______________ VALLEY STREAM _____________
April 6, 2023
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Vol. 34 No. 15
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Solages honors champions of the community By JUAN lASSo jlasso@liherald.com
Keith Rossein/Herald
THE 2023 WomEN of Distinction ceremony recognized 12 women in Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages’ 22nd District for their acts of leadership, community involvement, and grass-roots work. Mamie Eng, above, Maribel Canestro and Lisa and Eva Weiner were honored.
What do a Valley Stream library director, a hometown artist, and a community advocate — who is also something of a social media whiz — have in common? To the outside observer, perhaps not much. But on closer examination, they are united by a common conviction: to use their voice to better the lives of those around them and to give a platform for those who otherwise wouldn’t have one. Years — sometimes decades — of service have propelled these women into positions of leader-
ship and community importance. That service and leadership caught the attention of Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, a Democrat from Elmont, who named them among this year’s honorees at the 10th annual Women of Distinction ceremony last month. Among the 12 honorees, chosen from across Solage’s legislative district, was Henry Waldinger Memorial Library director Mamie Eng. For the past 16 years, Eng has made it the library’s mission to keep its services and programs in lockstep with the ever-changing needs and preferences of her patrons, whose views and interests Continued on page 9
Central H.S. District unveils $149 million spending plan By JUAN lASSo jlasso@liherald.com
Funding for the long-delayed rebuilding of a worn-out storage area at Valley Stream South High School that will allow school clubs to store their equipment. New musical instruments, and new state-of-the-art lockers — even a possible districtwide music festival at Carnegie Hall. Much has been squeezed into the Valley Stream Central High School District’s proposed $149 million spending plan for the 2023-24 school year. While administrators certainly share financial concerns with those in other districts across
Long Island — from increased transportation costs, to supply chain logjams affecting renovations, to inflation ratcheting up the cost of basic building and school supplies — it appears that the district has avoided any major budgetary surprises this year. Instead, district officials put forward a plan that will bump spending up by nearly $11 million — a 7.89 percent increase over the current budget. And thanks largely to a generous $10 million increase in state aid, to a total of $52 million, district officials will be able to spend more while keeping the proposed tax levy — the amount of money
raised by property taxes — unchanged for a second straight year, at roughly $87.9 million. There would be more money spent on transportation — specifically, the purchase of a large school bus for interscholastic athletics — as well as contractually obligated salary increases and benefits for teachers and other school employees, and special education services. Expenditures will also maintain existing programs, from the district’s mental health wellness centers, to its automotive and nursing technical training programs, to its “twilight” alternative high school program, which enables students to earn high
school diplomas in afternoon and night classes. There will be new expenditures as well, including:
■ A districtwide extra-curriculum robotics program, and a swim team.
■ Free SATs for all students.
■ English as a New Language support enhancements.
■ C u l t u r a l ly Re s p o n s ive Instruction training for teachers.
■ Financial literacy as a graduation requirement.
■ Expansion of the Girls Inc. and My Brother’s Keeper initiatives.
■ A districtwide music festival Continued on page 19