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What’s neWs in and out of the classroom
March 4, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD
Herald ScHoolS
Photos courtesy Oceanside School District
HealtH teacHer Sara Dowler’s OHS students participated in a six-week series of workshops on meditation and yoga.
Students learn to ‘keep calm and do yoga’ There’s more to yoga than unrolling a mat and engaging in complicated poses. Athena Levesque, a 500-hour certified yoga instructor who offers classes through her business, Yoga with Athena, explained that yoga has benefits for the mind as well as the body. It can be an excellent coping tool for reducing stress and anxiety — something everyone can use in these challenging times. Levesque is now wrapping up a workshop series on meditation, which falls under the umbrella of yoga, that she’s been teaching online to students at Oceanside High School. The students are participating as part of Sara Dowler’s Redefining Mental Health elective course. “So many people think meditation isn’t for them because they think it can only be done sitting in a cross-legged position for one hour with a totally clear mind,” Levesque said, according to a district release. “I’m offering that meditation can look different than that to empower students to try it in their own way, on their own time.”
Her idea in offering the workshop series was that teenagers already deal with the challenges of balancing academics, activities, part-time jobs, their family and social lives. With Covid-19 ratcheting up levels of stress, anxiety and depression worldwide, giving young people effective tools can help them improve sleep habits, attention span, ability to regulate their emotions and maintain a more even-keeled equilibrium. The students are enjoying the workshop. “It has always been hard for me to sit still, so I never considered meditation as a way to calm my nerves,” OHS student Ioanna said, according to the release. “However, this class has deepened my understanding and now I’ve made it my own.” Elementary school students are also having fun with a yoga workshop tailored to their current classroom set-up. Through a program called Yogi Beans, offered through PTA Arts in Education, the students are learning poses that
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 16-2021 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both
Hempstead Local Law No. 16-2021, amending Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations. Dated: February 23, 2021 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD Hempstead, New York
incorporate their desks and chairs and enable them to move around, stretch, get their blood flowing and then relax and refocus. The upbeat instruction and opportunity to move around even while in their classrooms is fun for the children. Some teachers, including Shannon Fogelberg at School No. 5, have already been incorporating yoga moves into their classrooms and participating in the program helps them add to their repertoire. It was “cool and fun” said Ava, a firstgrader in Ms. For misano’s class at School No. 4, according to the release. “I liked being a mountain,” added Jude, while Joshua simply said that it was “amazing.” Courtesy Oceanside School District; compiled by Mike Smollins
Public Notices as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held February 23, 2021, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 16-2021, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of
OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 124812
To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
angela gomez’ claSS at School No. 5, above, during a Yogi Beans workshop. Dominique anDruSzkiewicz’ StuDentS at School No. 4, at left, engaged in the Yogi Beans workshop.