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Catholic Education Inspires

BY ANTON MEDIA STAFF

It’s the education of a lifetime. Nine Catholic high schools on Long Island present their own unique opportunity for students to explore a faith-based education that challenges, inspires, and prepares them for college, careers, and life. The total experience makes the difference in a Catholic education.

Families are strongly encouraged to attend open house programs held at each Long Island Catholic school to learn first-hand about programs, facilities, faculties, activities, and the character of each institution.

Rigorous academic learning is reinforced at each of Long Island’s Catholic high schools with engaging extra-curricular activities and and a strong foundation in faith. These high schools offer a wide range of exciting choices for families considering a Catholic education.

All of the high schools located in the Diocese of Rockville Centre use the Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools (TACHS) for admission into ninth grade.

The TACHS admissions testing registration is open through 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27.

Students in the eighth grade during the 2022-2023 school year wishing to apply for fall 2023 admission into Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens and the Diocese of Rockville Centre Long Island are eligible.

The TACHS test for Long Island high schools will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The test is designed to measure school aptitude and scholastic achievement in reading, mathematics, and language.

A registration fee of $65 per student is payable by credit card, debit card or pre-paid card.

A copy of the TACHS Student Handbook can be found on www. tachsinfo.com. There will be no printed handbooks this year.

Getting Ready For School

Ethical Friends of Children is a free shop run by the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island in Garden City. This outreach program assists more than 2,500 children and their families each year by providing them with clothing, backpacks for school and infant furniture. The service is set up like a store so people can select what they want from a wide variety of clothes.

“Customers are referred by many of the area’s social service organizations and are supported by both religiously affiliated and private agencies funded by Nassau and Suffolk counties,” said volunteer Pat Spencer of Port Washington.

Ethical Friends of Children, established in 1985, is staffed entirely by volunteers and there is no charge for any services. Individuals, families or community groups donate gently used clothing and other things children may require, such as backpacks. Any cash donations go entirely towards purchase of needed items for children, such as diapers and formula.

Volunteers are always welcome to help sort, organize and deliver clothing and goods.

“We will even pick up and deliver larger items like cribs,” said volunteer Judy Rosemarin of Long Beach. “Sometimes it’s the only way needy families can obtain these important pieces.”

Visit www.ehsli.org/social-action/give to make a monetary donation. Contact Jim LoPresti by email at efoc@ehsli.org or call 516-280-5526 for details about making item donations and volunteering. —Ethical Humanist Society

Yousselyn Gomez, 6, finds a great pair of shoes for the new school year. She and her brother also found some fun

toys too. Photo by Judy Rosemarin

All fun. No lter.

Imagine it—Your girl and her friends dreaming up adventures and making the whole world sparkle with their own personal brand of magic. Register for an information session in your area at gsnc.org/programs. Once registered, you will have the opportunity to sign your daughter up for a Daisy Discovery activity.

BALDWIN

Wednesday, 10/12/2022 7:00 PM BAY (Oyster Bay and surrounding areas) Wednesday, 10/19/2022 7:00 PM

BELLMORE

Thursday, 10/6/2022 7:00 PM

CARLE PLACE/ WESTBURY

Tuesday, 10/11/2022 7:00 PM

CENTRAL PARK

(Bethpage, Plainview, and Old Bethpage) Thursday, 10/13/2022 7:00 PM

EAST MEADOW

Monday, 10/3/2022 7:00 PM ELLM (East Rockaway, Lakeview, Lynbrook, and Malverne) Wednesday, 10/19/2022 7:00 PM

ELMONT

Saturday, 10/1/2022 10:00 AM

FLORAL PARK/BELLEROSE

Wednesday, 10/12/2022 7:00 PM

FREEPORT

Tuesday, 10/11/2022 7:00 PM

GARDEN CITY

Wednesday, 10/12/2022 7:00 PM

GLEN COVE

Thursday, 9/29/2022 7:00 PM

GREAT NECK

Wednesday, 10/26/2022 7:00 PM

HARDSCRABBLE

(Farmingdale and N. Massapequa) Monday, 10/24/2022 7:00 PM

HEMPSTEAD

Friday, 10/28/2022 5:00 PM

HERRICKS

Wednesday, 9/21/2022 7:00 PM

HICKSVILLE

Monday, 10/17/2022 7:00 PM ISLAND BEACH (Island Park and Long Beach) Tuesday, 10/11/2022 7:00 PM

