Stranger Stopped Farmingdale Student, Police Report Made: School District

FARMINGDALE, NY — A Farmingdale student's encounter with a stranger on Tuesday was reported to the school district, which notified the Nassau County Police Department, the district shared in a letter to the community obtained by Patch.

A student was walking home from Farmingdale High School near Vanderwater Street and Plitt Avenue when a man approximately 30 years old in a black pickup truck waved and said hi to the student, her parents told the school district, said Samuel M. Thompson, assistant to the superintendent for administration, in the letter.

The student did not know the man and walked the other way, Thompson said. The man in the truck then came back around again, saw her near a stop sign, but then left without incident, according to the district. The school’s administration reported the incident to Nassau police.

Another Farmingdale student had an encounter with a stranger on Oct. 7, the district wrote in a previous letter to the community. The police were notified of that encounter, as well. The man in that case was described as in his 50s with grey hair and facial hair.

"Farmingdale continues to be a safe place to live and work. However, it is always a good idea to periodically review safety concerns with your children," Thompson said. "Whether walking to and from school, riding their bikes or going to the park, it is extremely important that we teach our children to be aware of their surroundings at all times in order to keep themselves safe."

The district asked parents to have a conversation with their children about not talking with strangers and insist they bring any concerns they might have to an adult in school or at home as soon as possible. The district provided some tips below:

• Teach your children that if anyone bothers them or makes them feel scared or uncomfortable, to trust their feelings and immediately get away from that person. Teach them that it is OK not to be polite and IT IS OK TO SAY NO.
• Teach your children to never talk to or accept gifts from strangers.
• Teach your children that grownups should NOT ASK CHILDREN FOR DIRECTIONS; they should ask other adults.
• Teach your children never to approach a vehicle and NOT TO ACCEPT A RIDE from anyone unless you have said it is OK in that instance. If anyone follows them in a vehicle, they should turn around, go in the other direction, and run to a trusted adult who may help them.

"Thank you in advance for your kind attention to this matter and for working with us to keep our children safe," Thompson said.