As the fourth school year of universal pre-kindergarten at District 15’s Number Four School gets underway, its principal says that students’ reading skills have greatly improved and that nearly all of them can recognize lowercase letters, a skill essential to reading, by the time they enter kindergarten. more

The Nassau County Board of Elections (BOE) sent out postcards to District 15 residents over the past few weeks that erroneously said they should cast their votes on Election Day at the Number Six School, which was closed over the summer. more

Far Rockaway resident Menachem Bornstein and Salvador Lopez of Inwood could have done nothing. Instead, they helped a police officer apprehend a violent robbery suspect last November in the streets of Inwood. more

The Lawrence School District ordered an English vocabulary workbook for high school students last week that was originally cut from this year’s school budget. more

A new flavor, a new energy, a new excitement: This is how people described the first observances of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur at the new South Shore Reform Congregation of Temple Am Echad in Lynbrook. more

Each year, drunken drivers cause deadly accidents and claim innocent lives. Their stories often become local and sometimes national lore, cautioning others about the potentially deadly consequences of a crime that some see as socially acceptable. But there is another type of loss that goes with drinking and driving, I recently learned. One that may be considered insensitive or politically incorrect to discuss. Three defense attorneys I interviewed saw the possible loss of one's reputation and even future employment as an unfair fate that befalls many of their clients. I contacted the lawyers after the Nassau County Police Department and the district attorney's office gave me a firsthand look at what a DWI arrest entails. Police simulated my arrest for DWI, including everything from handcuffing me to locking me up. Later, the district attorney's office brought me to District Court, where I took a tour of holding cells, courtrooms and assistant district attorneys' offices. I wrote about the experience for Herald readers. But as I spoke with defense lawyers, expecting to hear mainly about the financial burden of a DWI conviction, I learned that some of the most serious consequences for the convicted are harder to quantify. more

The Kosher Cookbook, which was planned in the Valley Stream office and developed over a period of six months by programmers in Russia, features over 300 kosher recipes by Gloria Kobrin, a Manhattan-based food writer and teacher, and can be purchased for $4.99 at the iTunes store. more

Some observant Jewish members of the community disregard the sidewalk and walk on the street — often in the middle of the street — on the Jewish Sabbath or a holiday, which may be dangerous. more

The Lawrence High School Parent-Teacher Association is protesting District 15’s administrative decision to merge the positions of Director of Guidance and Director of Pupil Personnel Services, claiming the responsibilities of both departments is too great for one person. more

Nassau County Police Department officials assured religious leaders at a recent meeting that they would do their best to protect houses of worship during the upcoming High Holy Days. They added that to assist in those efforts, the organizations need to communicate with their local police stations. more