Serving Port Washington, Manorhaven, Flower Hill, Baxter Estates, Port Washington North and Sands Point
$1
Friday, October 2, 2020
Vol. 5, No. 40
Port WashingtonTimes HOME & DESIGN
NASSAU RATED SAFEST HOFSTRA POLL SHOWS COUNTY IN U.S. BIDEN WIDENING EDGE
PAGES 23-28, 37-42
PAGE 7
‘Are you sure you’re ready?’: Port parent
PAGE 6
MEET THE PETS!
Criticizes school district’s reopening procedures after elementary phase-in BY R O S E W E L D ON “Are you sure you’re ready?” Dan Chuzmir, the parent of a student at Guggenheim Elementary School, asked in an email to the Port Washington school district. Addressed to district Superintendent Michael Hynes, Chuzmir’s email claims the school system “had no interest in a virtual plan” for when students returned for the school year in the midst of COVID-19, and claims the district had been pushing for students to return in person when the schools were unable to accommodate them. “From the very beginning, it has been clear that you have had no interest in a virtual plan,” Chuzmir wrote. “You have done everything possible to turn parents away from it, to make it clear that it is a nuisance to you. There have been no details, no consistency, no resources. And now this: parents being bullied into sending their
kids to school in an unsafe environment. Because what parents want to separate their child from a teacher they love? Or commit to a full year of remote without knowing any details or what the quality of education will be?” In August, parents in the district were given the option of an entirely remote learning experience or a hybrid choice where students would attend school in person for part of the week and learn remotely for the remainder, with the deadline to request an entirely remote schedule extended at one point. The announcement met with backlash and protests from parents of students at the district’s five elementary schools, including Guggenheim, who wanted a five-day in-person option for the younger students. The district eventually unveiled a plan to phase in fulltime classes for the elementary schools, which began Monday. Continued on Page 50
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA
Tatiana McNeil and her dog Willow served as ambassadors for the Port-based North Shore Animal League America’s Virtual Walk & Wag event, and represented the organization by throwing out the first pitch for a New York Mets baseball game last week.
Path cleared for film studio in Port North BY R O S E W E L D ON
lage. An article of the village’s After months of hearings, code lists offices, laboratories, Port Washington North has food establishments, storage cleared the way for the con- facilities, health clubs and struction of a movie studio at similar businesses as permit101 Channel Drive in the vil- ted uses. The village’s board
unanimously approved adding a “movie and film studio” to the list at its meeting last Wednesday. The move clears a path for 101 Channel LLC to renovate Continued on Page 50
SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM Make yo ur contribution to day w w w.theislan dn ow.com/supp ort-local-jo urnalists