Pasadena Elementary School  Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin The Plainview-Old Bethpage district wants to fire a longtime elementary school principal who officials allege made sexual innuendoes inappropriately touched two female employees and pressured older female workers to retire called the accusations “outlandish” and “politically motivated.” They said that the allegations were made by a small group of "disgruntled" employees who resisted being held accountable for their poor work performance Heitner was the principal of Pasadena Elementary School in Plainview for about a decade before she was suspended with pay in August after an alleged incident at a PTA luncheon last June sparked a district investigation according to attorneys for the district and Heitner Neither side has publicly disclosed the specific administrative charges against Heitner but the district’s attorney said she violated the district’s policy on sexual harassment and discrimination Attorneys for the district and Heitner gave their opening remarks to state-appointed hearing officer James Brown Thursday at the school district office in Plainview It marked the first day of a disciplinary hearing known as 3020-a a state-mandated process that a district must undergo to terminate a tenured educator Get the latest updates on how education is changing in your district By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy Such hearings are typically held behind closed doors, but Heitner opted to make hers public. Last year, Amagansett School principal Maria Dorr had also chosen to allow the public into her 3020-a hearing over allegations that she took a $25 gift card from another employee. A hearing officer last month cleared Dorr of all charges and she has since returned to work The district’s first witness Thursday was Christopher Donarummo Plainview-Old Bethpage's assistant superintendent for human resources and safety who investigated the allegations against Heitner detailed several instances in which he said he determined the claims to be credible and found the principal had violated district policy One alleged incident occurred at a PTA luncheon last June when Heitner was accused of inappropriately touching the buttocks of two female employees — an occupational therapist and another staffer — and then saying “I goosed you,” according to Donarummo's testimony Heitner also allegedly made sexually charged comments to the same employees in the past and she is accused of trying to set up a third employee with a friend of hers even when the woman said she wasn't interested Heitner denied making the alleged comments but acknowledged trying to set the employee up with a friend Heitner’s “repeated brazen” behaviors created a hostile work environment She also provided false information to the district when investigated and had an “utter lack of remorse,” instead “blaming the victims and lying” to the administration of the School Administrators Association of New York State declined to respond to Donarummo’s testimony Thursday he said that what the district characterized as inappropriate touching was an “innocent glance” and the “innocuous encounter” was “distorted” into something “unworthy of any belief." Scheuermann described Heitner as “an outstanding principal” who improved the academics at Pasadena Elementary 48% of the school’s fourth graders scored proficient in English and by 2023 “Difficult decisions had to be made about poor-performing staff members." It was not clear which employees Scheuermann was referring to and what performance issues the principal may have had with them Scheuermann also criticized Donarummo’s investigation saying the administrator had a predetermined conclusion and failed to conduct a full and fair investigation The hearing concluded Thursday without delving into allegations of age discrimination against older female employees The next hearing is scheduled for April 22 president of the Plainview-Old Bethpage teachers union attended Thursday’s hearing but declined to comment to Newsday District spokesman Ron Edelson said in a statement that the district “stands firmly behind the reasons these 3020-a proceedings were initiated." “Since the defendant chose to make these proceedings public the public will now have full insight into the reasons for the district's actions and the opportunity to observe them being examined in detail." the hearing officer issues a decision after the hearings conclude It is unclear how many more hearings there will be in Heitner's case The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months “These tennis programs offer a fantastic opportunity for our community to engage in physical activity and enjoy the camaraderie of playing tennis together Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your techniques promise an enriching experience for all participants.” the second class will be held on Tuesday May 27 Classes are 4 weeks long and run for one hour and a half Fees are $100 per resident and $125 per non-resident Refunds will not be permitted once the lessons start If you request a refund prior to the session beginning and there is a waitlist you can receive a refund at a 5% administrative fee For more information, please call (516) 797-7943 or visit www.oysterbaytown.com On most Saturday and Sunday mornings from early spring to late fall, you can find what appears at a distance to be a normal game of adult recreational baseball and you’ll notice some anomalies: fielders playing without gloves an umpire wearing a three-piece suit and top hat players’ uniforms looking as though they were borrowed from the costume department of a movie set in the 19th century Set in the backdrop of Old Bethpage Village Restoration this is the site of two old-timey baseball fields where weekly doubleheaders of vintage baseball are played with precise historical accuracy in adherence to 1864 rules The home field of the New York Mutuals (established in 1857) “The Village” is a renowned site for the loose federation of vintage “base ball” clubs throughout the East Coast.  “We try to be as accurate as possible,” says Anthony ‘Dirty Pirate’ Cannino a longtime member of the New York Atlantics and rules are an almost exact match to how Doc Adams—the man most responsible for popularizing the game of baseball—played the game over 150 years ago Old Bethpage Village Restoration is open Friday to Sunday be sure to check the schedule on the website beforehand Games are usually played Saturday morning and Sunday at noon The fourth-oldest baseball stadium in the United States is in a league of its own The "Sultan of Swat" once attended a school at the site of this baseball field An old tram depot transformed into a vintage car paradise This baseball diamond was home to the Rockford Peaches a team featured in the hit film "A League of Their Own." Home to vintage vehicles and local artifacts this museum also houses a rare taxidermy specimen A visionary oral narration project brought new life to Jonesborough Baltasar Bachero became a hero after he saved the lives of two children nearly run over by an out-of-control mule-drawn carriage A unique tribute to the chocolatey past that helped shape one British city Click here for Greater Long Island newsletters. Click here to download the iPhone app Grab your hoodies and make sure your phones are charged enough to take plenty of photos is set to illuminate Old Bethpage Village Restoration for a fifth consecutive year the family-friendly carved pumpkins and light spectacle could be the most enchanting yet with new attractions and a special anniversary celebration Visitors will be treated to a half-mile trail that is filled with thousands of carved and decorated pumpkins arranged into intricate displays New additions this year include a Day of the Dead tribute a working Ferris wheel for “Pumpkin Pals,” and an elaborate Celebration Arch that acknowledges the event’s fifth anniversary Blaze stands among Long Island’s premier Halloween events Masterminded by Historic Hudson Valley and its renowned creative director Michael Natiello The Today Show and other national broadcasts Many of the displays celebrate Long Island Highlights of this year’s event include: Organizers have added a special new feature — guests can now order custom-carved pumpkins to surprise loved ones The special order pumpkins will be displayed at the Celebration Arch the offers a flat rate admission of $10 for children ages 3-17 Admission is free for children 2 and under produces the event in partnership with Nassau County Proceeds support the preservation of Old Bethpage Village Restoration and educational programming Tickets must be purchased in advance online at www.pumpkinblaze.org Organizers said no tickets will be sold at the venue Tap here to see what’s happening Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and State Assemblyman Steve Stern recently unveiled new playgrounds in Plainview-Old Bethpage Community Park and at Roundtree Drive Park These new playgrounds replace outdated sets and are funded through a joint partnership between the Town of Oyster Bay and New York State Assemblyman Stern secured a $250,000 grant to help construct these new playgrounds “Continuing improvements to our parks and recreational facilities have been a top priority for my administration and we graciously thank Assemblyman Stern for securing our fair share of State funds to construct new playgrounds in the community we are committed to ensuring our parks have safe and enjoyable recreational opportunities for children to play and make friendships that last a lifetime.” Outdated playgrounds at these parks were replaced with new state-of-the-art playgrounds that include swings The Saladino administration has a record of investing in playground upgrades with over 80 being replaced with new sets since taking office along with turf field upgrades and other enhancements at parks throughout the Town of Oyster Bay have earned the Town Board recognition for investing in quality of life initiatives “I am so proud to partner with Supervisor Saladino and our local leaders in the Town of Oyster Bay to provide resources for new state-of-the-art recreational facilities in the community,” Assemblyman Stern said “I look forward to continuing our partnership and delivering our fair share from Albany to enhance and protect our suburban neighborhood quality of life.” For more information on the project, please visit www.oysterbaytown.com/parks Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK defeated Massapequa in a Nassau flag football matchup on Saturday Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK beats Massapequa 26-13 in a Nassau flag football game in Massapequa on Saturday Massapequa quarterback Delaney Donato sweeps to her left during a Nassau flag football game against Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK in Massapequa on Saturday Emma Heaney of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK runs the sidelines to avoid Ella Fleischer of Massapequa during a Nassau flag football game in Massapequa on Saturday Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK quarterback Lara Glasser passes to her receiver during a Nassau flag football game against host Massapequa on Saturday Emma Heaney (14) of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK puts pressure on Massapequa quarterback Delaney Donato during a Nassau flag football game in Massapequa on Saturday Lara Glasser of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK makes the reception while being double-teamed by Massapequa during a Nassau flag football game in Massapequa on Saturday Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK quarterback Jadyn Barnhill avoids the pass rush of Ella Fleischer (right) and Roxie Gunning (center) of Massapequa during a Nassau flag football game in Massapequa on Saturday Emma Heaney of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK comes up one yard short of a touchdown during a Nassau flag football game against host Massapequa on Saturday Emily Blake of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK slips past Mariah Morisi of Massapequa during a Nassau flag football game in Massapequa on Saturday Emma Heaney (14) of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK and Reese Reustle (15) of Massapequa go after the pass during a Nassau flag football game in Massapequa on Saturday Plainview-Old Bethpage quarterback Lara Glasser (2) scrambles away from Ella Fleischer of Massapequa during a Nassau flag football game in Massapequa on Saturday Gina Bellone of Massapequa cuts in