Dear Wantagh Community

I look forward to the start of the 2025-26 school year! The first day of school for our students is Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

This summer was a busy summer across the district for facilities projects. At Wantagh High School we renovated the student cafeteria, installed new HVAC equipment in every classroom, replaced ceilings in classrooms, built a new life skills instructional space, and created a new classroom for our broadcasting program. At Wantagh Middle School, flooring in fourteen classrooms was replaced and the main hallways were all painted. Electrical upgrades were completed at all five buildings to prepare for the extensive HVAC work that will be done to incorporate central air conditioning into all classrooms. In addition, we renovated sixteen classroom bathrooms and built a new cafeteria student serving line and renovated the kitchen at Forest Lake Elementary School. At Wantagh Elementary School we upgraded the student cafeteria, kitchen and serving lines, installed a new roof over the original building, and installed new HVAC equipment in every classroom. At Mandalay Elementary School, a new serving line and kitchen in the cafeteria were installed.

I welcome three new administrators that are joining us for the upcoming school year. Dr. Tracy Pignetti will serve as the district’s new Elementary Supervisor for Humanities. Dr. Pignetti joins us from the Lindenhurst Schools, where she was serving as an assistant principal at Daniel Street Elementary School. Dr. Jessica Ryan is the new Elementary Supervisor for STEM. Dr. Ryan is an 18-year veteran elementary teacher from the Lynbrook School District and serves as an adjunct professor at Molloy University. We also welcome Ms. Christine Gill as the new Director of Secondary STEM. Ms. Gill has served as the Director of Mathematics, Business and Computer Science for the past seven years at the Deer Park School District and brings with her a wealth of knowledge in those areas.

I look forward to another outstanding school year for our students!

Warm regards,

John C. McNamara

Superintendent of Schools