Bethpage-Tribune_1979-02-15

              BETHBAGE
MEMBER
*o w*, ISLAND TREES
OLD BETHB«GE PLAINVIEW PLAINEDGE SEAFORD
VOL. 13 NO. 15 Thursday, February 15,1979 10 cents per copy
Handicapped Learn
At Off-Campus Sites
Terry W, wears a pink uniform
to school instead of blue jeans.
And her school is not a school, but
a bustling hospital.
For part of each day she per­forms
such tasks as feeding
patients, filling their water
pitchers, and delivering flowers
to their rooms...thereby facing up
to the adult world and learning to
cope with it.
For the rest of the day, she
studies academic subjects, with
her schoolmates and a teacher, in
a room set aside by the hospital.
Terry spends her school days in
this fashion under a special
program .conducted by the
BOCES Career Development
Center in Syosset, where she's a
full-time student.
The Center - which is operated
by the Nassau Board of
Cooperative Educational Ser­vices
— is a secondary school for
handicapped teenagers who
cannot function in the
educational mainstream.
And as one of its instructional
approaches, the Center conducts
small classes in eight off-campus
locations, where students can
be exposed to the object lessons
presented by the economic world
and the adult workers who
inhabit it.
One of those locations in
Syosset Hospital, where Terry
does her learning. Others are
Nassau Community College, the
State University Agricultural and
Technical College at Far-mingdale,
the BOCES Salisbury
Center, the West Publishing
Company in Mineola, the Jones
Institute, the A. Holly Patterson
Home, and the Nassau County
Medical Center!
In the offices, cafeterias, and
service departments of these
institutions, about 70 young
people like Terry learn while
working as messengers, clerks,
aides, and assistants. Each group
of eight to ten has a teacher who
provides academic instruction
and work-station super­vision...
and who's backed by the
Center's staff of counselors and
psychologists.
"It's a form of controlled
mainstreaming," says Principal
Ida Acunto of the Career
Development Center.
"These kids have learned all
they can from the campus en­vironment
at Career. Now they •
need real-life experiences to*
teach them how to function in the
economic world.
Above all, says Ms. Acunto, the
students need a sense of
responsibility, an awareness of
what constitutes a marketable
skill, and a competitive spirit.
And for this they need object
lessons.
In their work stations at
Syosset Hospital and elsewhere,
Terry and her schoolmates get a
clear view of adults at work.
They see that workers are ex­pected
to take directions and do
an acceptable job; be punctual
and dress appropriately; behave
like adults; and recognize and
correct their mistakes.
And on most of the students, the
view makes a strong impression.
At SUNY at Farmingdale,
twnety-year old Vinnie F. has
made great strides since he
joined the program. Formerly he
cut classes frequently, and
lacked the patience to sit for
more than a few minutes at a
time. Now he does useful work as
a kitchen helper, has a near-perfect
attendance record, and is
able to sit for an hour or more to
take a test.
Vinnie has become such a good
worker, in fasct, that SUNY has
hired him as a kitchen helper -
full-time last summer and part-time
during this school year.
Says Alan Chapen Vinnie's/
teacher, "This program has
worked like a shoehorn for
Vinnie. Instead of being forced
into a place where he didn't fit,
he's been eased into one where he
does fit. And being comfortable,
he's productive."
Eighteen-year old Aidan C. has
also found a comfortable and
motivating niche at SUNY, where
he's a cafeteria helper. Because
he wants to become a paid part-time
employee so that he can
save up for a CB radio, Aidan has
begun to pay more attention to
his schoolwork and is diligent
about his job.
And, at Syosset Hospital,
Robert O., a messenger, used to
be so uncomfortable in the
company of others that he ate his
lunch alone in a closet. Now, with
a job that takes him all over the
hospital and puts him in touch
with many people, Robert has
found that he enjoys the
sociability of lunchtime in the
hospital cafeteria with other
students and employees.
Terry W., for her part, has been
so happy working at Syosset
Hospital thafher attendance has
improved considerably. She's
now training another student to
replace her so she can move on to
an even more responsible job in
the hospital's linen room. There's
an opening in the linen room
because Sandy H., a Career
Development Center student who
has been working there for the
past six months, has just ob­tained
a full-time paid job in the
housekeeping department of the
Downstate Medical Center in
Brooklyn.
