Where Community Investment Meets Educational Excellence

A Western New York district transforming challenges into opportunities through strategic vision, inclusive programs, and state-of-the-art learning environments

Located in Western New York, Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District (NWCSD) has transformed itself into a model of educational excellence through community-driven priorities. Superintendent Daniel Ljiljanich captures this spirit, “Niagara-Wheatfield is a community that cares about kids.”

Once the most fiscally stressed district in the State, NWCSD has achieved remarkable stability through strategic investments in infrastructure, technology and inclusive programming. The district’s decade-long, $100 million modernization effort has upgraded everything from STEM facilities to athletic complexes while fostering unique community partnerships.

At the heart of NWCSD’s success lies a commitment to creating environments where every student can thrive, a philosophy evident in its academic achievements, innovative programs and recognition for inclusivity.

Core Values and Strategic Investments

NWCSD’s success rests on three pillars: safety, investment in facilities, and inclusive environments for all students. Ljiljanich emphasizes this trifecta as the foundation for the district’s 10-year transformation.

Safety investments span infrastructure, staff training, and ensuring secure learning spaces. The facilities overhaul addressed decades of deferred maintenance, “there was very little work done for a decade or so before that. We had some catching up to do,” notes Ljiljanich. “Initially, projects were done to improve the maintenance and upkeep of the buildings because they were in such disrepair due to the lack of funds, the most recent projects have not only worked to maintain the campus, but have also enhanced the campus,” he adds.

Highlights include a state-of-the-art athletic complex featuring a multi-purpose turf field capable of hosting simultaneous baseball and softball games. Dr. Allison Davis, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Management, adds that the complex includes “new grandstand, new press box, new dugouts, and field lighting.”

The district’s transformation extends to academic spaces and its STEM facilities, where aging infrastructure received critical upgrades. “Those STEM rooms in our middle school were as old as the building,” Ljiljanich explains. “So they were tech rooms that were close to 70 years old.”

Dr. Davis details the comprehensive renovations, adding, “we did complete renovation of the middle school and are planning to do that at the high school, making them ADA accessible, including new equipment, new seating, ventilation, and add capacity for drones, Legos, and VEX programs.”

A new 1,150-seat auditorium, doubling previous capacity, underscores the district’s commitment to arts accessibility. “We also added an elevator in there to increase accessibility and align with ADA standards and compliance,” adds Dr. Davis.

Inclusivity extends to the eco-campus revitalization along Cayuga Creek, a partnership with Buffalo Niagara Waterkeepers, the Tuscarora Environmental Program Office, and the Niagara Wheatfield Amateur Athletics (NWAA).

“The project actually began in 2011, and it sought to return the land to nature for recreation. The main goal is to educate individuals on the importance of protecting and restoring the natural environment by serving as an instructional hub for students, community, and visitors who wish to learn more about the Niagara River Greenway and the culture of the Haudenosaunee people,” says Dr. Davis, explaining its dual purpose of educating students on environmental stewardship while honoring the Tuscarora Nation’s cultural ties to the watershed.

Together, these investments reflect NWCSD’s holistic approach to nurturing student success, one that pairs cutting-edge infrastructure with intentional community connections.

Technology and Academic Innovation

NWCSD’s strategic technology investments positioned the district to thrive during and beyond the pandemic. A critical Wi-Fi infrastructure upgrade, completed just before COVID-19 hit, proved transformative. “We didn’t have the ability to do what we actually needed to do in the pandemic,” Ljiljanich recalls, “we came in just under the wire with that.” The district now provides one-to-one Chromebook access and has extended internet subsidies to underserved families, ensuring equitable access.

Federal funding through the American Rescue Plan propelled NWCSD’s STEM initiatives forward. “The Rescue Plan funding certainly helped us not only with the professional development side, but also the purchasing capacity to be able to deliver some of the instruction that we offer to our elementary students,” explains Thomas Stack, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel and Pupil Services. These resources expanded programs like Lego Robotics and drone soccer while upgrading technology infrastructure.

To maximize these investments, NWCSD focused on both hardware and human capital. After-school STEM clubs now bridge classroom learning with real-world applications, supported by comprehensive teacher training. “Today, teachers are so well-equipped to work in a Google classroom or a Google school district,” Ljiljanich observes. “They’re able to go in and utilize all of the capabilities that program has to offer.” The results speak for themselves, “our kids are really flourishing because of it.”

Looking ahead, the district sustains this momentum through a dedicated technology reserve. As Stack explains,  “our district has done a really good job at creating a technology reserve to not only enhance our technology infrastructure, but make sure that we stay current with it so that we have a kind of a concurrent wheel of turning over our technology every five years or so to stay fresh with operating programs and things of that nature on the tech side.”

