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Vol. 27 No. 6
FEBRUARY 6 - 12, 2025
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A new era for civic league organization the town. She recalled receiving newsletters about Garden City South Angela Romano was inaugu- Community League, which rated during an installation cer- were organized and sent under emony last night at VFW Post the league’s late president, Pat Friedman. She led the league 2718 as the new president of Garden City South Community for nearly 40 years before Kelly League, a civic association that stepped into the role. Later in 2021, Romano decidserves Franklin Square, ed to approach She was vice Kelly and ask if she president of the could serve on the league for the past board. Kelly quicktwo years under the ly agreed, she said, leadership of and immediately Marge Kelly, who appointed her to served as president the board. Romano from 2018 until served as secretary Romano’s inducof the league until tion last night. she was appointed Romano, 70, to treasurer in 2022. grew up in Queens, ANgElA RomANo As a result of b u t m o v e d t o President, her experience balFranklin Square 47 Garden City South ancing books for years ago shortly Community League the chamber, Romaafter getting marno quickly got to ried to her husband, Don Romano. As a long- work improving the league’s time resident of the town, she record-keeping methods. She has been heavily involved in the introduced a computerized syscommunity, serving as presi- tem for maintaining and recorddent of the Garden City Kiwan- ing financial expenditures, is and former treasurer of the which helped streamline the league’s process of reporting Franklin Square Chamber of finances to their accountant. Commerce. Eventually, in 2023, Romano When she stepped down from the chamber in 2021, she was was appointed to serve as vice determined to stay involved in Continued on page 9
By RENEE DeloRENZo
rdelorenzo@liherald.com
I
Courtesy Franklin Square School District
Matthew Serrao, a third-grader at Washington Street School, enjoyed some “independent” time in class using amira ai to improve his reading skills.
How artificial intelligence helps students learn to read By RENEE DeloRENZo rdelorenzo@liherald.com
Since 2023, the Franklin Square School District has been piloting a new AI program in its three elementary schools Washington Street, John Street and Polk Street to help students learn to read by utilizing voicedetecting technology. The Amira AI software is designed to assist both students and teachers in identifying problems in a child’s reading skills. The app, which can be downloaded to students’ iPads, provides literature for them to read aloud, ranging from fiction to non-fiction books. The program “listens” to them as they
read their selections aloud, which generally takes about 10 minutes. It detects mistakes in students’ pronunciation of words, reading fluency and comprehension, and corrects them as they go. District Superintendent Jared Bloom said he was introduced to Amira at a conference in September 2023, and decided to pilot it in third-grade classrooms that fall. Last September, Bloom expanded the program to students in kindergarten through third grade. The program, he said, gives them a helpful reading buddy, and has gotten a lot of positive feedback from students and teachers. He decided to launch the program to Continued on page 7
t’s time to do things together ... It’s better to be united together.