Baldwin
YOUR FRIENDL NEIGHBORHOOY PROPERTY TAX D REDUCER.
HERALD
DEADLINE APR IL 30TH
Plaza staff drive by in car parade
Students donate to local pantry
Page 9
Page 10
Vol. 27 No. 14
THE LEADER IN PROPERTY TA X REDUCTION
18/21 itc FG Demi Condensed
Sign up today. It Apply online at only takes seconds. m or call 516.479. ptrg.com/herald 9176
Hablamos Espa ñol
Page xx
Maidenbaum Pro perty Tax Redu ction Group, LLC 483 Chestnut Str eet, Cedarhurst, NY 11516
APRIl 2 - 8, 2020
Making the switch to e-learning By BRIDGet DowNeS bdownes@liherald.com
Courtesy Chris Fahey
Honoring essential workers PHIllIP ZIRkulI, AN art teacher at Baldwin Middle School, used chalkboard paint on his car and drew the characters from fellow teacher Chris Fahey’s illustration thanking essential workers for their duties. Story, more photos, Page 9.
Baldwin students, teachers and parents are adjusting to a new normal: e-learning. All New York schools are to remain closed until April 15, as recently ordered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. And since March 16, programs and web services like Google Classroom have allowed educators to bring the classroom to students’ living rooms — literally. Morgan Canarick, a fifthgrade teacher at Brookside Elementary School, said the process has been working smoothly and effectively.
“I feel like e-learning has been very successful for me because I give the kids a schedule to follow just like we’re in school,” she said, “so I’m kind of simulating a school day for them.” Canarick begins each morning with a meeting with her students to review the day’s schedule, which also allows the students to interact with one another in place of face-to-face socializing. “Honestly I thought this was going to be a lot harder than it is,” she said. “It’s basically what we’d be doing in school.” Her students log on at a cerContinued on page 3
Houses of worship shift to virtual services By BRIDGet DowNeS bdownes@liherald.com
Baldwin houses of worship are figuring out how to adjust to the unprecedented consequences of the global coronavirus pandemic: Public gathering is no longer allowed. For Catholics, no further public liturgies are per mitted until further notice, the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre announced on March 24. That includes funerals, weddings, baptisms and any other cause for gathering people to gether in Catholic churches, other than private prayer.
Following instructions from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s of fice, churches can remain open for private prayer, while maintaining the proper precautions regarding distancing and groups of people congregating. Emergency sacraments are permitted, but only while exercising the proper health precautions. Burial services may be offered if possible while observing all safe distance precautions, and should be done at the g rave site, according to the diocese. Wakes and funeral Masses should be postponed. “In spite of all the bad things that we keep on
t
he church is still the church even though we cannot meet face to face at this time.
ReV. ADAm FISCHeR
First Presbyterian Church of Baldwin hearing about in the news, there are good things that are happening, and I think
we want to think about that,” said the Rev. Nicholas Zientarski, of St. Christopher’s Church, referring to a message that Pope Francis recently promoted known as Urbi et Orbi. “Jesus is with us, he’s not abandoned us, and we ’ r e o n t h e j o u r n e y together,” Zientarski said. “It’s good news. Good things are happening, people are coming together, families are coming together. It’s not all dark and bleak.” The pastor added that if anyone wants to speak with a priest, “we’re here.” Additionally, a recording of Sunday Mass has been
posted on the parish website at www.stchris.com. Rabbi Royi Shaffin, of the South Baldwin Jewish Center, said his congregation is following federal, state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and staying in touch with families through tele phone and email. “We pray that our elected officials and medical researchers will find ways to provide cures, vaccines and medical equipment so that we can combat and defeat this dreadful disease,” Shaffin said. “We Continued on page 4