Serving The Willistons, Albertson, Herricks, Mineola, and Searingtown
back to school after-school activities guide for long Island’s North shore 6 n • august 12, 201 ions special sectio a / litmor publicat a blank slate medi
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Friday, August 12, 2016
vol. 65, no. 33
seNior LiViNG & BacK To schooL
eUGeNe raFFeTTo GoNsaLVes VioLaTeD Dies aT 95 eLecTioN LaWs: coUrT
PAGEs 29-44
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a blank slate medi a / litmor publicat ions special sectio n • august 12, 201 6
decade brings diversity in n. shore schools Education quality spurs growth in Asian, Hispanic communities By J oe N i K i c Over the past 10 years, an influx of new groups has brought greater ethnic diversity to North Shore schools, and administrators are working to foster a climate of acceptance and tolerance. The Great Neck, Manhasset, Roslyn, Port Washington, Herricks, Mineola, Sewanhaka, East Williston and New Hyde Park-Garden City Park school districts have all seen populations of minority students increase from the 2005-06 school year to the 2014-15 school year, according to state education department data. A sharp increase in enrollment by Asian students has been seen in several districts. The Herricks School District has seen the biggest change in student demographics, with the Asian population now totaling more than half of the student body. In 2005-06, the white population made up about 50 percent of the student body, but that number has since
decreased to 35 percent. The Asian student population, which accounted for 45 percent of the student body in 2005-06, now accounts for about 57 percent. The Hispanic/Latino student population has increased from 4 to 6 percent, while the African-American population has remained the same at 1 percent. Herricks Superintendent Fino Celano said that students have a lot of “empathy and respect” for each other because of the district’s diversity. “I think that’s a byproduct of the fact that we have a wonderfully diverse community,” Celano said. Kids are going through the experience of having classmates of different ethnicities and different religious beliefs and it really fosters a spirit of acceptance and tolerance and respect, which is a wonderful thing.” He said that the district devotes “a lot of time and energy” to socialemotional learning in every grade from kindergarten to 12th grade. Continued on Page 60
Photo from Sal ValEntinEtti on inStagram
from pizza boy to prime time Sal Valentinetti delivered pizzas for albertson’s Da angelo Pizzeria, but now the 20-year-old singer is a fan favorite on “america’s got talent.” local eateries will cheer him on at watch parties starting later this month. See story on page 2.
East Williston teacher’s settlement talks continue By N o a h MaNsKar
as more than 40 of Haig’s supporters waited for disciplinary hearings to start. Lawyers for both sides Negotiations between the East Williston School District picked up talks at the Wheatand teacher Matthew Haig ley School on Wednesday to try continued Wednesday morning and resolve Haig’s case after
agreeing to a framework for a settlement on July 12. “But I don’t think one’s going to happen,” said Matthew Costello, Haig’s attorney. Haig’s public disciplinary Continued on Page 70
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