Sewanhaka High principal tapped for district-wide role

Sewanhaka High School’s Principal Nichole Allen was tapped to move into her new role as Sewanhaka Central High School District’s assistant superintendent for student support services.

The promotion, effective Aug. 1, has been a bit emotional for Allen, as she has spent the last 17 years in Sewanhaka High, serving as its principal since 2020.

“It’s a little bittersweet leaving a place that I’ve loved so much like Sewanhaka High School and its community,” Allen said. “But I’m excited because I think that some of the things we’ve done here and some of the ideas that I have can be implemented on the (district) level in all five buildings.”

Throughout her time at Sewanhaka High, Allen prided herself on an “open-door policy” — one that spanned throughout the school’s janitorial staff, athletic coaches, cafeteria staff, teachers, and leadership. 

“I want the kids to always feel like they can come and speak to someone,” Allen said.

She is eager to continue supporting students throughout the district and embracing connections with them in her new role.

“We want to make sure that they are making connections, real connections, with other students and adults,” she said of students. “There are definitely programs we can (implement) to make that happen and make sure our students are taken care of — and if they are, they’re going to succeed academically. They absolutely will.”

She is looking forward to embracing the kind of community she welcomed at Sewanhaka High throughout the district.

“It’s almost painful to leave the building in a lot of ways, but I look forward to creating that kind of community and family in all five buildings and having us all coming together as one,” Allen said.

Prior to her role as assistant principal at Sewanhaka High from 2007 through 2020, Allen worked as assistant principal at Uniondale High School from 2004 to 2007, and as Westbury High School’s social studies department chairperson and teacher from 1997 through 2004. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University in 1995, a master’s degree in secondary education from Hofstra University in 1997, and a master’s degree in school administration from Long Island University Post in 1999. 

Allen’s own educational journey saw her leave her undergraduate program at Temple University feeling that her initial career aspirations no longer fit her best. 

When she returned home from college, Allen worked with Literacy Volunteers of America in Hempstead from 1995 through 1997 where she was inspired to become an educator. Through that experience, she said her heart broke teaching students who were 50 to 72 years old who had been “functionally illiterate their whole lives.” When she would go home after teaching, she spoke to her mother about her concerns for her students who had “fallen through the cracks” of the school system. 

“I don’t think anyone should fall through the cracks,” Allen said. “So that’s how my journey started.”

Her journey has led her to supporting Sewanhaka school districts more than 8,000 students, a job that she is passionate for. 

“When you have a large district, you’re going to have students who have challenges that need to be addressed,” Allen said. “I’m a huge believer that if we don’t take care of the whole child, it’s very hard for them to learn academically.”

She hopes to implement more programs to bring the five high school communities together outside of sports events. One idea she is to enhance the district’s sense of community while collaborating with Sewanhaka High, H. Frank Carey High School, Elmont Memorial High School, Floral Park Memorial High School, and New Hyde Park Memorial High School to create a joint decision day celebration for graduating seniors. 

A responsibility that Allen holds close to her heart in this new role is making sure that parents are aware of the resources available to them and their children at school. 

“I think that all schools, one of the things that we should really take care of is making sure our parents are informed and are aware of things,” Allen said, referencing programs and services that are offered throughout the district. 

She plans to make herself visible throughout the parent teacher student associations throughout the elementary and high school levels. To help orient parents to the high schools, Allen plans to facilitate programs throughout the year to help in the transition from elementary school to high school.

“(This) will try to help orient our parents to our district and what our five high schools offer and the amazing outcomes that we have for our students,” she said.