Safety Reminder

Dear Islip Parents and Guardians:

One of our elementary principals notified my office of a "stranger danger" incident that occurred this morning.

According to the information gathered by the principal and our District security liaison, a parent became concerned when they saw a bike laying on the ground and then saw a school aged child crying and talking to another adult near the intersection of Maple Street and Monell Avenue at around 8:30 a.m. The child was apparently upset by a man in a van who made eye contact with them, which scared them enough to leave their bike and approach another adult for assistance. The concerned parent was able to locate the van further down the road and approached to speak with the driver who had caused the concern. The driver apologized for scaring the child and stated that he was an electrician working at a house in the area.

The child described the driver as having a full, "ginger red" beard with similar colored hair sticking out from under a black hat, freckles, and brown eyes. They also noted that he was smoking. The parent further shared that the vehicle was a white Ford van.

As we have done previously this year, we ask you to review stranger/safety issues with your children and reinforce these important tips:

• Encourage children to walk, run, or ride bikes with a friend whenever possible.
• Remind students and caregivers to never talk to or be lured by strangers, whether in a vehicle or on foot.
• Encourage children to be mindful of their surroundings at all times and especially when they are alone.
• Observe and make note of any suspicious or unknown vehicles or individuals seen in the community.

Your ongoing partnership in communicating safety awareness to your children remains an important factor in keeping them safe.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and support.

Sincerely,

Kathleen O'Callaghan, Ed.D.

Acting Superintendent of Schools