By Kate E. Salute
Police were contacted and immediately responded. Letters were sent home to all the elementary school parents in the district.
"We want to remind the parents to walk with their kids or to have them walk in groups," West Hempstead Schools Superintendent Dr. Carol Eisenberg said.
"Sometimes it takes something like this to snap back into it," said Chris Fennes, PTA co-president for the elementary schools. "Even the best of us can slip in our judgment a little bit. As upsetting as this event is, it's a good reminder for us to reinforce the safety of our children."
Fennes lives only eight blocks away from G.W. and has a second-grader of her own at the school. She car-pools with another mom, alternating morning and afternoon shifts, since both families live less than 3/4 of a mile from the school ‹ the minimum distance requirement for transportation to be provided for children in kindergarten to third grade.
Many in the same situation as Fennes who don't receive busing opt to have their children walk to school instead of driving them. Many students cross major intersections, such as Hempstead Avenue, Hempstead Turnpike and Woodfield Road, and are allowed to walk by themselves on Brooklyn Avenue, where a Level 3 sex offender lives.
Cornwell students who walk also have to cross major intersections, says Principal Anthony Cali. "I have a number of kids who have to cross over the Southern State Parkway, which in itself is dangerous, and concerning this recent [incident], if [students] were to be snatched up, the [kidnapper] could get right on the parkway," said Cali. "The kids have the crossing guard at Hempstead Avenue right by the school, however, after the corner they are on their own, which is a concern."
Cali added that a small number of students have to cross Eagle Avenue and the train tracks at Woodfield road ‹ two more spots where there are no crossing guards.
Eisenberg said that she has made requests to the Nassau County police for additional crossing guards, but her requests have been denied.
The Friday after the incident, 5th Precinct police arrested Phillip Allegretta, 41, and charged him with endangering the welfare of a child and criminal trespassing. He was arraigned on March 11 in First District court, where bail was set at $1,000 bond. He is expected back in court on March 14.
Scott Jablow is a G.W. parent, and president of the Cathedral Gardens Civic Association. When he went to pick up his son on the afternoon of March 8, he heard all about the incident that had occurred earlier. "The 5th Precinct gave a phenomenal response, from what I'm hearing," said Jablow. "Parents should not let their kids walk to school alone. There is a sex offender around the block from G.W. who was a scout leader. It wasn't him this time, but we do have sex offenders in the area, and I don't know how parents allow their children to walk past them unescorted. If a parent works, they have to make other arrangements; they can't just assume the child will get there OK."
Comments about this story? KSalute@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 205.