front of Emma Heaney of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK for an interception during a Nassau flag football game in Massapequa on Saturday Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK quarterback Jadyn Barnhill fades back to pass during a Nassau flag football game against host Massapequa on Saturday Rachel Ganz of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK passes on a flea-flicker play during a Nassau flag football game against host Massapequa on Saturday center/right) of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK celebrates her touchdown during a Nassau flag football game against host Massapequa on Saturday Voters at the Jamaica Avenue polling site in Plainview cast ballots Tuesday on a bond-borrowing package of almost $114 million in the school district Voters in the Plainview-Old Bethpage school district Tuesday rejected a bond-borrowing package totaling nearly $114 million that would have raised property taxes by an estimated $549 per year for the average household notched 2,513 "no" votes to 1,363 "yes" votes with 2,585 residents opposed and 1,244 in support The district's bond proposal was one of the largest put forward on Long Island over the past year and largely aimed at expanding school buildings to accommodate what local officials describe as a heavy influx of new students from Queens "We have to go back to the table and find other ways to do the infrastructure improvements and address the space issues that still exist at the high school and in our elementary school," Superintendent Mary T O'Meara said after the results were tabulated Tuesday evening One of our elementaries does not have enough room for another class should more students join We still are seeing tremendous increases in enrollment; 201 students joined the district since July." Some students have said that expansion is needed at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F some adult residents had protested the costs of the project and a series of "Vote No" signs were posted along a stretch of Old Country Road The district held 13 public meetings and two bus tours in recent weeks to familiarize residents with the proposed construction and renovation plan O'Meara said Tuesday night that 3,876 residents voted which she described as "a very large voter turnout" and roughly double the turnout of last year’s budget vote The referendum had been split into two separate ballot items 1 would have covered upgrades at the high school and other renovations throughout the district Major proposed additions at the high school included a 12,000-square-foot auxiliary gym with yoga and weight rooms 10 additional classrooms and six bathrooms 1 would have also paid for four new classrooms at the district's Judy Jacobs-Parkway Elementary School air conditioning in gyms and cafeterias and synthetic turf on playing fields 2 would have upgraded the district's Jamaica Avenue building This would have allowed it to be used for regular student instruction along with its current community-based day care programs The building is also used for adult education classes The second proposition could only have been approved if the first proposition passed 1 itself would have cost the average homeowner $450 in taxes bond borrowing would have been paid off over 17 years with 51% of total costs reimbursed by the state a steady stream of voters came through the Jamaica Avenue polling site as teenage gymnasts practiced in another room nearby who works as a recruiter for a health care agency said she supported the bond issue with her family in mind "As a parent of two children who will be in school for nine years to come I want to make sure our children are set up for success," she said "It's very upsetting to find out they want so much money when they could have just set aside a little money each year to pay for this," he said district officials said $1 million-$4 million of their annual budget each year is for capital work but that costs of larger projects exceed the available funds allocated for routine ones John Hildebrand is Newsday's senior education writer and has covered school news and policy issues affecting Long Island for more than 40 years Remnants of the incinerator at the Oyster Bay Solid Waste Plant on Thursday A yellow excavator climbed over the rubble on a recent weekday morning where the Town of Oyster Bay's recycling plant once stood part of ongoing demolition work at the 135-acre landfill property has razed three out-of-service structures spanning about 12 acres in Old Bethpage that were last used to incinerate garbage in the 1980s town officials are mulling over options for the property as demolition work draws to a close The first phase of the demolition — the removal of old smokestacks — finished in February 2024 the contractor began to raze the three structures That second phase is expected to end in the coming weeks “They’re almost completely done with it,” Daniel Pearl “Just the mere fact that it’s coming down is tremendous.” The Old Bethpage Solid Waste Complex is a sprawling facility on Bethpage-Sweet Hollow Road Pearl pointed to a staging area where about two dozen trucks remove sorted trash from the complex to other facilities including in Pennsylvania and upstate New York Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said in a statement the demolition of the buildings demonstrates “a major step forward in modernizing operations Town officials have been talking about the property's future for years and have floated the idea of new recycling and waste transfer facilities Oyster Bay is “in the process of developing a long-term plan that removes the community eyesores and enhances the exterior aesthetics with fence improvements and landscaping,” town spokesman Brian Nevin told Newsday from yard waste and household appliances to construction material and electronics The waste and debris are sorted into different sections A large green and gray building reminiscent of an aircraft hanger is where much of the garbage goes before it's dumped into an open trailer The transfer happens usually within 24 hours of it arriving on site The facility processes about 120,000 tons of solid waste annually a capped landfill that was closed in 1986 barely produces methane anymore The town is looking to decommission