Says Alice Bogdonoff, BOCES
teacher assigned to Syosset
Hospital, "Every time these
students make progress - if
Robert walks into the cafeteria,
or Terry feels capable of training
another student - they learn
something good about them­selves,
something they can build
on when they're on their own.
That's like a break in the clouds,
and that's what this program is
all about."
Congressman Lent Nominates
Two Island Trees Girls
A NEW LOOK - Both of this year's female nominees to service academies from the Fourth
Congressional District go to Island Trees High School. Congressman Norman F. Lent is shown
congratulating Barbara Bachmann (I), nominated to West Point, and Cindy Bering (r) nominated to
the U.S. Air Force Academy, at a reception held to honor all the nominees held last weekend. Also
nominated from the Levittown-Island Trees area, but not shown:
Daniel Brady, Naval Academy; Christopher Cioni, Kings Point; William DeMorris Naval
Academy; Edward Dickes, Air Force Academy; Brian Hughes, Naval Academy; James Lee, Kings
Point; Kevin Ryan, Kings Point: William Shannon, West Point; Joseph Walsh, Air Force Academy;
and John Yonkasky, Air Force Academy.
YM-YWHA To Hold ~
Open House
Each Sunday
The Mid-Island YM-YWHA will
hold "Open House" each Sunday
for persons interested in learning
about the summer camping
programs. These orientations
will be held at the 45 Manetto Hill
Road building in Plainview from
2-5 p;m. and will include films
and slides.
Now in its 23rd season, the Y
camps provide camping ex­periences
for children from pre­school
through teenagers through
a variety of day camp, travel
camp, sports camp and sleep-away
facilities.
Located on the site of the Henry
Kaufmann camgrounds in Suf­folk
County, the Mid-Island Y
camping program is the largest
of its type in this area.
Qualified, trained staff provide
a small group, personalized
camping adventure specifically
designed for each age group and
setting. Jewish identity is em­phasized
in all programs.
For more information and an
informative brochure please call
822-3535 or attend one of the
weekly Open House programs.
The Sewers Cometh
Anticipated Street Closings Due to Sewer Construction for Week of
February 19,1979 - February 23,1979
Contract 1002-3-INT-12-2 (Hicksville, Jericho Interceptor)'
Manhattan Drive from Schoarie Drive to N. Broadway
Contract 1002-3-P-l (Bethpage, Plainview laterals)
Meade Ave. from Stewart Ave. to 12th Street
Sherman Street from Stewart Ave. to Railroad Ave.
Grant Ave. from Stewart Ave. to Railroad Ave.
Burkhardt Ave. from Stewart Ave. to Railroad Ave.
Burkhardt Ave. from Stewart Ave. to Railroad Ave.
Grant Street from Stewart Ave. to Railroad Ave.
South 1st Street from Railroad Ave. to Sherman Ave.
South 2nd Street From Railroad Ave. to Sherman Ave.
South 3rd Street from Railroad Ave. to Sherman Ave.
South 4th Street from Railroad Ave. to Sherman Ave.
South 5th Street from Railroad Ave', to Sherman Ave.
South 6th Street from Railroad Ave. to Sherman Ave.
9th Street from Railroad Ave. to Thomas Ave.
11th Street from Railroad Ave. to Thomas Ave.
12th Street from Railroad Ave. to Thomas Ave.
Contract 1Q02-3-L-5 (Hicksville Levittown laterals)
All Roads Open
Contract 1002-3-INT-16-2 (Plainview Interceptor)
Crest Lane at Stweart Ave. intersection
Eiffel Gate at Stewart Ave., intersection
Broadway from Ellen Street to Linden Ave.
Balfour Drive at Stewart Ave. intersection
Contract 1002-3-F-4 (Farmingdale laterals)
South Front Street from Main Street to Clinton Street
Clinton Street from Conklin Street to Railroad
Contract 10Q2-3-L-3 (Bethpage, Levittown laterals)
Moore Drive
NOTE: Subject to change due to weather conditions or other un
foreseen occurrences, . ,*,. v