Serving Port Washington, Manorhaven, Flower Hill, Baxter Estates, Port Washington North, Sands Point
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Friday, May 3, 2024
Vol. 10, No. 18
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VEN • FLOWER HILL • BAXTER PORT WASHINGTON • MANORHA
TON NORTH • SANDS POINT ESTATES • PORT WASHING
Port Washington
GUIDE TO FLOWER HILL PORT WASHINGTON CELEBRATES ARBOR DAY PAGES S1-S80 A Blank
l Section • May 3 Slate Media Specia
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5 challenge 3 trustees in Port ed board race
S H A K E S P E A R E D AY
Challengers tout ability to foster growth in the school district Eight candidates, including five challengers and three incumbents, are all vying for the Port Washington Board of Education’s three seats up for election this May, all contributing ideas to progress the district further, President Adam Smith is running for re-election to the Port Washington Board of Education to continue the growth he said it has achieved since he joined. Challengers Sandra Alvarez, Michael Bitalvo, Teodora Choolfaian and Joe Delerme have identified areas of growth that they say they can foster. Smith, Trustee Adam Block and Trustee Nanette Melkonian are all running to be re-elected for another threeyear term. Challenging the three incumbents are Alvarez, Bitalvo, Choolfaian, Delerme and Elizabeth Weisburd. Efforts to reach Weisburd were unavailing. Smith, who has lived in Port for the past 12 years, works for a New York-based real estate investment and development firm. He also served on the board of Temple Beth Israel in Port Washington He and his wife have three children who attend district schools. Smith was elected to the board in
2021, alongside Block and Melkonian. Smith said he is running for another term to continue his contributions to the board and its efficacy as a unit. Highlights of the board actions that Smith singled out included balancing the needs of all stakeholders, developing new programming, new staff professional developments, creating a capital reserve fund and district modernizations. Achievements Smith said he was proud of during his tenure include the establishment of the CTE and Twilight programs, which he said has aided in increasing graduation rates, as well as the establishment of after-school programs and the full funding of the integrated co-teaching program for special education. “I think that we’ve just been moving in the general direction of excellence that I campaigned on, and I think with another three years we can take it to the next level,” Smith said. Looking forward, Smith said if reelected he wants to continue the school district’s offerings in antisemitism education, develop consistency between classrooms and schools, modernize transportation and upgrade facilities. Block, a professor of public health at New York Medical College, and Melkonian, a former special education eduContinued on Page 56
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PORT WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Schreiber High School English teacher Donna Valenti, English Department members and students conducted Shakespeare Day in the auditorium, performing skits songs and videos.
Democrats call sheriff program ‘flagrantly illegal’ BY C A M E RY N O A K ES All seven Nassau County Democrat legislators called the county’s new emergency special deputy sheriff program “misguided” and
BEST
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“flagrantly illegal” and that County Executive Bruce Blakeman does not have the power to enact it. “No portion of County Law §655 authorizes you as the County Executive to establish a list of citizens and
vote
train said citizens for the purpose of maintaining a cohort of individuals to serve as emergency special deputies,” the letter to Blakeman states. The special deputy sheriff proContinued on Page 58
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