the system that once captured the gas The work will not affect the capped landfill and "the incinerator process will never be reactivated," Saladino said in a statement Excavators have been working through the debris of the structures The vacant buildings had been “an eyesore” in the community the town has been examining different options for the waste sorting complex including upgrades to existing facilities and plans for new ones town officials considered replacing the current 40,000-square-foot waste transfer station and building a new recycling plant The existing transfer facility is “nearing the end of its service life," town officials wrote in a request for proposals for that project in 2020 Officials left open the possibility of having a company build a new recycling management facility on the property that could accept recyclables from other towns and cities Nevin said in an email the town “ultimately ruled out RFP responses.” the former director of the Waste Data and Analysis Center at Stony Brook University said the removal of the smokestacks signals “the end of an era.” The complex is centrally located in the town — making it a convenient site for a recycling plant “The town may be looking at current markets and thinking ‘we could manage our recyclables and it wouldn’t cost us very much money,'" Tonjes said Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories Emma Heaney of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK surveys the court during a Nassau Conference AAA girls basketball game against Uniondale at Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on Jan Emma Heaney was primarily a soccer player entering her freshman year of high school she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to try out for the basketball team for fear it would conflict with other commitments But Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK girls basketball coach Nick Tomasulo insisted the athletic Heaney try out for the team and said they’d figure out a schedule that works is one of the best girls basketball players on Long Island and set to play college basketball at Division I Lafayette College “I was nervous to just try out my freshman year,” Heaney said “I was all soccer and I was doing (basketball) more for fun because I played in middle school basketball became her primary sport and focus joined her first AAU basketball team as a freshman and was an impact four-year varsity player for the Hawks The forward opened her final high school postseason run with 17 points 16 rebounds and seven blocks despite playing just three quarters as fourth-seeded Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK defeated No in the Nassau Class AAA quarterfinals on Wednesday she was named Newsday’s Athlete of the Week isn’t worried about personal statistics though The Hawks’ girls program has never even played in a county final and Heaney and her teammates are determined to change that Tomasulo sees that combination of focus and athleticism on a daily basis “There are times in practice where she makes a move or she does something athletic where I’m like ‘Holy crap Tomasulo has witnessed Heaney evolve into an elite overall basketball player in the last four years Heaney’s next challenge is leading the Hawks against top-seeded Massapequa in the Nassau Class AAA semifinals on March 1 at Farmingdale State she was just a superior athlete playing the game,” Tomasulo said she’s a basketball player who is also a superior athlete on top of that I tell her all the time the sky’s the limit because she’s kind of only just cracking her potential.” Owen O'Brien covers high school and college sports for Newsday He's also covered professional teams such as the Mets Jets and Giants since graduating from the University at Buffalo 2025 at 12:51 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Voters reject a pair of bond propositions for the Plainview-Old Bethpage School District NY — Residents in the Plainview-Old Bethpage School District voted down a pair of bond propositions on Tuesday It was a combined bond package of $114 million which would have increased homeowner's property taxes The district said Tuesday's turnout was "one of the highest participation rates in recent history." As for the defeat of each bond proposition "The Board of Education will discuss next steps and continue to keep the community updated." Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK celebrates winning the Nassau Class AAA girls volleyball final after defeating Massapequa on Wednesday Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK had seen this story before A sweep for Massapequa as the Hawks stood on the other side of the net watching it receive another county championship plaque This time the third-seeded Hawks rewrote the ending in the Nassau Class AAA championship on Wednesday night at East Meadow “Beginning of the season we had no clue what we were walking into We graduated almost all our starters,” libero Emily Layton said “We knew this could happen once we started playing the games we knew we had a real shot to win it all.” Jayden Axelrod had 18 kills and Isabella Sallie had 13 for Plainview and Victoria O’Neill had 10 for Massapequa The Hawks trailed 10-7 in the decisive fifth set but Katz responded with three kills and an ace as Plainview tied it at 12 Axelrod’s kills gave Plainview its first match point at 14-13 but Ringel responded with a kill for Massapequa Plainview faced match point at 16-15 and Axelrod saved the match with a kill Emery Witkes earned a block and Katz followed with another to end the match “They aren’t in our conference and have a much different team than last season Plainview would ultimately trail by two sets but the second set is where it made its move the Hawks went on a 9-2 run to cut the score to 24-22 Massapequa saved a ball just inches off the ground with match point and a Plainview attack error ended the set rather than six individuals on the court,” Katz said Plainview led the third set at 24-22 but kills from Ringel and O’Neill tied it for Massapequa Plainview ended the set with kills from Sallie and Katz Plainview carried that momentum to the fourth set “We pushed each other and that was the game changer The Hawks will face Ward Melville at 4:30 p.m on Friday at Wantagh in the Long