Jackson Avenue’s Last Fifth Grade Class Graduates

Five years ago Matthew Gavin began his first day at the , along with 80 students. Last Thursday, Gavin spent his final day as principal of the school helping those former first graders graduate from the fifth grade.

Both will be moving into new buildings in the fall, but while the students will enter the sixth grade in the , Gavin will not be making the move across Jackson Avenue, instead heading to as the for the district.

“We have spent the last 5 years together here at Jackson, learning and growing together,” Gavin said during the moving up ceremony at the . “I could not be more proud of the group... I could not be more proud of their enthusiasm, their effort that each of them have shown throughout the course of the year.”

That same morning the administration had produced an 18 minute long video slideshow showing the students on their journey over the last 5 years from first through the fifth grade. The video was also shown during the Jackson Avenue graduation festival later that same night at the school.

“They started my first day, and we are ending on our last day together,” Gavin said. “They have been such a special group, they have done so many amazing things, iPads aside.”

The fifth grade class is unique in that it has been the subject of intense inquiry both internally and from other districts. Besides being a subject of debate over the district reconfiguration, in which the fifth grade would move to the middle school, leaving the elementary buildings with grades one through four, the grade was the first to pilot Mineola’s .

“Thank you for proving that fifth graders are more than responsible with handling things,” Superintendent Dr. Michael Nagler said. “You are the group in Nassau County who were the first to have them, you were the ones everyone wants to copy and you’re leading the way into the middle school next year.”

Also departing will be teacher Matthew DeLuca, who will join the middle school staff, but remain a fifth grade instructor. “I’m proud of their educational growth but I’m even prouder of their emotional growth,” DeLuca said of the students. “These children give me hope for the future. I cannot wait to see where their lives’ journey’s take them but wherever it is, I know it will be a wonderful place because each of them is a wonderful person.”

Calling his 4 years at Jackson the “most special” of his career, fellow fifth grade teacher Sid Burgreen remarked that “for the first time that I can recall in all my years here not only are the students moving up but teachers and administrators are moving on as well.”

The 80-minute long ceremony was primarily composed of for their academic and extracurricular achievements besides their “promotional certificates,” or diplomas. Musical interludes were also performed from the student violin and jazz combos.

Handing each of them a small red diplomas cover with the certificate inside, Gavin advised the students to “remember the importance of enjoying what you do and cultivate the desire to improve each and every day. You will always try harder when you enjoy what you do and when you are passionate about what you are learning.”