Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
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Friday, September 11, 2020
Vol. 69, No. 37
N E W H Y D E PA R K
BEST OF THE NORTH STUDENTS MAKE STATE LAUNCHES PORTAL SHORE WINNERS MERIT SEMIFINALS FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS PAGES 27-70
No class on Diwali: Zed
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Sound the Shofar
Hindu advocate to NHP schools BY E LL I OT W E L D Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, asked the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park school district on Monday to make Diwali a holiday on school calendars beginning in 2021. Zed said in a statement that this would be “a step in a positive direction in view of ... a substantial number of Hindu students in the school district area.” Zed is asking that school districts make efforts to accommodate students’ religious requirements by not holding classes or any other business on Diwali. He specifically asked Board of Education President Jennifer Kerrane and Superintendent Jennifer Morrison to consider the action. “We do not want our students to be put at an unnecessary disadvantage for missing tests/ examinations/papers, assignments, class work etc. by taking a day off to observe Diwali,” the Continued on Page 12
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERI ARBITAL JACOBY
Rabbi Tara Feldman and Cantor Adam Davis of Temple Beth-El were joined by state Sen. Anna Kaplan at North Shore University Hospital to sound the shofar and offer prayers to health care workers.
NHP High staffer COVID positive Nine other staff members exposed, will quarantine for two weeks before returning BY E LL I OT W E L D
intendent James Grossane announced Sunday that a staff Sewanhaka School Super- member at New Hyde Park Memorial High School had tested positive for COVID-19. He said this was confirmed by the Nassau County Health Department. “As a result of the positive diagnosis a full investi-
gation, which includes contact tracing, was completed by the Nassau County Health Department,” Grossane said in an online post. “This investigation determined that nine additional staff members were considered a close contact.” A close contact is considered to be coming within six feet of
another person for more than 10 minutes. The message went on to say that the staff member will not be allowed to return to school for 10 days and must produce a negative COVID-19 test, under guidelines from the state Health Department. The staff members Continued on Page 95
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