Island Class AAA championship Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Councilman Steve Labriola announce the Town’s S.T.O.P (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) and Homeowners Cleanup Days for this spring with dates scheduled for weekends in April and May Residents can drop off materials at the Old Bethpage Solid Waste Disposal Complex located at 101 Bethpage-Sweet Hollow Road in Old Bethpage May 10th from 9am – 4pm: collects various hazardous materials including: asbestos material (double bagged);  automobile batteries; automobile tires (with or without rims); brake and transmission fluids; drain and oven cleaners; fire extinguishers; fares; fluorescent bulbs; gasoline; pesticides and insecticides; oil-based and latex paint; outdoor gas grill propane tanks; photo chemicals; rechargeable and button batteries; small aerosol cans; smoke detectors; solvents; spot removers; thermostats; waste motor oil and antifreeze; and wood preservatives “Improperly disposing of products such as waste oil oven cleaner or paint thinner could contaminate your water supply,” said Supervisor Saladino “Anything poured on the ground or put into cesspools or recharge systems can work its way down to the aquifer or our waterways.” May 17th from 8:30am – 4pm: collects non-hazardous waste only including: air conditioners; all e-waste; campers; boats and boat trailers (proof of ownership required – oil other fluids and batteries removed); clean broken concrete; large metal items; propane tanks and propane torches; tires; and yard waste many residents begin to clean out their yards and may have large amounts of yard waste and other non-hazardous debris to dispose,” said Councilman Labriola “Residents can bring items such as used tires clean broken concrete or yard waste to our Homeowners Cleanup.” Free Paper Shredding Services – Saturday May 17th from 8:30am – 4pm: provides residents an opportunity to destroy unwanted documents in a safe and secure manner can bring up to four bankers’ boxes of paper to the shredding program The Town’s S.T.O.P. and Homeowners programs are open to residents within the Town’s Solid Waste Disposal District. Proof of residency is required. For more information, including a full list of what is accepted at these programs, visit www.oysterbaytown.com/cleanup or call (516) 677-5848 Syosset teammates celebrate after their 62-53 win over Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK in the Nassau Class AAA girls basketball final at Farmingdale State College on Saturday One principle you’ll commonly hear at a basketball practice is to only work on skills you’ll perform in a game Taking half-court shots could fall under a waste-of-time category And she now has the evidence to back that up When the Syosset senior would pass up some sips of water during breaks at practice to work on those shots She was honing a county-championship winning skill the senior made a half-court shot at the buzzer to take a one-point lead into the locker room in the girls basketball Nassau Class AAA final She took the pass with less than three seconds left from the opposite side of the court took a few dribbles and fired in the basket After countless half court shots attempted at practice Nelmes knew she was capable of making that low-percentage basket “When there are water breaks during practice we’re practicing half-court shots and it finally paid off I definitely think it brought up our momentum.” Syosset carried that momentum into the second half as second-seeded Syosset scored nine of the first 11 points of the third quarter enroute to a 62-53 victory over No 4 Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK in the girls basketball Nassau Class AAA final at Farmingdale State College on Saturday afternoon “We do this all the time at practice but now that it really happened it changed the momentum,” said junior guard Samantha Schneider “They were coming back and that put us up at half and we weren’t going to go back down.” Syosset (20-3) plays the winner of Whitman/Brentwood at 6 p.m on Saturday at Farmingdale State College in the Long Island Class AAA championship/Southeast Regional Final Syosset opened the game on an 11-2 run and led 13-8 after the first quarter Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK went on a 10-2 run over 2:33 to take an 18-17 lead with 39 seconds left in the second quarter before Nelmes’ half-court shot Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK (17-6) rallied again in the third quarter when Emma Heaney scored six of her 20 points over a 13-second span to cut Syosset’s lead to 33-31 But Nelmes followed with a block and dribbled the court before finding Ivy Matthews for a layup which started an 11-3 run to close the period you just have to give 10 times more than you had and once you do “That really led us to building more of a lead and then we finally closed it off.” Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK opened the fourth quarter on a 10-2 run to cut Syosset’s lead to 46-44 with 3:38 left before Schneider made all three foul shots after being fouled on a three-point attempt The score never returned to a one-possession contest Matthews and Jaylah McKay had 14 points each for Syosset 13 rebounds and six blocks and Nicole Kyriacou had 17 points for Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK After winning its second straight county championship Syosset looks to win its first Long Island crown in program history on Saturday it was all of our first time getting into the Long Island championship I don’t think we had the right mindset,” Nelmes said we know we’ve been there and I think we’ll be ready.” Syosset coach Michael Ferreira credited Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK for a challenging contest “They made that as difficult as absolutely possible,” Ferreira said “They have a special group of seniors over there and they have a lot to be proud of I’ve been on the other side of this and there’s nothing you can say to make it better But they did a tremendous job of making that as difficult to win as it was.” He also credited Nelmes for her tough defense and timely plays “That’s just Kate Nelmes doing what Kate Nelmes does She practices those shots all day at practice but I’m happy she has that type of shot in her arsenal