Westbury Special Education Expands RISE Program to Nine Sections
Director Michael Mack presented data showing 55 students retained or returned to the district through new services and staffing changes.
By Aiko Lombardi ·
The Westbury school district expanded its Reaching Independence through Support and Empowerment, or RISE, program from two sections to nine for the 2026-2027 school year. The growth marks a substantial increase in capacity across elementary, middle, and high school levels compared to the 2024-2025 academic year.
Director of Special Education Michael Mack detailed these updates during a board meeting on October 27. This presentation served as the first installment in a new monthly series where department heads report directly to the Board of Education. Mack stated that his team’s work focuses on supporting students, families, and teachers within the community.
The district has broadened its night school offerings to include special education, counseling, and resource room services over the past two years. In terms of staffing, the district now employs in-house occupational therapy staff and behavioral analysts. Mack noted that hiring internal staff increases community engagement and provides better insight into student needs than relying on outside agencies.
These programming and staffing adjustments have resulted in tangible enrollment gains. Mack reported that 30 students returned to the district while 25 additional students were retained through the new initiatives. Services for bilingual students in special education have also expanded to cover grades K-3.
The department’s instructional sports program saw recent success as well. The Challenger soccer team finished its season with a record of six wins and one loss. Mack shared photographs of staff and students participating in playful activities, including costume events and pie-throwing moments, to illustrate the department’s culture.
Mack concluded his presentation by thanking his team and emphasizing the value of enjoying time with students. He described working in education as the best job, acknowledging the stress and challenges while citing the moments of fun with students as among the greatest of his life.
The board will continue the monthly series with presentations from other district departments in the coming weeks. Mack’s report provided a baseline for the department’s current capacity and staffing structure ahead of the new academic term.
Source: Long Island Press
