________________ HEMPSTEAD _______________
BEACON Incorporating The West Hempstead Beacon
Fresh food on sale
Running for a good cause
Tropical luau preparations
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Vol. 76 No. 29
July 16-22, 2026
$1.00
School board sets agenda
Courtesy JROTC
Uniondale High School Army JROTC cadets rappelled down a 60-foot-tall training tower during the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Leadership Challenge Camp at Fort Devens, Mass., last month. The exercise challenged students to overcome their fear of heights while building confidence and teamwork.
Teen cadets rise to the challenge
By STACy DRIKS
sdriks@liherald.com
Early-morning formations, obstacle courses, land navigation and a rope descent down the side of a tower pushed 10 Uniondale High School Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets well beyond their comfort zones during a five-day leadership camp at Fort Devens, Mass. The annual Junior ROTC Leadership Challenge Camp, June 22 to 26, challenged nearly 200 cadets from schools throughout New York both physically and mentally while teaching them teamwork, communication and leadership. Maj. Anthony Telesca, who helps oversee Uniondale High’s Army JROTC program, said
the camp is designed to challenge students as they learn to lead and work together under pressure. “They come from all different schools within the tristate area and even Albany,” Telesca said. “We intermingle them together so they’re not just sticking with the kids they know from their school. They get to meet new friends and work together as a team.” Similar immersive-leadership events are held at military installations across the globe, where cadets build confidence and discipline. “I think they really enjoy overcoming the obstacles they’ve put in their minds,” Telesca said. “They’re proud of themselves once they’ve completed an obstacle, because they’ve realized the only thing limiting them was themCOnTinUeD On pAge 9
The Hempstead Union Free School District Board of Education used its annual reorganization meeting to lay the g roundwork for the 2026-27 school year with a series of actions affecting district finances, governance, student policies and operations. While the July 6 meeting included the customary swearing in of trustees, district officials and board leadership, much of the agenda centers on establishing the administrative and financial framework that will guide the district over the next year. Among the most significant items is the board’s plan to continue reviewing several policies that directly affect students and families. Committees will conduct comprehensive reviews of the district’s dress code, grading policy, graduation measures and student cell phone use during the coming school year. Those policies have become subjects of increasing discussion in school districts across New York as educators seek to balance academic expectations, school climate and evolving technology in classrooms. The board reaffirmed a voter-approved 2026-27 budget totaling more than $378 million while accepting a tax levy of nearly $76 million. The resolution formally authorizes the district to move forward with
spending approved by voters and to file the necessary documentation with Nassau County. Financial oversight is another major focus of the agenda. Trustees approved appointments for district treasurer, deputy treasurer, internal and external auditors, claims auditor and fiscal advisors while continuing relationships with legal counsel, labor counsel, insurance brokers and risk management consultants. The appointments establish the district’s system of financial accountability, auditing and legal oversight for the coming fiscal year. The agenda also authorizes the district to issue up to $45 million in tax anticipation notes if necessary to address cash-flow needs during the fiscal year. Such borrowing is commonly used by school districts to maintain operations until tax revenues are received. To improve purchasing efficiency, the school district will c o n t i nu e p a r t i c i p at i n g i n numerous state, county and national cooperative purchasing programs. By purchasing through organizations such as New York State Office of General Services contracts, Nassau BOCES and other cooperative bidding agencies, the district aims to obtain competitive pricing on everything from classroom supplies and techCOnTinUeD On pAge 5