Lynbrook/East Rockaway
HERALD Also serving Bay Park
Schools get new principals
elks lodge earns accolades
An academic all-star
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Vol. 27 No. 28
JUlY 9 - 15, 2020
School officials focus on fall reopening plans for the coronavirus, but officials would ensure that an in-person return adhered to safety protoThough the Lynbrook and cols. East Rockaway school districts “We want our students to be only recently began summer back in school in a safe environrecess, school officials are ment,” Burak said. “That’s what already looking ahead to the is important to us.” return of school in She added that the fall. s ch o o l o f f i c i a l s On June 30, the expected to receive Lynbrook Board of guidance from Education g athCuomo around ered virtually for a July 14, after live-streamed work which the plansession. Board ning committee President William wo u l d m e e t t o Belmont spoke develop a reopenabout the work ing plan. that administraAs of Monday, tors, staff memthe track and bers and parents fields at the have been doing to schools were again pre pare for the open to the comschools’ possible dr. MeliSSA BUrAk m u n i t y. P e o p l e reopening. The dis- Superintendent, who use the facilitrict must wait for Lynbrook School ties are encourguidance from Gov. aged to maintain District A n d rew C u o m o six feet of social before deciding distance and wear how to proceed in September. masks around others. Should Superintendent Dr. Melissa coronavirus cases spike, the Burak said that a planning com- track and fields may be closed mittee has been meeting with again. School board trustees subcommittees and discussing a said they would continue to return to school. She noted that update the community on the in-person classes are not contingent on there being a vaccine Continued on page 3
By Mike SMolliNS msmollins@liherald.com
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Courtesy Lynbrook Public Schools
Senior send-off Lynbrook High School recently held a special event for graduating seniors at which they received their yearbooks and various accolades and posed for photos with their families. Above, Natalie Cardoso showed off her Town of Hempstead Certificate of Merit. Story, more photos, Page 16.
In-person worship now allowed By Nicole AlciNdor nalcindor@liherald.com
After closing their doors for several months amid the coronavirus pandemic, some houses of worship in Lynbrook and East Rockaway are reopening to parishioners, while others are waiting to do so. Lynbrook Baptist Church, which has hosted virtual services for more than three months, held its first in-person
service on June 28. In the week leading up to it, the Rev. Robert Walder man said he had mixed emotions about doing so. “I’m excited because it’s nice to see people face to face to regroup, and the congregation looks forward to it,” Walderman said, “but I’m not that excited, because there’s so many regulations and restrictions.” That Sunday, Walder man
set up three stations in the church: a temperature-check area, a hand sanitizer station and an area where attendance was taken. Congregants were not permitted in the church without masks, and sat six feet apart in every third pew. The service was still available virtually, through live-streaming, for those who could not attend or were uncomfortable gatherContinued on page 3
e want our students to be back in school in a safe environment. That’s what is important to us.