Principal's Office

Dear Babylon Community,

I hope you are enjoying the summer so far!

It has been the greatest honor of my career to be appointed as the Principal of Babylon Memorial Grade School. Having worked as the Assistant Principal of Mineola Middle School and a Social Studies Teacher in the Wantagh School District, I am joining the Babylon family with much admiration, respect and enthusiasm.

I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself and provide a little more information about my background and experience. Throughout my career, my North Star has been putting kids first and building a culture in school for lifelong learning. As an Assistant Principal, my focus was on making learning visible, leveraging technology to provide individualized instruction and on creating a strong community that served the needs of students. Furthermore, the systems and structures that I built during my time in Mineola provided me with a skill set that I look forward to transferring to my new role as principal. Mineola Middle School serves in many ways as an upper elementary school (Grades 5-7), which has given me years of experience at the elementary level. Elementary school teachers have superpowers to deftly differentiate tasks, target instruction and most of all, provide a fun, supportive and engaging learning environment for kids.

The Grade School community is positioned deliberately between the Elementary and Junior-Senior High School years, layering a foundation upon the work done before and scaffolding students to be ready for what comes after us. My previous experience has developed a deeper appreciation and understanding of this unique and rewarding challenge. The work we do at the Grade School is integral to the success of the Babylon School District, as we are called to build upon students’ foundational experiences while simultaneously preparing them for the road that lies ahead at the Junior-Senior High School.

On June 18th I was able to tour the Grade School with Ms. Fretto, who provided me with a wonderful transition and welcome. Getting to see the teachers and students in person was so exciting, especially as everyone was wrapping up the year, enjoying celebrations and field trips. The Babylon School District has a history of excellence, high achievement and strong community pride. Humbled by this success, I seek to build upon the hard work of our wonderful teachers, supporting staff, parents and students. 

Communication is at the cornerstone of a successful school, and my door is always open. The Paw Prints newsletters will continue to highlight our learners, faculty and programs. I will also be inviting our parents to a summer meet and greet in August so I can begin listening to our stakeholders.

It is of the utmost importance to me that Babylon Memorial Grade School is a place where all families and learners feel welcome and each child never wants to leave. As your principal, I promise to be a trusted ear and a positive force for all students. I welcome the opportunity to get to know each of you and am very much looking forward to collaborating on the awesome work we will do this school year. I want to thank you for already making me feel so welcomed and comfortable in this wonderful community.

Enjoy summer break!

Steve Benner 
Principal
Babylon Memorial Grade School
(631) 893 - 7980