New Head of School Outlines New Vision for Long Island Lutheran

After recently accepting the position of Head of School for Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School (LuHi) and Long Island Lutheran Day School (LuDay), effective July 1, 2015,

Dr. Andrew Gove discussed how new changes he is beginning to implement will continue the school’s evolution of the last few years to further improve quality and impact.  Dr. Gove’s selection as Head of School was based on a unanimous decision by the Board of Directors following the enthusiastic endorsement of the Head of School Search Committee which represented various stakeholders of the LuHi and LuDay community, including teachers, donors, alumni, parents and administrators.

After accepting the positon Dr. Gove shared “Tracey and I are so excited to continue our ministry at Long Island Lutheran.  I am humbled by the opportunity to lead a Lutheran Pre-K through Grade 12 educational institution with such strong roots and a tradition of excellence.  I feel blessed by the opportunity to work with the best educational team around and to serve students and families on Long Island and around the world.  Together we will continue to be a family in Christ who works to develop compassionate and educated leaders for the future!”  Dr. Gove then outlined a three-part vision that included deepening the integration of LuDay with LuHi, fostering even more creativity and increasing the school’s interdisciplinary opportunities.

Regarding the first component, Dr. Gove has begun employing special curriculum software, Curriculum Trak, and other Learning Management Systems (LMSs) to close even further any remaining gaps between the LuHi campus in Brookville and the LuDay campus in East Northport, 15 miles to the northeast. “We need to further embrace the idea of ‘two campuses – one school’ begun a few years ago. Using curriculum mapping to compare what each teacher is teaching, we can further ensure that individual grade curricula have no gaps and overlap properly so that, for example, our seventh-grade instruction is fully leveraging what was taught to that child years earlier in second grade.”

Dr. Gove also discussed additional efforts to foster creativity, particularly against the backdrop of a culture that increasingly emphasizes testing and memorization. “Instead of traditional midterms this semester, we created a week-long museum for a school-wide topic on Ancient Greece that featured communication, critical thinking and problem solving all while focusing on important content learned across all academic disciplines. Through this and other collaborative learning experiences our students are creating—not just remembering.

“I also want to continue tearing down “walls” between separate disciplines that sometimes create barriers to learning.” He listed common teacher planning time and grade-level meetings that represent a step forward Long Island Lutheran has taken over traditional department structures. By creating interdisciplinary opportunities that use collaboration, communication and team work, we can help create compassionate, educated and resilient leaders for Christ.”

Dr. Holly Seirup Pincus, President of the Board of Directors, said, “Dr. Gove is an exceptional leader who is dedicated to serving the needs of our students and the entire Long Island Lutheran community. The goal of the Search Committee was to identify and to recommend an individual who understands the mission and culture of LuHi/LuDay and can lead our community in continued success.  We believe we have found that individual in Dr. Andrew Gove.”

Throughout Dr. Gove’s distinguished career at Long Island Lutheran, he has done an outstanding job in any role he has been tasked to complete – playing a pivotal role in the integration and growth of LuDay, developing new fundraising efforts, creating and supporting innovative curriculum developments, and enhancing technology on both campuses.  Dr. Gove earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Concordia University – Nebraska, his Master’s Degree in Education with a concentration in Administration from Concordia University – Wisconsin, and his Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from Long Island University.

About Long Island Lutheran

Located on two campuses along the north shore of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Long Island Lutheran is a leader in Christ-centered education. Serving more than 800 students from 2-year olds through Grade 12, Long Island Lutheran schools aim to provide students with the academic, social, and spiritual learning experiences that will shape them into responsible global citizens.