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Second graders rock the ‘Barnyard’ Page 10 Vol. 37 No. 8 FEBRUARY 19 - 25, 2026
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Academy to be named after McDonald through those doors will begin their career with a clear understanding of the kind of officer The New York Police Depart- that this department hopes that ment announced plans to they will strive to be.” The NYPD Police Academy, rename its Police Academy for Detective Steven McDonald, a an eight-story, high-tech trainformer longtime Rockville Cen- ing space based in College Point, Queens and opened in tre resident. McDonald became known 2014, will be renamed the Detect i v e S t e v e n D. nationwide for his McDonald Police messages of forAcademy. The offigiveness and peace cial renaming will after being shot in take place on July Central Park on 16, 2026, which is 42 July 10, 1986, which years after McDonleft him a quadriald joined the acadplegic. He died on emy and 40 years Jan. 10, 2017, at 59 after he was shot. shortly after sufferTisch described ing a heart attack. McDonald as “a life McDonald was that reshaped how breathing with the the public underhelp of a respirator CoNoR McDoNAlD stands this work for 30 years after NYPD captain and how this the shooting, while department understill remaining stands itself.” She employed by the NYPD, offering support for also praised “the character he wounded officers and appear- demonstrated in his refusal to ing from time to time during be defined by bitterness, and his commitment to dignity and roll calls. “Steven McDonald is truly forgiveness.” Tisch shared the news with the embodiment of who we want our officers to be,” Police McDonald’s widow, Patti Ann, Commissioner Jessica Tisch and son, Conor, on Jan. 29, said in her State of the NYPD which was Conor’s birthday. “I’m not one that is usually address on Feb. 10. “Going forward, every officer who walks Continued on page 24
By MADISoN GUSlER
mgusler@liherald.com
Courtesy Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal
tara o’Shea, center, a special education teacher at William S. Covert elementary School, appeared on “the Kelly Clarkson Show” on Feb. 1, alongside Kathy Higgins, Ceo of alliance for a Healthier generation, left, to highlight the Walking Classroom model.
National spotlight shines on special education teacher By KYlE DENSoN Intern
Tara O’Shea, a special education teacher in the Rockville Centre School District, appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” Feb. 1 to spotlight an innovative teaching approach that gets students out of their seats and learning while on the move. O’Shea, who teaches at William S. Covert Elementary School, was seen on the nationally syndicated daytime talk show alongside Kathy Higgins, CEO of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. They both promoted The Walking Classroom model, which combines physical activity with academics through audio-based learning. The program allows students to listen to
hundreds of preloaded podcast lessons while walking outdoors with classmates and teachers, blending core subjects such as English language arts and social studies with exercise. O’Shea said the goal is to keep students engaged while helping them stay active. “It really supports every child,” she said. “It also is able to kind of marry, in a very beautiful way, technology and movement.” O’Shea has worked in special education for seven years and is now in her fourth year at Covert, where The Walking Classroom has become a regular part of instruction for fourth- and fifth-grade students. She also has led professional development sessions to introduce the program to colleagues, who can implement it with individual students or Continued on page 18
M
y father’s message was not only forgiveness, but about love and nonviolence.