Supporting Educators and Students

NWCSD’s commitment to excellence extends to comprehensive support systems for both educators and learners. The district invests significantly in teacher development, offering five dedicated professional development days annually. These sessions cover everything from curriculum enhancements to state-mandated training, ensuring educators remain at the forefront of educational practices.

Recognizing the challenges facing today’s educators, the district implemented NW Cares, an innovative employee assistance program. “The significance of partnering with that particular program is it is more of an international agency that allows our staff 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to be able to get in touch with someone,” explains Stack. This 24/7 support system addresses diverse needs including mental health, financial counseling, and family care.

For students, career readiness takes center stage through robust BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) partnerships. Approximately 20% of juniors and seniors participate in programs ranging from welding and nursing to digital design and pre-law. “Those are all two-year programs for our students,” notes Ljiljanich, “as a district our size, we wouldn’t be able to offer those types of programs in-house if it were not for a BOCES program.”

Cultural inclusion forms another pillar of student support, manifested through meaningful collaboration with the Tuscarora Nation. The district’s language development grant funds Tuscarora language instruction, now in its third year with three Native American instructors, while dual-language signage throughout campuses honors Indigenous heritage. “What’s really important is that the members of the Tuscarora Nation have an opportunity now to learn their language,” Ljiljanich emphasizes, “because the boarding schools took that opportunity away from individuals in past generations.”

Students can explore this heritage through both language courses and electives on Tuscarora culture. Dr. Davis highlights the My Brother’s Keeper Grant, which provides Tuscarora students with vocational training and mentorship, “basically a career readiness program that provides Tuscarora students with improved life outcomes, they’re immersed in social gatherings and projects in an effort to build character and prepare them for the job market.” These programs reflect NWCSD’s commitment to preserving Indigenous identity while creating pathways to future success.

Together, these efforts foster an ecosystem where educators and students alike gain the tools and support to succeed in today’s evolving educational environment.

Arts, Athletics, and Inclusivity

NWCSD’s commitment to well-rounded education shines through its vibrant arts and athletics programs, both rooted in accessibility and excellence. The district’s arts curriculum spans from middle school musicals to AP art courses, with student work proudly displayed across district buildings.

Athletics mirror this inclusive approach. With 69 programs, NWCSD was recently honored as one of only 13 New York schools to earn “national banner status” from Special Olympics for its unified sports initiative. “Unified basketball is offered here…along with bowling and extramural bocce,” explains Stack. Each team engages 25-30 students, blending general and special education populations through sportsmanship. “It’s really been a powerful thing for our school community to be engaged in. It allows our students that are very active on our varsity teams to work really well with students that have not had those opportunities in the past and have had some disadvantages due to disabilities of some sort, and it’s really a powerful thing,” he adds.

This philosophy extends to traditional athletics, where the district has won multiple awards in the competitive Niagara Frontier League. “The award that we’re really proud of is the sportsmanship award,” emphasizes Ljiljanich, a testament to NWCSD’s belief that character development matters as much as competition.

Leadership Perspectives and Future Goals

At NWCSD, leadership is as much about learning as it is about guiding others. Ljiljanich embodies this philosophy daily. “I always walk out of [student interactions] realizing I’ve learned something I didn’t know before,” he reflects, describing recent work with life skills students on art projects. Dr. Davis personifies this growth mindset at the organizational level, having recently completed her doctorate at 59. “I think it’s important that we set an example for not only the kids, but the staff too,” she explains, demonstrating that professional development has no expiration date.

Stack brings a human-centered approach to district leadership. His guiding principle, “everybody is fighting a battle,” informs every decision. “You have to be extraordinarily cognizant of that when you’re working with our community, our students and our staff,” he emphasizes, noting how this awareness shapes NWCSD’s compassionate culture.

Looking ahead, Ljiljanich’s vision remains characteristically focused yet expansive. “It would be to continue to improve on what I believe is a caring, compassionate and focused academic environment here in Niagara-Wheatfield,” he says, when asked about objectives for the next two years. It’s a vision that honors NWCSD’s transformation while recognizing education as an ongoing journey of refinement and growth.

Educating for Tomorrow

Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District exemplifies how intentional investments in infrastructure, technology, and cultural inclusivity create transformative learning environments. From its $100 million facilities modernization to innovative STEM programs and Tuscarora Nation partnerships, NWCSD has established itself as a regional leader in community-centered education. As Ljiljanich notes, the path forward remains clear through continuing to strengthen NWCSD’s caring and compassionate academic environment. This sustained focus ensures students will graduate prepared to thrive in an evolving economy while carrying forward the district’s core values of inclusion and excellence.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District

What: A Western New York district achieving fiscal stability through strategic investments in safety, modernized facilities, and inclusive programming

Where: Niagara County, New York

Website: www.nwcsd.org