__________________ SEAFORD _________________
HERALD Seaford library kicks off summer
Rhoads, Carini welcome new gym
Seaford’s class of 2022 graduates
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Vol. 70 No. 28
JUlY 7 - 13, 2022
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School districts keep security a top priority By MICHAEl MAlASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com
In the wake of recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, school officials in Wantagh and Seaford said security would remain a top priority for the 2022-23 school year. Seaford superintendent Adele Pecora and Wantagh superintendent John McNamara both met with Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder on June 13 to go over school safety protocol, from shooting threats to the danger of illegal drugs in the schools. Commissioner Ryder, who
recently hosted a fundraising and toy drive event in Wantagh dedicated to the victims in Buffalo and Uvalde, has already made school safety a chief goal of Nassau police. “We’re very proactive here in Nassau County,” Ryder said during the fundraiser. “We’re way ahead of all the things you see in the news today — breaching systems, alarms connected to the schools, school assessments conducted by officers and so on.” Pecora said that both the Buffalo and Uvalde shootings profoundly affected her. “When you’re in a profession of edu-
Courtesy Seaford schools
SECURItY of StUdENtS and staff will be a top priority for Seaford. cating young children, it’s really hard not to personalize events like this,” Pecora said. “As superintendent, it forces you to hyper focus on things like building security for every school.” She added that both incidents re-emphasized the importance of securing the schools. According to Pecora, Seaford
formed an ad hoc committee in the wake of the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. in 2018, with the top goal of securing the perimeter of every school building. A security task force, comprised of teachers, administrators, parents and security guards, was brought back this year, and security at Seaford
schools has been greatly enhanced as a result, she said. “This task force is essentially a think tank dedicated to securing the perimeter,” Pecora added. “And thanks to technology, we now have school lockdown systems and a swipe system. Secondary school students have to wear lanyards to go in Continued on page 11
Patriot Awards honor Seaford students and lives lost By MICHAEl MAlASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com
Twenty-one years ago, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center profoundly affected many communities in and around New York City, including Seaford, which lost Thomas and Timothy Haskell, John Perry, Robert Sliwak and Michael Wittenstein. But thanks to the efforts of the Seaford 9/11 Memorial Committee, led by chairman Tom Condon, memories of those five men continue to live on. The Patriot Award is given to five Seaford High School seniors every year in honor of those
whose lives were lost. Perry, a New York City police officer, was in his office, filing retirement papers, when he heard about the attack and jumped into action. The Haskells were firefighters, and Wittenstein and Sliwak both worked for Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center. After their deaths, Condon, along with other community members as well as the school district PTA, founded the memorial committee, which is funded by donations. In November 2002 it gave out the first Patriot Awards, along with a scholarships for all five recipients. Condon, who was a social
studies teacher, guidance counselor and principal in Seaford, knew all five men who died. On June 28, the committee hosted its annual dinner to honor the 2022 recipients of the award, new graduates Alexandra Leggio, Annarose Romanelli, Brooke Surace, Parker Surace and Bryant Wong. The committee also recognized three honorary recipients, former Seaford High Principal Scott Bersin, alumnus Sean Rhatigan and retired administrator John Striffolino. A sixth recipient of the award, Ryan Haskell, the son of Ken Haskell, a firefighter who searched for his brothers at
ground zero, was also honored. Ryan is known all over town, and is affectionately referred to as the “mayor of Seaford.” Condon called him the “sixth man,” as on a basketball team. The award winners, introduced by one of the 2004 winners, Joseph Zubel, all said they were honored. They had each answered a series of questions
anonymously, and committee members selected the winners before they found out their names. “This means anyone can get it,” Condon said. “No matter where you are in your class academically, you’re eligible.” Zubel said he was honored to present the recipients with the aw a rd h e o n c e wo n , a n d Continued on page 7