Friday, March 30, 2018
Vol. 78, No. 13
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Plainview-JFK school district staff star in snow day video
DUNE STABILIZATION PROJECT
BY GARY SIMEONE
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino (third from right), Town Councilman Joseph D. Muscarella (second from left), Town Councilman Louis B. Imbroto (center), and Town Councilman Thomas P. Hand (right) recently joined with Nassau County District Court Judge Colin F. O’Donnell (second from right) , Massapequa Park Village Mayor Jeffrey P. Pravato (left), and hundreds of caring volunteers at the TOBAY Beach Dune Stabilization Project. Since 1989, the Dune Stabilization Project has been an initiative to help protect TOBAY Beach. This recent event included volunteers working side by side for a great cause. Supervisor Saladino thanked the hundreds of volunteers who came out to help preserve our beautiful shoreline and protect our environment.
It was an interesting way to inform students that there would be no school last Wednesday, as faculty members in the Plainview Old Bethpage school district, put together a unique snow day video. Plainview-JFK Principal James Murray and three district assistant principals danced and sang their way through the short video segment, lamenting the fact that their would be no school due to inclement weather. “We uploaded the video the day before the snowstorm, with the help of our new media production teacher, Steven Carbo,” said Murray. “Creating these videos was something we had planned out awhile ago, and this was a perfect opportunity to get it off the ground.” He added that the reason behind the videos was to put a unique spin on informing students that they had a snow day, and also to encourage them to get involved in media and programming courses. It was actually a group of Plainview-Old Bethpage students who introduced the idea of putting together a script and video segment.
One student in particular, Julia Sprung, a junior at Plainview-Old Bethpage, showed the most enthusiasm in creating the script and presenting it to school staff. “She presented this script to me that she thought the kids would like but also be relatable to everyone else,” said Murray. “The theme was kind of a combination of the movies Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Breakfast Club.” The video was created earlier this month and the volunteers spent two consecutive days, acting out the scenes. Along with Principal Murray, the other actors included Assistant Principals Vanessa Barbone, Phillip Farrelly, and Eric Haruthunian. In the video, the principal walks forlornly throughout the hallways of his school, looking glum to be without his students and staff. But to his surprise, three of the assistant principals show up and dance with him in the school’s library in a scene reminiscent of the The Breakfast Club. Asked if there are plans for a part 2 video in the works, Principal Murray said not at this time but if an April snowstorm were to happen, “you never know.”
Former Vietnam vet has pier named in his honor BY GARY SIMEONE It was a special day this past Saturday as Town officials and dozens of local veterans gathered at the western waterfront pier in Oyster Bay for a celebration of the life and service of a former Vietnam vet. James Harrington, a highly decorated war hero, was posthumously honored with a dedication of a pier in his name. The pier will now be known as the Sgt James A. Harrington Jr. Memorial
Pier. Harrington was a 23 year Locust Valley resident, who was killed in action while serving in Vietnam in 1968. The highly decorated veteran had received a number of honors including the Bronze Star with Oak Cluster, the Medal of Valor, Purple Heart, National Defense Medal, and a Conspicuous Service Medal from the State of New York. Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, was on hand for the ceremony along
with Town Councilmen Lou Imbroto and Thomas Hand. Councilwoman Michele Johnson was also in attendance at the ceremony. “James Harrington Jr was an extraordinary resident and patriot, who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country,” said Saladino. “The Oyster Bay Town Board is proud to dedicate the Western Waterfront Pier in his memory.” Harrington Jr was a local bayman who was called to service to fight for his
country. He did so with honor and without hesitation. “As a local bayman, James loved the sea and I can think of no better way to honor his life and service by naming this prominent pier upon waters he once patrolled as a bayman in his honor,” said Saladino. James Harrington Jr had two sons, Richard and Robert Harrington, who were on hand for the dedication ceremony.
Mindfulness in East Broadway schools PAGE 6 Historical Society Collectors Night PAGE 16