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HERALD Lacrosse High School Preview
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VoL. 71 No. 16
Book tournament at Manor School
Cross of Gratitude comes to town
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APRIL 13 - 19, 2023
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Wantagh schools adopts tentative $89.4M budget mentary class size — that was something that, going back a couple years, (we) had an uptick T he Wanta gh education in. We wanted to bring that board has adopted an $89.4 mil- back down to previous levels.” lion spending plan for 2023-24, In addition, McNamara and residents will go to the praised Wantagh’s universal polls on May 16 to determine if pre-K program, which has also they want to approve it. been included in the 2023-24 The school board budget, with hopes officially adopted of seeing it expandthe budget, a roughed should voters ly $4.5 million approve the spendincrease over the ing plan. This procur rent spending gram began with a plan, at its April 4 grant two years ago, business meeting. starting with four T he estimated pre-K classes in all increase in the tax three of Wantagh’s levy is roughly $1.6 elementary schools. million, school offiFo r t h e 2 0 2 2 - 2 3 cials said. s ch o o l ye a r, t h e JoHN According to number of classes McNAMARA John McNamara, expanded to six, Superintendent, superintendent of and the board said Wantagh schools, Wantagh schools it hopes to expand the adopted budget that to eight for includes a continua2023-24. tion of some of the things that Also included in the budget wo rke d we l l fo r Wa n t a g h are technology, security and schools this year, and some new infrastructure upgrades. On the items as well. technology end, the district is “First and foremost, we looking to update a Mac lab at always want to maintain all of Wantagh High School. This is a our outstanding programs,” common trend among Long McNamara said at the meeting. Island schools after a cyber “And I’m happy to report that attack struck Suffolk County in we were able to do that. We also September. really focused on reducing eleContinued on page 2
By MICHAeL MALASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com
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Tim Baker/Herald
Joe MottoLA, fAR left, Elaine Tamsen and Nicola Bilotta have been named the Seaford 9/11 Memorial Committee’s Honorary Patriots for 2023. At right is the committee’s chairman, Tom Condon, a former teacher and guidance counselor in the Seaford Public School District.
Meet the Honorary Patriots
Tamsen, Bilotta, Mottola given honor for 2023 By MICHAeL MALASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com
The Seaford 9/11 Memorial Committee was created to remember — and mourn — the five local victims of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, keeping their memory alive year-round. One way to do this was for the committee to name Honorary Patriots each year, and this year Joe Mottola, Elaine Tamsen and Nicola Bilotta were singled out for their noble work in the community. The committee’s slogan remains: “Service builds character, make it your commitment.” Five Seaford High School alumni perished in the 9/11 attacks. Timothy Haskell (class of 1985) and his brother, Thomas (1982), both
served in the New York City Fire Department. Robert Sliwak (1977) and Michael Wittenstein (1985) worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, and John William Perry (1982) was a New York City police officer. “After 9/11, a lot of people were very angry,” Tom Condon, who became the memorial committee’s chairman, said. “That was in the news every day — turmoil, unrest, anger. But when I met with all of the families together, they said that they wanted to do something positive to remember their sons — not out of anger, not about retaliating, something positive.” Condon, who worked in Seaford schools for 48 years as a social studies teacher, adminisContinued on page 16
e always want to maintain all of our outstanding programs.