and it was huge going into halftime.” Plainview-Old Bethpage High sophomores Joseph Burhanzai and John Cheser prepare duffel bags at the school district office in Plainview A group from the Plainview-Old Bethpage school community is working to make the birthdays of a few hundred teens facing hardship a little brighter parents and business owners on Wednesday will pack about 400 duffel bags with essential items for teens who are homeless or in foster care The "Power of Belongings" project partnered with a nonprofit to collect items such as hoodies not only does it feel good but it's impactful and makes a difference in someone’s life which I think is the most important thing," Ben Cheser The bags will be picked up the next morning by a moving company which will deliver them to Birthday Wishes a Hicksville-based nonprofit that provides gifts to children teens and their families staying in homeless and domestic violence shelters so they can still celebrate their special day "It reminds the kids that the day that they were born is special It reminds the parents that they are not isolated and alone," Rapfogel said “Most families who are homeless are dealing with unending amount of trauma and financially have tremendous difficulties so it allows them the freedom to celebrate their kids' birthday.” The homelessness crisis in New York has spiked in recent years, according to a report by the state’s comptroller’s office the number of homeless people more than doubled leading to more than 50,000 homeless children in the state can be attributed to "eviction proceedings increased rents and the influx of asylum-seekers," the January report noted Plainview-Old Bethpage high school seniors Hayley Levy and Rachel Levine They have collected donated items from businesses and chamber members created flyers to spread the word and recruited students to pack and sort items "It’s really shown me that I’m very fortunate with what I have and where I've grown up," Levy said the district’s coordinator of community services was sparked after hearing author Regina Calcaterra discuss navigating the challenges of the foster care system and homelessness in Suffolk County during her youth "When I heard her speak about the high need of teens on Long Island that are homeless 'Plainview-Old Bethpage can do something about that,' " Dender said is expected to attend Wednesday's event to detail her life which she captured in her New York Times best-selling book "Etched in Sand." In an interview she stressed the importance of building children's self-esteem "For that moment to actually recognize this child and give them a respectable duffel bag...and be able to say 'You're important and this is your day Let's celebrate you,' " she said For more information about Birthday Wishes, visit birthdaywishes.org Darwin Yanes is a native Long Islander and Stony Brook University graduate who covers education He previously covered the Town of North Hempstead The Plainview-Old Bethpage school district is seeking approval to borrow nearly $114 million The Plainview-Old Bethpage school district is seeking voter approval of nearly $114 million in borrowing aimed largely at expanding schools and relieving overcrowding as student enrollment has risen if approved in a vote scheduled for Tuesday would add an additional $549 per year to the tax bill of an average homeowner Current total property taxes average about $14,000 per household The referendum is split into two separate ballot items along with other renovations throughout the district Big-ticket items at the high school include a proposed 12,000-square-foot auxiliary gymnasium with yoga and weight rooms four classrooms would be added at the district's Judy Jacobs-Parkway Elementary School The package would also provide for districtwide roof replacements air conditioning in gyms and cafeterias and synthetic turf on playing fields Students eat lunch in Plainview-Old Bethpage John F would upgrade the district's Jamaica Avenue building so it could be used for student instruction as well as its current community-based day care services The second proposition can only be approved if the first proposition passes 1 alone would cost the average homeowner $450 in taxes school officials have conducted 11 public bond-issue presentations in an effort to educate residents on what they believe is an urgent need for school expansion the proposal has generated some taxpayer resistance including a row of "Vote No" signs posted along a stretch of Old Country Road "We have a critical space issue that needs to be addressed immediately and the plans can be approved by the state we'll be able to begin these projects," said Mary O'Meara O'Meara and more than a dozen student leaders met with a Newsday reporter and photographer for a tour of the district's high school Enrollment there has climbed from 1,500 in 2018 to more than 1,700 this year largely due to a migration of families from Queens even as enrollments across most of the Island decline is that lunch periods now start at 8:51 a.m as students rotate through a cafeteria with 238 seats students stuck in crowded hallways struggle to move from class to class during three-minute passing periods "I've found it increasingly difficult to get from class to class in the short transitional time we are given," said Ally Yagaloff agreed that pedestrian traffic is a major issue and our school's not a place where people should be pushed around," he said in a hallway at the Plainview-Old Bethpage high school as students change classes with 51% of total costs reimbursed by the state the project's sticker price has created a buzz on Plainview-Old Bethpage social networks where some residents have described the bond initiative as "deeply troubling" or "unsustainable."  a retired engineer who has lived in the district 30 years and objects to spending on nonacademic items such as turf fields "Even people who support schools may have misgivings about these kinds of things especially in today's economic conditions when a lot of people struggle to pay the rent."  