______________
UNIONDALE _____________
HERALD BEACON
Visiting the Empire State Fair
Watching the holiday fireworks
Page 3
Page 10 $1.00 FREE
JULY 11 - 17, 2024
Fresh faces in roles as school leaders Uniondale High School principal to become the new principal at Lawrence Road Middle The Uniondale School Dis- School. McCaw also attrict has appointed tended Turtle four new leaders Hook Middle for the upcoming School, and gradu2024-25 academic year. ated from the high “We are excited school in 1991. He to welcome these has worked in the exceptional leaders district for over 15 to their new roles years, starting as a within the Unionhigh school social dale School Disstudies teacher for trict,” Monique f iv e y e a r s , a n d Darrisaw-Akil, dist h e n m ov i n g t o trict superintenalter native high dent, said in the school principal, news release. assistant principal, “Each brings and principal of unique skills and Uniondale High. experiences that “One of the reawill provide an outsons I always wantstanding education ed to come back to for our students. Uniondale is We look forward to b e c a u s e i t ’s my the positive impact hometown,” he they will have on MARTIn DARConTE said. “The culture our schools and our at Uniondale is III community.” b e yo n d s p e c i a l , M a r k M c C aw, Uniondale facilities a n d I ’ m a lw ay s wh o h a s b e e n a director proud to be U member of the disStrong. I look fortrict community since starting ward to upholding an environas a fourth-grader at Califor- ment where all young scholars nia Avenue Elementary School, feel valued and inspired to will move from his position as ContinUED on pAgE 4
By KELSIE RADZISKI
kradziski@liherald.com
T
Kelsie Radziski/Herald
Mary Bediako, left, was sworn in by District Attorney Lawanda Williams for another term as president of the Uniondale Board of Education on July 2.
Board of Education trustees reflect on the past and plan for the future By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com
After what officials described as a highly successful school year, the Uniondale Board of Education reorganized last week, and discussed summer programs and plans for the 2024-25 academic year. At the July 2 meeting at Walnut Street Elementary School, Mary Bediako was reelected as board president, a position she has held for the past two years. A retired educator, she taught math before becoming a school administrator. Bediako has lived in Uniondale for 39 years. “We completed 2023-24 with a bang,” she said. “Let’s start the new one with a greater one so that this next year will be even better than the last one.” Natalie Longsworth was re-elected as board vice president. She has been a labor
and employment professional for New York City since 2004, and she lives in Hempstead Village, where she volunteers for the Fire Department and advocates for the underserved and underrepresented. “I’m just looking forward to working collaboratively with our team to ensure the continued success and viability of our district,” Longsworth said. Charmise Desiré was sworn in for her sixth year on the school board. Earlier this year, she began her first term as the Nassau County representative for the New York State School Boards Association. Desiré remains an active member of the Uniondale community, where she has lived since 2000. “There are challenges here and there that none of us can typically avoid in life, but the key thing, I think, is to join forces, buckle down, and just get stuff done rather ContinUED on pAgE 5
here is no greater purpose than to serve your community, and now that I’m a part of the Uniondale community, I plan to put all my efforts during my time here to that cause.