________ Franklin square/elmont _______
HERALD Eric Banks joins Elmont athletics
Comemorating Memorial Day
Watercolors on display at library
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Vol. 27 No. 23
JUNE 5 - 11, 2025
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Charter school ties concern the community ties where they live, and General Municipal Law 800-806, which bars those with potential finanA controversy over a Board cial conflicts of interest from of Education candidate’s cam- holding board seats. paign and subsequent election Rachel Connors, a public has sparked a discourse in the information officer at the New Elmont Union Free School Dis- York State Education Departtrict Board over charter schools. ment, said that Douglas’s camAs Stephanie paign and election Douglas, principal did not break any of the Academy state laws. Charter Middle Douglas had not School in Unionresponded to dale, was running requests for comand then elected to ment as the Herald be an Elmont trustwent to press. ee, residents of that Charter schools, community voiced which are publicly concerns over the funded, do not operpossible impact to ate within the pubtheir district. lic school system, Douglas was but rather negotiate legally permitted to contracts with the run as state eligibilschool district they ity requirements RaChEllE lEWIs are in or a state note that a candi- Elmont resident education agency. date can work for a Charter schools are school board in a funded by local tax district which they do not work dollars on a cost-per-pupil basis, in. But Trecia Wong, the incum- matching that of the public bent Elmont trustee whom school district the individual Douglas defeated, has raised eth- student comes from. ical concerns about her candidaThe Academy Charter School cy and its broader implications. currently has three school net“I am worried that we have a works—Uniondale, Hempstead board with a charter school and Wyandanch—which operate principal who has children from out of different school buildings. our district that go to her charThe Uniondale and Hempter school,” Wong said. “It’s a stead locations are in contract glaring conflict of interest.” with the Town of Hempstead Wong claims that Douglas’s Local Development Corporacampaign violated the intention tion, which approved a $58 milof New York State Education lion tax-exempt bond sale to the Law 2103(2), which prohibits charter school in 2020, accordpublic school employees from ing to reporting by Long Island serving on boards in communiContinued on page 4
By RENEE DeloRENZo
rdelorenzo@liherald.com
I
Renee DeLorenzo/Herald
gwendolyn Barry, a junior at elmont Memorial High School navigating school with adHd and anxiety, receives helpful accommodations at the school, but emphasizes improvements to better support student mental health.
Navigating school life enduring ADHD, anxiety By RENEE DeloRENZo rdelorenzo@liherald.com
As rates of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and anxiety grow among students, Gwendolyn Barry, a junior at Elmont Memorial High School, faces daily challenges with focus and mental fatigue—highlighting both the impact of these conditions and the importance of tailored support in helping students succeed. According to a 2022 national survey of parents conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11.4% of students aged 5 to 17 were diagnosed with ADHD. For Gwendolyn, not only is ADHD a chal-
lenge, but her accompanying anxiety disorder makes for a difficult school experience. Focusing is not easy for Gwendolyn, who often finds herself rereading sentences on school assignments without comprehending them. She also experiences persistent brain fog—mental fatigue that makes her feel cloudy or dazed—leaving her unable to absorb and process critical information. “There’s been nothing so far that I have been able to do to combat brain fog,” Gwendolyn stressed. Karen Milazzo, Gwendolyn’s mother, said her daughter was diagnosed in fifth grade, though symptoms appeared earlier. A second-grade teacher had informed Milazzo Continued on page 8
want more families to know the gem that we have in this school district. Our school district is phenomenal.