Another common complaint is that the vote has been scheduled in a season when many residents are vacationing in Florida or otherwise preoccupied with issues other than school financing "Nobody was paying attention to local politics at that particular moment," said Joseph Scarpa another longtime resident whose family has followed the bond debate via social media A sign placed at Speedway gas station in Plainview indicates opposition to the district's proposal A 2023 review by the Empire Center for Public Policy found that districts statewide held more than 400 of these "offseason" bond votes over the past dozen years Seventy of those votes were in Nassau and Suffolk counties Empire analysts reported that turnout was exceptionally low routinely drawing less than 5% of eligible voters some advocates have suggested that all bond referendums be held in May This week Farmingdale voters rejected a $55.85 million bond proposition O'Meara said during an interview that "offseason" voting raised "reasonable concerns" but argued that there was a pressing need for expansion in her own district that required swift action She said the time required for districts to obtain state construction approvals can run between 12 and 18 months "People ask why don't we wait for the usual May budget vote," O'Meara said "But then we would most likely not get any construction started until the summer of 2027." won all-around (36.775) at Nassau meet/state qualifier on Tuesday Marisa Schlossman’s meet started with a fall on the beam She finished first overall for the third consecutive year at the Nassau individual championship/state qualifying meet at Syosset on Tuesday night and it almost got the best of me with that fall on the beam,” the Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK senior said “I told myself I was going to hit that vault a University of Bridgeport gymnastics commit finished with a 36.775 overall (9.65 on vault Syosset’s Vanessa Frullo finished second with a 36.35 and she will be going to the state championship with three familiar faces: teammates Sophia Bahiri but I’m so proud of how we all did today.” they’re happy to be able to compete for the last time together “The fact that we’re able to go back one more time “It’s a great way to end the season for us.” Carle Place/Wheatley’s Sammi Jacknis finished third in the all-around (36) and will compete in all four events at the state championships along with Schlossman and Frullo Slade and JoJo Casvikes (POB) will compete on floor Abbey Thaler (CPW) and Bahiri will compete on bars Cali Yu (POB) and Alyssa Todaro (Hicksville) will compete on beam Misita and Alexa Bradford (Hewlett) will compete on vault They will travel to Clarence High School in Buffalo on Mar they look good,” Nassau gymnastics coordinator Kim Rhatigan said “I think they have a good chance this year.” Nicholas Shuleshov #5 of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK scores a goal on a header against Massapequa during a Nassau Class AAA boys soccer semifinal at Farmingdale State on Tuesday The Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK boys lost their one and only soccer game They posted 10 shutouts and outscored the opposition by 30 goals across their first 15 games 16 Tuesday night at Farmingdale State College a game with much higher stakes — the Nassau AAA semifinals and we wanted that revenge,” junior center back Nick Shuleshov said afterward Shuleshov scored a goal and anchored an airtight defense in the top-seeded Hawks’ 2-0 win over No Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK fell against East Meadow in the 2023 AAA final So make it three straight years in a county title game “It’s amazing,” Hawks coach Christine Ho said “That’s something we’ve talked about all year is getting to November which we knew would be the championship game They will play for the championship at 6:30 p.m Sunday back at Farmingdale State against the winner of Tuesday night’s other semi between No “I think this team has the most potential to make it as far as they can this year,” Shuleshov said Shuleshov has been a large reason why Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK has conceded all of five goals in this 13-1-2 run the Hawks went up 1-0 with 7:59 gone in the first half but he sent it past Nicholas Ambrosio for an own goal Then Shuleshov took out insurance 4:32 into the second half scoring on a header off a throw-in from Ryan Misiti “I don’t think it could’ve been any more perfect Tommy Petrsoric made a diving stop with a little more than eight minutes left “I couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” coach Matthew Burke said We had our backs up against the wall a few times The Plainview-Old Bethpage School District already suspended Karen Heitner with pay in August Allegations including Heitner touching two female employees inappropriately and made sexual innuendoes it is the district’s policy not to comment on ongoing litigation," said Ron Edelson what the district will say is that it stands firmly behind the reasons these 3020a proceedings were initiated Since the defendant chose to make these proceedings public the public will now have full insight into the reasons for the district's actions and the opportunity to observe them being examined in detail." Edelson added: "As a result of the public nature of these hearings both the identities and personal information about the witnesses will become public." A lawyer for Heitner said the accusations were “politically motivated," according to Newsday Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK defeated Syosset in a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Arlene Osei of Syosset on the uneven bar during a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Charlie Storch of Syosset on the floor exercise during a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Shia Han of Syosset on the floor exercise during a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Jo Jo Casvikes of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on the beam during a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Marisa Schlossman of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on the beam during a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Leah Chin of Syosset on the floor exercise during a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Marisa Schlossman of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on the uneven bars during a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Andia Yu of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on