JERICHO/SYOSSET

Thursday, 9/22/2022 7:00 PM

MANHASSET

Tuesday, 10/18/2022 7:00 PM

MASSAPEQUA

Tuesday, 10/25/2022 7:00 PM

MERRICK

Tuesday, 10/25/2022 7:00 PM

NORTH BELLMORE

Thursday, 9/22/2022 7:00 PM

OCEANSIDE

Tuesday, 10/18/2022 7:00 PM PARK (New Hyde Park, Garden City Park, and parts of Floral Park) Thursday, 9/29/2022 7:00 PM

PLAINEDGE

Wednesday, 10/26/2022 7:00 PM

PORT WASHINGTON

Tuesday, 10/18/2022 7:00 PM

ROCKVILLE CENTRE

Tuesday, 10/25/2022 7:00 PM

ROOSEVELT

Friday, 10/28/2022 5:00 PM

SEAFORD/WANTAGH

Tuesday, 10/11/2022 7:00 PM SHORE (Glen Head, Glenwood Landing, Sea Cliff) Thursday, 9/29/2022 7:00 PM

THE PLAINS

(Island Trees and Levittown) Wednesday, 9/21/2022 7:00 PM

UNIONDALE

Friday, 10/28/2022 5:00 PM

VALLEY STREAM/ FIVE TOWNS

Thursday, 10/27/2022 7:00 PM WARM (Williston Park, East Williston, Old Westbury, Albertson, Roslyn and surrounding areas, Mineola) Monday, 10/3/2022 7:00 PM

WEST HEMPSTEAD/ FRANKLIN SQUARE

Thursday, 10/13/2022 7:00 PM

Be a Girl Scout.

Let’s Talk School Smarts

BY NICOLLE VASSELMAN, LMHC AND JENNIFER SCHECK, LCSW, CASAC

Back to school is a different experience for every adolescent. Some are excited to see their friends, show off a new outfit, or get back into a routine. For others, school can present many more challenges than reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Family & Children’s Association (FCA), one of Long Island’s oldest and largest health and human services organizations, has been helping parents and children cope with challenges from anxiety to peer pressure to truancy, sexual activity and drug use, offering communication strategies, support, intervention and counseling. Most services are free, low cost or covered by insurance. No one is turned away for inability to pay. While every family situation is unique, supportive techniques have universal applications.

Parents are the first line of defense against negative behaviors in their children. Effective parenting skills practiced early and often yield the most success but it’s never to late to start.

Whether you’re a parent or a professional, it’s difficult to initiate conversations about sex, drug use, and other activities. Acknowledging your discomfort at the start of the conversation is a good way to break the ice and sets the tone for a more honest exchange in a safe space. It’s important to realize that you may hear things that dismay or surprise, and even shock you, but your job is to be receptive, granting your child permission to be themselves by providing nonjudgmental support and an avenue to resources that can help you both make well-informed decisions.

The greatest hurdle to talking with your adolescent may simply be getting started. Suggest an activity—going for ice cream, shooting hoops, catching a movie—no one size fits all. Initiate the conversation while you’re out together. Your child may be relieved to talk about their fears, temptations, what they don’t know, and what they can’t handle on their own. Don’t let it stop there. Make time for regular informal or planned family time.

It’s comforting to a child to know there’s a caring parent to support them, whether they want it or not. Equally important is articulating your expectations and boundaries. Don’t believe that children don’t like structure, no matter what they say.

Households are different, as are parenting styles, but whatever a family’s make-up, income level, cultural or ethnic background, the adults must be willing to hear what the child in their care has to say and offer a level of acceptance to help that child embrace their unique identity. FCA’s first focus is on harm-reduction and safety. You cannot force a child to act a certain way, but you can educate them to make good choices within that framework to help keep them safe.

FCA does not come from an abstinence-only model or sit-in judgement. The organization’s commitment is to educate and encourage discourse on ways to stay safe and healthy in body and mind. If you find condoms in your child’s room, for example, don’t remove them—that’s taking away their health and safety. Use the discovery to acknowledge their responsible behavior, and as an avenue to an open-minded discussion.

Many kids experiment with pot and alcohol. Engaging in these behaviors doesn’t generally lead to addiction, so try to avoid extreme reactions. Keep communication open, be a good listener. You don’t have to navigate childrearing

Nicolle Vasselman Jennifer Scheck

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Back to School at Winston Prep Long Island!

OPEN HOUSE Thursday, Sept. 29th 9:30am

Winston Prep Long Island is a leading school for students with learning di erences, including dyslexia, ADHD, and nonverbal learning disorders (NVLD). Winston Prep’s individualized learning model focuses on understanding each student’s learning challenges. Our expert teachers conduct daily in-depth assessments, helping each child advance at a meaningful pace and thrive!

REGISTER TODAY FOR AN OPEN HOUSE AT

www.winstonprep.edu/admissions/open-houses or contact Karen Preston, Admissions Director, kpreston@winstonprep.edu