Principals's Page

Dear Parents and Students,

   Welcome to a new school year! It is with great pride and pleasure that I welcome back our 7th and 8th grade students, as well as open our doors to this year’s incoming 6th grade students. As Principal of Joseph B. Cavallaro I.S. 281, it is my hope that together we will provide each student with a nurturing and educationally challenging school year. Please join us in setting high standards of excellence and expectations for each and every child aligned to the Chancellor’s 4 pillars: 1. Reimagining the student experience; 2. Scaling, sustaining and restoring what works; 3. Prioritizing wellness and its link to student success; 4. Engaging families to be our true partners.

   Our mission statement reads, “As the magnet school for STEAM, we at Joseph B. Cavallaro will provide every child with the support to grow intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally. In an advanced inquiry based learning environment, we will serve as leaders for the 21st Century, in both technology and the arts.” As a school that prides itself on offering our students an educationally and culturally rich environment, it will be our goal to continue forward in that direction. This year’s Instructional Focus reads, “Students will engage in targeted instruction using advanced literacy and high level questioning to meet the individual needs of all learners, as determined by unified, data based assessments tracking students’ progress towards proficiency within each standard.” Our emphasis will be placed on advanced literacy, physical and emotional well-being and family engagement.

   In partnership with the entire school community, it is my vision to provide every child with a safe, nurturing and educationally equitable learning environment complete with a rigorously challenging curriculum setting all students on the road to college and career readiness. If together we hold true to the values of equity, integrity, communication, perseverance and trust, it will ultimately permeate into the hearts and minds of our students through our example. Please feel free to join us in the many events we hold throughout the year. Thus, our mission of preparing each and every child on a successful path will be attained with your involvement. I look forward to a promising school year.

Sincerely,

Maria Bender

Principal, Joseph B. Cavallaro I.S. 281

Principal’s Educational Philosophy: 

“I believe that it is crucial to provide students with a safe and nurturing learning environment, whereby consistent goals are set and monitored, pedagogy is coherent, standards-based and data-driven, activity is motivating (relevant), engaging and measurable, and education is equitably distributed to promote the success and progress of each and every child.”