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Page 10 Vol. 28 No. 35 AUG. 28 - SEPT. 3, 2025
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Locals help ‘Hammer’ repeat By BRIAN KACHARABA bkacharaba@liherald.com
Courtesy Scott Baron
The Sid Jacobson Hammer U17 baseball team has established itself as a dynasty on the diamond. Earlier this month in Pittsburgh, the team captured its second straight gold medal at t h e J C C M a c c ab i G a m e s, extending its tournament winning streak to 13. For a program stacked with Long Island talent, the performance confir med what many already knew — the Hammer is the team to beat. The roster included three
The Sid Jacobson Hammer U17 baseball team won its second straight Maccabi gold medal with the help of three local players.
ConTinUed on page 15
Meet Diana Ketcham, the new Merrick S.D. superintendent By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
Diana Ketcham, an experienced educator, is the new Superintendent of Schools in Merrick. Ketcham was appointed as the new Superintendent on April 8 and officially began her term on July 1. Her 29-year career has taken her to positions ranging from Babylon to Blue Point, general and special education, from teacher to school principal — all along the way, gaining practical experience in meeting the needs of students, teachers and parents.
Q: What do you want community members to know about you? A: “I have been working at the elementary level for 29 years now. I spent the first decade of my career working as a classroom teacher. I worked at both the primary and the intermediate level, and I taught both general education students and students with disabilities. When I was in Blue Point, I had a very unique opportunity to implement, for the first time, the Inclusive Co-Teaching program in the district, and we led the ICT classes for the entire district at Blue Point Elementa-
ry. I bring all of that commitment over the years and kind of the clarity of the purpose — why we are here — to my role as superintendent here in Merrick.”
Q: How does it feel to be the new superintendent of schools? A: “I feel very honored and excited. I feel, of course, a tremendous commitment to elementary education, as it’s been my life passion. Truly, it’s been my work for 29 years, and I feel a deep sense of responsibility to everyone here: the students, staff and families. I have just been so impressed by the dedi-
cation and the warmth of the teachers, the support staff, the families, and, of course, the students have been amazing. I feel grateful to have joined a district where the success of young students is the collective focus. That’s a really special characteristic of Merrick.”
Q: What are some of the shortterm goals that you want to
accomplish in those opening class sessions? A: “In the short term, my initial focus is to be a listener, and to learn, and to focus on the building of strong, positive relationships with all of the members of our community, from our staff to our parents and to local community organiConTinUed on page 2