the uneven bars during a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Leah Chin of Syosset on beam during a Nassau girls gymnastics competition on Tuesday Plainview-Old Bethpage school district's superintendent from with high school business department teachers Scott Lieberman business department coordinator Maria Carnesi and business teacher Amanda Kelly Kennedy High School’s business department has been named the 2023-24 Department of the Year by the Business Teacher’s Association of New York State The department offers classes in marketing It received the designation based on factors ranging from its work-based learning opportunities to the chance to earn college credit for 10 different business classes at the school “I think the various opportunities that we have along with the value of the opportunities that we have definitely contributed to us being chosen,” said Gina Farrell work-based learning coordinator and career and technical education coordinator at the school “We’re really on the forefront of career and technical education and making sure we are looking at the students’ pathways and what’s next for them.” Other opportunities offered at the school include financial literacy certification through the educational nonprofit W!se and certification as a Microsoft Office Specialist as well as extracurricular activities like the Wall Street Investors Club and a Moot Court Club in which students participate in simulated court proceedings The department’s newest course is a real estate qualifying class that makes students eligible for the New York State Real Estate Salesperson Exam From breaking news to special features and documentaries the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you dedication and innovation of an incredible team of educators whose commitment to providing outstanding educational experiences for our students truly sets them apart,” said business department coordinator Maria Carnesi “It is a wonderful recognition of their collective efforts and fuels Plainview-Old Bethpage’s excitement to continue raising the bar in business education.” Lindenhurst High School recently unveiled a new cosmetology classroom that will help students gain hands-on experience in makeup The classroom includes equipment ranging from sinks for shampoo and scalp treatments to styling chairs that can be used for facials It is part of the school’s ongoing efforts to expand in-house career-training opportunities “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving career success and we are pleased to offer students an early start in pursuing their passions,” said Lindenhurst school district Superintendent Vincent A Callan Lonergan has been appointed principal of Helen B Duffield Elementary School in the Connetquot Central School District Lonergan had served as assistant principal of Pulaski Street School in Riverhead since 2019 she was a teacher mentor at Central Boulevard School in Bethpage and a special-education teacher at both Central Boulevard and PS 108 in Ozone Park “I look forward to building on the strong foundation laid by Ms Farrell and collaborating with our dedicated staff to create a safe supportive and nurturing environment where each child can reach their full potential,” Lonergan said Forest Lake Elementary School has unveiled “Sara’s Sensory Space,” an area designed to calm students’ senses and help them regulate their emotions It was named in honor of Serafina “Sara” Farb a former aide who worked with special education students and died of cancer last year a double trampoline and a bubble tube that creates a visual display of bubbles rising through colored water Farb worked closely with the children at Forest Lake nurturing way will be forever celebrated in this space,” said Principal Thomas Burke Marisa Schlossman of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on the beam during a Nassau High School Girls gymnastics competition against Syosset on Tuesday When Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK and Syosset gymnastics meet But Tuesday evening saw that drama burst to heights greater than any gymnast coming flying off the uneven bars Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK gymnastics won a nail-biter over Syosset in a battle of Long Island’s best in Nassau I at Jamaica Avenue School POB JFK’s Marisa Schlossman placed second in the all-around with her 35.05 with eighth-grade teammate Andi Yu’s 33.65 taking third Syosset senior Vanessa Frullo’s 35.6 led all gymnasts Schlossman and fellow senior Josophina Casvikes finished the meet with 9.25- and 9-point scores in floor and I think we did a really good job of doing that,” Schlossman said POB JFK held a mere 1.15-point lead after the first two events But even a larger lead isn’t safe against Syosset given its strengths in floor and beam Senior Leah Chin proved it by scoring a meet-high 9.45 in floor Illana Slade’s 9.2 and Reese Kaufman’s 9.1 “You can’t think four events ahead,” Schlossman said “Every other year I think we got ahead of ourselves just because we know Syosset has a really strong beam and floor,” Casvikes added “It really shows that .5 can make a difference even if there’s a wobble.” The young up-and-comers for POB JFK added vital points in the win Eighth-grader Sofia Rosamilia opened the meet by singing the anthem and followed it up with a thrilling double giant to a layout flyaway to end her routine on uneven bars Yu launched herself around Rosamilia shoulders in a hug after the dismount It’s remarkable to see middle schoolers in Yu Rosamilia and the team’s only seventh-grader Addie Simon provide such value to a top Long Island program and I think that’s what brought us to the end score,” Simon said Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023 A fire damaged a home on Round Swamp Road in Old Bethpage Thursday evening A fire tore through a home in Old Bethpage on Thursday evening causing major damage and injuring one firefighter at a house on Round Swamp Road near Point of Woods Road and firefighters from Plainview and other departments responded and one firefighter was transported to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation The cause of the fire is being investigated by Arson / Bomb Squad detectives and the Nassau County Fire Marshal’s Office