For the fifth year in a row, the Syosset Central School District has been recognized for its excellence in Expansion Management Magazine's yearly survey of districts throughout the country. Syosset was awarded the Gold Medal, the magazine's highest rating. Of the 1,000 districts surveyed nationwide, only 15 percent received this honor.

The magazine, which serves the business community, conducts the study each year in order to assist companies with business expansion and relocations. The study measures three factors: scholastic performance, community education, and community quality of life issues. This rating compares Syosset with other US districts based on three indexes -- the Community Index, the Resource Index and the Graduate Outcome Index.

The editors of the magazine indicate that the quality of the school district is a significant factor in the value of a community. As many families investigate the caliber of the schools before they choose a community in which to live, homes located in prominent districts, such as Syosset, are becoming increasingly desirable.

Another nationwide report has also confirmed the desirability of a Syosset education. For the last four years, SchoolMatch, an independent educational consulting and research firm with a database of 15,893 school districts in the country, has recognized Syosset as being in the top 10 percent of the nation's school systems. The district received the organization's "What Parents Want" Award, demonstrating that the qualities many parents value can be found in the Syosset schools. The firm accessed its database to identify what parents want in public education and determined that the schools in the Syosset district meet those criteria. Corporations and consumers use SchoolMatch when they are considering moving to a new community.

"The strong support of our Board of Education, PTA and community, enable us to provide outstanding educational opportunities for students in our 10 schools," said Dr. Carole G. Hankin, superintendent of schools. "This makes our community a wonderful place in which to live and learn."