach Mike Heedles has been elected by the New York State Sportswriters and Coaches Organization for Girls Sports to the New York State High School Girls Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Heedles is one of two coaches and 12 players selected for the 10th annual Hall of Fame class and will be honored at the induction ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, at Niskayuna High School.

Heedles served as the Garden City High School girls soccer coach from 2000 through 2022, building a program defined by sustained success, leadership and excellence. Over his career, he compiled a record of 229-128-62 and guided his teams to two New York state championships, five Long Island championships and five Nassau County championships, along with eight Nassau County runner-up finishes.

In addition to his team accomplishments, Heedles earned numerous individual honors, including Newsday Nassau County Coach of the Year in 2013 and Nassau County Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2016. His 229 career wins and lasting impact on student-athletes and the Garden City soccer program have earned him a place among the state’s most respected coaches.

The district congratulates Coach Heedles on this well-deserved recognition and celebrates his outstanding contributions to high school athletics and girls soccer in New York state.

Garden City Kindergarten Registration Process

Garden City Public Schools is excited to welcome kindergarten students for the 2026-2027 school year and encourages parents to take the following steps to ensure a smooth transition process. The following information can also be found on the Kindergarten Registration Information page on the district website. 

First, parents must find their home school, which is the school their child will attend next year. If unsure about which school this is, they can watch the Instructions to Find Primary School Location video posted on the Kindergarten Registration Information section of the website.

Parents must then make an appointment online to register from Jan. 20-30, 2026, at their home school. The following links can be used to book an appointment for kindergarten registration: Hemlock School, Homestead School and Locust School.

Specific forms, such as the original and a copy of your child’s proof of birth (either a birth certificate or a passport), must be brought. All required forms must be completed prior to the appointment time. For all forms required, please visit the Kindergarten Registration Information 2026 page on our district website.

Garden City Public Schools looks forward to welcoming kindergarten students and their parents to the community. Please email Registrar@gcufsd.net and visit the Kindergarten Registration Information page on the district website with any remaining questions or concerns.

On Dec. 16, the Garden City High School Literary Circle held its 30th anniversary of the Winter Solstice poetry reading. Club president Isabella Fuertes worked closely with fellow members to thoughtfully plan and organize this meaningful event.

The club is advised by English teachers Laurie Bocca and Aria Laucella, who have taken on leadership of the Literary Circle while continuing the longstanding legacy established by retired teacher Carlo Rebolini. Through biweekly meetings and biannual poetry readings, the Literary Circle promotes a shared appreciation for poetry and creates meaningful opportunities for students to come together through the written word.

The Winter Solstice poetry reading welcomed both themed poems and self-selected works of personal interest, encouraging participants to use their voices and engage deeply with the beauty and power of poetry. Through these experiences, students developed confidence, connection and a stronger sense of belonging among a community of readers and writers.

The Literary Circle, along with its ongoing poetry events, has additional initiatives planned for the new year. The group is preparing for its spring poetry reading and looks forward to continuing its tradition of celebrating reading, writing and self-expression within the Garden City community.

From Dec. 4-7, three Garden City High School students participated in the New York State School Music Association’s All-State Festival, a prestigious honor recognizing the top student musicians from across the state. The All-State bands, choirs, orchestras and jazz ensembles are comprised of outstanding performers selected from school music programs statewide.

GCHS students Ava Chen, Sarah Phinney and Emily Pulver earned this distinction and took part in the festival experience. During the event, they engaged in an intensive three-day rehearsal process held during the New York State Music Educators Association conference in Rochester, N.Y., culminating in a final performance at the Eastman Theatre.

Congratulations to Ava, Sarah and Emily on this exceptional achievement.

On Dec. 17, Garden City Middle School’s winter concert featured a special highlight: the premiere of “Emmett’s Entrance,” an original composition by eighth grader Emmett Owens. The piece marked Emmett’s composing debut and was performed by the Garden City Middle School Late Night Jazz Ensemble.

Emmett began exploring musical composition earlier this year, writing short pieces and sharing them with his band teacher, Ms. Iovino. Recognizing his growing talent and enthusiasm, Ms. Iovino encouraged Emmett to take the next step by composing an original work specifically for the jazz ensemble.

Over the summer, Emmett developed the piece using Logic Pro, a digital recording software, before transferring it into Noteflight, a music notation program. Throughout the process, he worked closely with Ms. Iovino to strengthen his understanding of musical form and instrument ranges, thoughtfully refining the composition.

The premiere of “Emmett’s Entrance” marked an exciting and significant milestone in Emmett’s musical journey and highlighted the creativity and dedication of Garden City Middle School’s student musicians.

The Garden City School District anticipates providing Universal Pre-Kindergarten from September 2026-June 2027. The location(s) of the program will be determined by the availability of space and funding. To be eligible for the Garden City School District’s UPK, a child must be a Garden City School District resident and 4 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2026. There is limited space in this program and a lottery will be held to determine enrollment. There is no cost to participate.

The Garden City UPK will run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and follow the Garden City Public School District calendar. Families are responsible for their own transportation; buses will not be available for this program.

If you are interested in entering the Garden City UPK lottery for the 2026-2027 school year, please complete the UPK application Google Form posted on the Garden City Public Schools UPK homepage.

