Floyd B. Watson School proudly opened in the fall of 1953. It is located on the corner of Lakeview and North Centre Avenues. The school was named in honor of Mr. Floyd B. Watson, who had served Rockville Centre as teacher, principal, and superintendent for a total of thirty-eight years. Since that time, the school has become an integral part of the local community, serving two hundred ninety-three students of perse backgrounds. A true partnership exists among community leaders, administrators, teachers, parents, and students.
The underlying philosophy at Watson is to provide a positive learning environment in which students' multiple intelligences and talents are recognized and celebrated. Employing the strategies of differentiated instruction, teachers reach the needs of all members of the Watson community of learners. Upon entering the building, it is evident that Watson is a place where adults care and students shine. The halls are colorful and the work of the students is attractively displayed throughout the building.
Watson's faculty is always looking for meaningful ways to enhance the curriculum. As a result, each year Watson School is the recipient of numerous grants funded by the Rockville Centre Education Foundation. These grants provide the opportunity for exploring areas of interest related to the curriculum in innovative ways. Engineering builds on children’s natural inclination to design, build, and take things apart. It provides children with the opportunity to make connections and to solve real world problems. It fosters collaboration, design, and innovative problem solving - the building blocks of engineering principles.
Several years ago, Watson introduced an innovative building wide program entitled The Book-of-the-Month. There are countless messages to be learned from picture books. The staff at Watson School believe that if every person reads, enjoys, and discusses the same book, they will to learn from the characters who demonstrate acts of love or kindness and who solve difficult problems. This program is part of a broader character education initiative at Watson School. Another component is our anti-bullying program, Watson is a Bully-Free Zone. This anti-bullying campaign focuses on strategies that help children cope with bullies as well as mechanisms to eliminate bullying at Watson. This goal is accomplished through the use of bullying awareness books as springboards for discussion, re-enactments, and role-playing.
It is the goal of Watson School to educate the whole child. Through our unique resources and programs, we hope to prepare students for the challenges they will face in the twenty-first century.