Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Hicksville, recently welcomed new principal Mary-Elaine Leake, who is a recipient of the prestigious National Distinguished Principal Award. She brings her skills as an outstanding educator to Trinity.
“We are excited to have Mrs. Leake add her nationally recognized talents to lead our amazing staff and students. Trinity Lutheran School is celebrating its 65th year and Mrs. Leake will help ensure the continuance of the school’s legacy of educational excellence well into the future,” said senior Pastor John Hopkins.
Criteria for selection of the National Distinguished Principal program requires that the honorees are principals of schools where programs are designed to meet the academic and social needs of students and where firmly established community ties with parents and local business organizations have been established Those chosen are individuals who have demonstrated that they have created successful learning communities in which students thrive academically, staff grow professionally, and the communities in which they serve are strengthened.
A graduate of Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA, Leake earned a Master of Arts degree from New York University. She previously held positions of Principal of Promise Lutheran School in Baldwin; Interim Principal of Grace Lutheran School in Malverne and Principal of Leif Ericson Day School in Brooklyn. In addition, she served in several other Lutheran schools as teacher. She most recently served as principal of Astoria Lutheran School.
Trinity Lutheran School is accredited by both the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools and the National Lutheran School Accreditation. Trinity has been educating Long Island grade and middle school students since 1953 and later opened an Early Childhood Center for preschool students which is celebrating its 50th year. To extend its outreach to the community, in 2018, Trinity Lutheran Church & School opened a Day Care Center to provide a loving, safe environment for young families seeking care for their infants and toddlers.
“It is exciting to be a part of an educational community that serves children from infants through grade eight,” said Leake. “I look forward to working in a school with so many resources and with such a dedicated and talented staff.”
—Submitted by Trinity Lutheran
Church and School
