__________________ Nassau _________________
CommuNIty uPDAtE Infections as of April 12
7,245
Infections as of April 5 7,123
$1.00
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Vol. 98 No. 16
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APRIl 15 - 21, 2021
Rising water, rising costs By mAttHEw FERREmI mferremi@liherald.com
Matthew Ferremi/Herald
tHE FIVE towNS are prone to flooding due to their low elevation and their proximity to the Atlantic. Above, flooding at Albemarle and Westminster roads, near Peninsula Boulevard, in Cedarhurst last year.
Responding to a study showing that flood insurance premiums could increase to nearly five times what they are now, U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice is looking to introduce legislation that will limit the increasing cost. Rice, who represents New York’s 4th Congressional District, which includes the Five Towns, said she planned to submit a bill that would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to report to Congress and publicly disclose the methods and sources of data it uses to
calculate new flood insurance rates at least six months before any changes can be made to the National Flood Insurance Program. “News that homeowners could potentially face significantly higher flood insurance premiums could not come at a worse time,” Rice said. “The last thing homeowners on Long Island can afford is another financial burden during this pandemic. My legislation would also prohibit any changes to FEMA’s flood-risk assessment methodology during, or within six months following, a national emergency decContinued on page 16
Teachers learn that their efforts have made a difference By JEFFREy BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com
Nearly a year after schools — like most of life — changed dramatically when the coronavirus pandemic began, shifting from in-person learning to remote instruction, the Lawrence High School English Department asked students to write what they called letters of gratitude to teachers and staff who have had an impact on their lives. The students wrote more than 350 letters, making clear how much they appreciated their teachers and how much teachers have helped them achieve. What
was also clear was how much that gratitude matters to the educators. “I asked the English Department to participate in this activity as an SEL (social and emotional learning) lesson,” Lawrence High Assistant Principal Kathleen Stanley wrote in an email. “Many teachers used the lesson to work on grammar and format as well. All of the English teachers embraced this and were very proud of the students’ participation and level of engagement. This has been a difficult year for many, I think the students appreciated the opportunity to reach out to former and present teach-
I
t floored me — it’s a nice reminder what a strong impression we make. JAmES VASAtuRo Science teacher
ers and it certainly lifted the spirits of letter recipients.” Social and emotional learning focuses on teaching students to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve goals, develop empathy for others and
establish and maintain positive relationships. Sophomore Joelle Acosta wrote to her seventh-grade science teacher, Fran Ubertini, who stirred her interest in science and served as a mentor when Acosta entered projects in science competitions in seventh and eighth grades. “It was really
nice writing the letter, because I got the chance to remember all of the good times in her class and at science competitions,” Acosta wrote in an email to the Herald. “However, the feeling of writing a letter was my favorite part, since it isn’t something I do every day. I did get a response Continued on page 3