Garden City Public Schools

 

Garden City Schools appoint new assistant superintendent for business and finance, principals of Homestead and Hemlock School

 

At its April 22 business meeting, the Garden City Board of Education appointed Ms. Jacqueline Rehak as assistant superintendent for business and finance, Ms. Lauren Quezada as principal of Homestead School, and Ms. Lindsay Ward as principal of Hemlock School.

With nine years of experience in education, Ms. Rehak joins Garden City from the Rockville Centre School District, where she served as assistant superintendent for finance and operations, overseeing budget development, financial analysis and districtwide operations, including facilities, transportation and food services. She also brings experience in bond planning and capital project oversight, ensuring projects are completed on time and aligned with district priorities.

Previously, Ms. Rehak served for five years as assistant superintendent for business in the North Bellmore School District, where she managed all business operations, led budget development and prepared financial statements.

“I am thrilled to join the Garden City community and look forward to collaborating with our dedicated staff and families to ensure every student reaches their full potential,” said Ms. Rehak. “I am eager to begin building relationships across the district, ensuring every decision we make starts and ends with what is best for our students as we continue the tradition of excellence.”

Ms. Quezada has worked in education for 17 years and returns to Garden City after serving as principal of Floral Park-Bellerose School. In that role, she led school operations, safety and instructional programs, with a focus on strong MTSS systems to support student needs. She also strengthened staff development, school culture and family partnerships through clear communication and collaboration with families and the PTA.

Previously, Ms. Quezada served as assistant principal of Stratford Avenue School, supporting school leadership, student engagement, curriculum development and data informed instructional practices.

“Returning to Garden City feels like coming home,” said Ms. Quezada. “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as principal of Homestead School and to once again be part of a community that means so much to me. I look forward to reconnecting with staff, students and families, and to supporting our youngest learners as they begin their journey and build the foundation for a lifetime of learning.” 

With eight years of experience in education, Ms. Ward brings a strong background in curriculum and instruction to her new role. Over the past six years at Stratford Avenue School, she has served as both a second and fourth grade teacher and has contributed to districtwide literacy initiatives.

Ms. Ward’s work includes leading curriculum development for the vowel teams unit with aligned assessments, facilitating professional development in writing toolkits, spelling inventory and phonics, as well as supporting teachers through job embedded coaching. She also developed a K–5 spelling inventory initiative and created ELA pacing calendars to strengthen alignment across grade levels.

Ms. Ward has also developed and facilitated the adoption of a CLEAR-aligned extended response framework to establish consistent writing expectations across classrooms. She designed and implemented a structured ELA homework system aligned to these CLEAR expectations, including family literacy guides to strengthen home-school communication and student accountability. She also opened her classroom as a lab site for other teachers and served as an instructional thought partner, modeling data-driven literacy practices and supporting colleagues through collaborative planning and coaching conversations.

Ms. Ward is an active member of the district’s Literacy Committee and Literacy Teaching and Learning Team and contributes to professional learning in literacy instruction. She also serves on Stratford’s Character Committee.

“I look forward to building strong relationships and creating a welcoming start for all families, particularly those entering the Garden City Public Schools for the first time,” said Ms. Ward. “I also look forward to supporting strong teaching and learning at Hemlock, where the primary years are such an important time for students to build confidence, develop curiosity, and begin to see themselves as capable, joyful learners.”

“We are pleased to welcome Ms. Rehak, Ms. Quezada and Ms. Ward into their new roles,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kusum Sinha. “Each brings strong experience, a commitment to excellence, and a clear focus on supporting students and staff. We are confident their leadership will further strengthen our schools and the Garden City school community.”

The district looks forward to their leadership in the years ahead.