Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
$1.50
Friday, September 8, 2023
Vol. 72, No. 36
GUIDE TO FALL
SOUNDS ON 2ND STREET
CALL TO REMOVE POLS NAMES FROM COUNTY SIGNS
PAGES 23-38
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PAGE 6
Herricks and Wheatley see ranking rise
SENIOR SUNRISE
U.S. News & World Report places schools at 257 and 305 nationally BY K A R I N A KO VA C In U.S. News & World Report’s latest annual ranking of the nation’s top public high schools, Long Island had 23 schools make the list, with many located on the North Shore. The evaluation process based on national, state, and local performance metrics encompasses nearly 18,000 public high schools across the United States, Topping the Long Island chart once again is Jericho High School, securing the 104th position nationally and the 13th spot among New York State’s best high schools for the year. Following closely behind Jericho, the next four Nassau County schools in the rankings are Garden City High School at 199th place, Great Neck South High School at 205th place, Manhasset Secondary School at 251st place, and Herricks High School at 257th place. “Manhasset Secondary School has consistently ranked as one of the top 1,000 public high schools in the nation,” Superintendent of Schools Gaurav Passi said. “This is a testament to our dedicated teachers and staff, hardworking students, and the incredible support of our community. This achievement is a true reflection of our entire school community’s commitment to educational excellence.” Compared to the previous year, Great Neck South High School dropped from 195th place to 205th nationally, while
Manhasset High School also saw a decrease in ranking, from 215th to 251st nationally. Roslyn High School placed at No. 451 overall, lower than last year’s rating at 415 and the Wheatley School rose to 305 nationally from 474, while Paul D. Schreiber High School climbed this year to 603 from 733. Herricks High School also experienced a shift, rising from 327th place overall nationally and 38th in New York last year to 257th this year. Similarly, North Shore High School’s rank of 406 the prior year improved to 335 this year nationally. “We are incredibly proud of Herricks High School’s remarkable achievement in being ranked by US News and World Report as one of the best high schools in the country,” said Tony Sinanis, Superintendent of Schools Herricks School District. “This recognition reflects the dedication and excellence of our students, educators, building leaders, and the entire school community,” said Sinanis, “It’s a testament to our commitment to providing a robust education that empowers students to thrive academically and personally. We will continue to foster an environment that centers critical thinking and humanity as we prepare our students for a successful future.” The Great Neck school district also expressed pride in its schools’ recognition. Continued on Page 49
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE EAST WILLISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
In keeping with tradition, The Wheatley School Class of 2024 started their senior year together during a special senior sunrise celebration.
Town shores up finance team for budget talks BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y North Hempstead Town Board Democrats approved a resolution along party lines to use Hilary Grossman, the former chief deputy comptroller of the town, for accounting services in the upcoming budget process. The board also unanimously appointed Finance Director Paul Wood as acting comptroller, temporarily filling a role in the comptroller’s office that has a vacancy in its top
three positions. Council Member Veronica Lurvey, a Democrat, presented an amendment to the other six members of the town board that authorized any member of the town board to use Grossman’s services. Lurvey’s amendment authorized town board members access to Grossman’s services which include reviewing the tentative budget, which must be submitted by North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer Desena by the end of the month,
preparing any changes or amendments to the tentative budget and reviewing the preliminary budget, among other things. DeSena, a Republican, said the “substantial” changes allowing the six other members to use Grossman’s services encroached on her role in creating the budget. Lurvey said DeSena has the authority to submit her budget, but it then becomes the town board’s responsibility to approve the budget. Continued on Page 50