__________________ SEAFORD _________________
HERALD learn how to use Narcan
Wellness Council presents a check
Renovations at Jones Beach
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Vol. 74 No. 17
APRIl 23 - 29, 2026
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Building new skills through Habits of Mind know, you have to give it meaning,” she said. “Collecting facts Seaford School District edu- is great, but then giving it cators and students recently meaning and giving it a reason put critical thinking, resilience for being — that’s really where and reflection into practice, your understanding comes.” when the district hosted a Hab- Zmuda added that the habits its of Mind conference at Sea- are meant to shape not just academic success, but ford High School how people interalong with proact and think in grams throughout everyday life. the district. “T hey’ re how The keynote we think, how we event featured prewo rk , h ow we sentations from p r o b l e m - s o l ve, ” Bena Kallick, a coshe said. “It’s as founder of Habits appropriate for of Mind, and Habyoung learners as its Co-director it is for adults.” Allison Zmuda. District officials They gave district said that bringing educators a firstthe conference to hand look at how Seaford reflects a t h e p ro g r a m i s JENNIFER BIsUlCA broader commitbeing integrated Principal, Seaford ment to developing into district class- Harbor Elementary the “whole child.” rooms. School “Our district is The Habits of deeply committed Mind model centers on 16 thinking “disposi- t o p r e p a r i n g s t u d e n t s t o tions,” which include persis- become the best version of tence, flexibility, empathy and themselves,” Sheena Jacob, problem-solving, all designed to assistant superintendent for help students become more human resources and instructhoughtful and adaptable learn- tional support, said. “We wanters. Kallick said the concept ed to provide educators with grew out of a desire to move meaningful, research-based strategies that emphasize critibeyond “rote” learning. “No matter how much you
By HUNTER FENollol
hfenollol@liherald.com
I
Hunter Fenollol/Herald
Kate Churchill, a pro bono scholar and a legal intern at the Central American Refugee Center, left, with Andrea Sacasa, a legal counsel for the Suffolk County Office of New Americans and a representative of CARECEN, and Peg Stein, a member of the management team of League of Women Voters of East Nassau, at the Levittown Public Library forum.
League of Women Voters hosts immigration forum in Levittown By HUNTER FENollol hfenollol@liherald.com
The League of Women Voters of East Nassau invited legal experts for an in-depth look at evolving immigration policies at a recent forum at the Levittown Public Library. Residents spoke with experts, hoping to separate fact from misinformation amid a rapidly changing national landscape. The event featured speakers from the Central American Refugee Center, known as CARECEN, who outlined major federal policy shifts and their real-world impacts on immigrant communities. Andrea Sacasa, a legal counsel with the Suffolk County Office of New Americans and a representative of CARECEN, said the
goal of the presentation was to provide clarity during a time of uncertainty. “We know that there’s a lot of misinformation, a lot of fear, and so our goal is to tackle that with straightforward facts and information,” Sacasa said. She explained that CARECEN, a Long Island-based nonprofit, offers a range of services to immigrant communities beyond legal aid. “We provide free legal services, but we also have community programs that range from English classes to naturalization classes,” Sacasa explained. The organization frequently partners with community groups such as the league to host free educational events and legal clinics. Sacasa and another presenter, Kate CONtiNuEd ON PAgE 11
t informed our instruction, our curriculum choices and the way we interact with students and their families.
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