Juanita Diaz has been named principal of Manorhaven Elementary School for the 2021-22 school year, the Port Washington Board of Education announced last week.
Diaz will succeed 13-year Manorhaven Principal Bonni Cohen, who will retire at the end of this summer. Her appointment was confirmed by the board early in May.
“Over the course of Bonni’s 13 years spent serving our students and district, she introduced a community-based mentoring program for grades 4 and 5, pioneered the district’s first kinesthetic classroom and implemented action-based learning which have all been instrumental in elevating student success in Manorhaven’s classrooms,” Michael Hynes, superintendent of schools, said in a statement.
“We are confident that Juanita’s collaborative leadership style and extensive knowledge in assessment software for student growth will enable her to build upon the foundation established by Bonni. Juanita’s experience as a teacher, principal and administrator will serve as a tremendous asset to the district in helping our teachers reach their best potential, as they will in turn help our children follow suit.”
After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in education, Diaz pursued a Master of Science degree in literacy education at Brooklyn College and a Master of Science degree in educational leadership and administration at the College of Saint Rose.
Diaz comes to Port Washington with nearly two decades of professional experience in education. Most recently, she worked in the Hempstead school district as an administrator for elementary education, comprising grades 1 to 6. From 2003 to 2015, Diaz worked at P.S. 145 in Brooklyn as an elementary teacher, and she was a site coordinator at Ezra Jack Keats Pre-K Center in Jamaica, Queens, from 2015 to 2017.
The district said that Diaz and Cohen will work “cohesively throughout the month of August to ensure a seamless transition” into the new school year for students, staff and the school community. Diaz is expected to formally begin her term on Aug. 2.
