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Vol. 30 No. 50
DECEMBER 7 - 13, 2023
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Looking out for firefighters’ mental health By NIColE FoRMISANo nformisano@liherald.com
Courtesy Steve Grogan
James Lang, ex-chief of the Malverne Fire Department, second from right, earned the Firefighter of the Year award from Elks Lodge 1 for a mental health program he created. He was recognized by Mayor Tim Sullivan of Malverne, far left, and John Nuzzi, the lodge’s grand exalted ruler, second from left.
In a profession in which traumatic experiences are commonplace — and not often talked about — James Lang, ex-chief of the Malverne Fire Department, wanted to make sure his fellow firefighters were getting the support they needed. He created a mental health program that inspired what current Chief Kevin Garvey described as “a movement” for local fire departments. “If the membership is more aware of what to look for, what to be aware of, maybe we can all just keep a better eye on each other,” Lang said. Lang speaks openly about having experienced anxiety and depression during his 27-year career as a firefighter. Constant involvement in traumatic situations as a first responder — witnessing serious injuries, death and the resulting grief — takes a toll. “You play the ‘would’ve, could’ve, should’ve’ game,” Lang said. “What if I got there earlier? What if I found CoNTiNuED oN pagE 5
Fully online SATS — what is the impact on students? By NIColE FoRMISANo nformisano@liherald.com
It’s official: in true 21st century fashion, the SATs will be administered online starting this spring with a new format that is expected to be more accessible to the modern student — but also presents a few extra obstacles for local school districts. “I think these kids are really prepared for virtual assessments, generally speaking,” Rebecca Gottesman, the Malver ne district director of school counseling, said. “They live in a virtual world. Many of our students really were born
with technology. “There was a time that this transition may have been much more of a challenge, but I think our kids are really ready for it.”. The new for mat features more changes than just a lack of pen and paper. The exam will have two sections rather than three, and will also be an hour shorter. The PSATs also reflect those changes, and districts have been using those tests to get accustomed to the new testing style. “I think it’s only going to help,” Gottesman said, adding that the longer version of the
T
hat creates an incredible disruption to the academic process.
MATTHEw SARoSy principal, Lynbrook High School test was not conducive to a generation that is accustomed to short-form entertainment like TikTok. “If you want to really get a good snapshot as to what kids can do, or what their knowledge base is, having them
sit there for three hours is not the best use of their attention. I don’t think that we’ve seen the best version of them in those. “I think the shorter length of the test will allow the students to really focus and be more efficient, and hold their attention span longer than the previous versions of the test,”
she said. The changes to the SATs come with some caveats for local school districts, however. Traditionally, the SATs are often administered on weekends so the traditional school day is not disturbed. But along with this new digital shift, the College Board is also requiring CoNTiNuED oN pagE 9