An application does not guarantee a child’s place in the program. Applications for the GC UPK lottery open on Jan. 26, 2026, and close on Jan. 30, 2026. After completing the form, you will be contacted about the lottery and submitting the required documents to prove age, residency and immunizations.

Please contact the Garden City Public Schools Office of Curriculum and Instruction at 516-478-1030 or the registrar at 516-478-1067 with any questions.

The Garden City music department is proud to announce that 70 students were selected to participate in this year’s All-County Music Festival and 11 musicians took part in this year’s Parents, Educators and Kids (P.E.A.K.) Festival.

Band, chorus and orchestra students earned All-County recognition based on their 2025 NYSSMA solo performances and will represent Garden City Schools at the festival, held at the Tilles Center throughout January.

Congratulations to the following students on being named All-County musicians:

From Stewart and Stratford School: Aria Apostolides, Giuliana Botti, Oliver Clark, Olivia Ding, Aurora Curtin, Hailey Hendrickson, Isabella Johnson, Anna Lee, Valentina Marin, Dean Nick, Daniela Muzio, Ella Power, Nolan Smith, Kelvin Su, Logan Schmidt and Adaline Zhai; from Garden City Middle School: Sabrina Bilello, Aayan Kabir, Luke Ellis, Leah Follette, Gianluca Fusco, Jovana Marin, Owen Murphy, Erin Na, Emmett Owens, Caitlin O'Mullan, Grace Pospisil, Aiden Schmidt, Jack Viskovich, Ella Viskovich, Allison Wong, Avery Xiao and Oliver Wu; and from Garden City High School: Martina Cantalupo, Eton Lu, Audrey Pressoir, Alessandra Pinto, Madeline Power, Emily Pulver, Olivia Vendetti, Caroline Weber, Roger Wang, Elizabeth Vitale, Azra Zirhli, Alexandra Butvick, Beatrice Briganti, Rebecca Chau, Ava Chen, Sean Corrigan, Grace Corrigan, Caroline Ciullo, Hannah Cianciotto, Matteo DiLoreto, Clare Gardner, Grace Gibson, Fiona Gibson, Grace Immordino, Grace Kumpel, Leah Lotito, Ryan Ludwig, Maximilian Mariacher, Kaitlyn McDonald, Genevieve Mohan, Mariella Parlanti, Sarah Phinney, Susanna Phinney, Amelia Scianablo, Elsie Ross, Juliet Stampfel and Ryan Schmidt.

On Nov. 22, music teachers and students from Stewart and Stratford attended and performed at the annual NMEA P.E.A.K. Festival, designed for fourth grade students as an introduction to All-County. The event highlighted the importance of music education, allowed students to display their achievements and informed parents about classroom music goals.

Congratulations to the following students:

From Stewart: Lincoln Franzella, Layne DiMascio, Vivienne Jamal, Juliana Jamal, Angelina Shalhoub and Stella Stewart; and from Stratford: Skylar Ding, Penelope Gunther, Hazel Ngan, Frederick Wong and Luke Zychowicz.

Garden City School District is excited to once again host Camp Invention, a nationally recognized STEM enrichment program that inspires creativity, problem-solving, and innovation through hands-on learning. 

This year’s program will run June 29 through July 2, 2026, from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM, at Stewart School. Camp Invention is open to Garden City students entering grades 1 through 6 and is facilitated by trained local educators.

Throughout the week, students will collaborate with peers, explore real-world engineering challenges, and design original solutions through engaging STEM experiences. Campers are grouped by grade level to ensure developmentally appropriate instruction and meaningful collaboration.

Program Details:

• Dates: June 29 – July 2, 2026 (no camp on Friday, July 3)

• Time: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM

• Location: Stewart School, 501 Stewart Avenue

• Cost: $360 before discounts

• Eligibility: Garden City School District students entering grades 1–6

Families can take advantage of payment plans, sibling discounts, and a $30 early registration discount when using code GIFT30 prior to the stated deadline. Space is limited and enrollment is first come, first served.

For registration, discount details, and additional locations, visit invent.org/cisave. Questions may be directed to Camp Director Kelly Benito at benitok@gcufsd.net.

Camp Invention is a nonprofit program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and is widely recognized for its high-quality STEM curriculum and student-centered approach to learning  

Garden City High School has been ranked No. 2 on Long Island, No. 16 in New York State and No. 147 nationally by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025 annual list of nearly 18,000 public high schools across the country, released on Aug. 19. These 2025 rankings reflect an improvement over the school’s already outstanding 2024 standings, placing Garden City High School among only 11 Long Island schools in the top 50 in New York State.

The 2025 “Best High Schools” edition evaluated schools based on college readiness, curriculum breadth, state assessment proficiencies and performance, underserved student success, and graduation rates. Garden City High School excelled across the board: 92% of students took at least one AP exam, 81% passed an AP exam, 99% are proficient in math and reading, 98% are proficient in science and the school has a 100% graduation rate, earning an outstanding overall score of 99.18 out of 100.

“This ranking affirms the sustained commitment to excellence that defines Garden City High School, reflecting the dedication of our staff, the talents of our students, the support of our community and our ever-striving push to keep getting better,” said Garden City High School Principal Mr. Kevin Steingruebner.

“I am so proud of our students, teachers and staff for their commitment to excellence,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kusum Sinha. “This recognition is a reflection of their hard work and the strong sense of community that makes Garden City a place where every student can grow and succeed.”