On the North Shore of Long Island, nestled within the leafy confines of Nassau County, lies the small hamlet of Jericho. On a map, it is just one of many affluent communities that dot the landscape outside New York City. But in the world of American public education, Jericho is something else entirely. It is a benchmark, a quiet superpower, a place where the phrase “public school” carries the weight and prestige more commonly associated with centuries-old private institutions. As of 2025, the Jericho Union Free School District isn’t just the best in New York; it is ranked the sixth-best in the entire United States.
This is not a story of a flashy, experimental charter system or an exclusive magnet school. It is the story of a traditional, public, K-12 district—founded in 1959 with the completion of its high school—that has achieved something extraordinary through a relentless, methodical, and deeply human-centered pursuit of excellence. With just five schools—three elementary, one middle, and one high—Jericho has created a concentrated ecosystem of achievement that feels both intensely focused and surprisingly gentle. To understand how they do it, you have to look past the rankings and into the very architecture of the district, which is built not just on rigorous academics, but on a foundation of integrity, respect, and the simple, disarming power of a genuine smile.
The Anatomy of Excellence
The success of a place like Jericho is not accidental; it is engineered. The system is overseen by Superintendent Dr. Robert L. Kravitz, a leader with both a doctorate in education and an M.B.A., whose arrival on July 1, 2025, marked a new chapter for an already storied district. He is supported by a lean, focused team: David Cohen handling Human Resources, Victor Manuel managing Business Affairs, and Dr. Ivy Sherman steering Curriculum and Instruction. Together, they form the professional core that executes the community’s vision.
But the true governance, the very soul of the district’s direction, resides with the Board of Education. It is a five-member body, composed of residents like President Jill Citron and Vice President Dr. Divya Balachandar, who are elected by their neighbors to serve three-year terms without a single dollar of salary. These are not distant bureaucrats; they are parents and community members—Dr. Christopher Foresto, Samuel Perlman, Jennifer Vartanov—who dedicate their time to the monumental tasks of setting long-term goals, adopting a budget, and serving as fierce advocates for every child in the district. Their monthly meetings are open to the public, often featuring presentations that put the vibrant life of the schools on display. It is a model of transparent, grassroots governance, a constant, living dialogue between the schools and the community they serve.
A Curriculum of the Whole Child
While the accolades are built on academic results, Jericho’s mission is far broader: “success for every student.” This is not a euphemism for high test scores. The district’s philosophy is a delicate balance between pushing for the highest academic potential and nurturing the emotional lives of its students. The Board of Education has codified this into four key goals: supporting a diverse learning community, preparing students for a globalized world, helping each child live an emotionally balanced life, and unifying the community through compassionate communication.
This is where Jericho distinguishes itself. Alongside a curriculum rich in English Language Arts, advanced mathematics, and world languages, there is an equally robust commitment to social-emotional learning (SEL). The district actively works to teach students skills and strategies to be resilient, to identify the causes of stress, and to reduce it. They conduct school climate surveys, develop school-based wellness programs, and intentionally weave social and emotional development into the fabric of the academic day. The core values of the district—Integrity, Excellence, Respect, and Growth—are not just words on a poster; they are the operating principles of the classroom. The aim is to produce graduates who are not just college-ready, but life-ready—critical thinkers and problem solvers who are also empathetic, collaborative, and kind.
The Jericho Promise
When Dr. Kravitz began his tenure, his first impression wasn’t of the district’s formidable academic reputation, but of something much simpler. “From the moment I arrived,” he shared with the community, “I’ve been greeted with warmth and genuine smiles from everyone I’ve met. There’s something special about a smile—it puts people at ease and creates a welcoming environment.”
This observation gets to the heart of the Jericho paradox: how does a place that achieves such stratospheric results avoid the cutthroat, high-pressure atmosphere that often accompanies such success? The answer seems to lie in this intentional culture of welcome. The district doesn’t just promise to challenge its students; it promises to support them. It promises to see them as individuals with unique talents and needs. The professional staff, described as “talented and dedicated,” are encouraged to constantly analyze data and reflect on their practice, not just to raise scores, but to continually improve the overall student experience.
This promise is an all-encompassing commitment to foster a community where, as their mission states, every student can “thrive academically, socially, and emotionally in a safe and supportive environment.” It is a promise to partner with families, to inspire lifelong learning, and to cultivate responsible citizenship. It is the understanding that a smile is not a sign of lax standards, but a prerequisite for the kind of open, trusting environment where true growth can happen.
A Community Built on a Smile
In the end, the story of the Jericho Union Free School District is not just about being number one. It is a story about the deliberate, thoughtful construction of a community that values both intellect and integrity, achievement and well-being. It is a testament to what is possible when a community invests not only its tax dollars but its time, its talent, and its trust in its public schools.
Dr. Kravitz’s simple invitation to “continue to share those smiles and build something great together” is more than a pleasantry. It is an encapsulation of the Jericho philosophy. It suggests that the foundation of a world-class education is not pressure, but partnership; not competition, but community. It’s a quiet, powerful idea, and in a small corner of Long Island, it is producing some of the most impressive results in the nation.
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