Superintendent of Schools for the Mineola School District Dr. Lorenzo Licopoli sent out a letter dated July 25 to parents and guardians of students in the school district that a registered level 2 sex offender is living in Mineola.

In accordance with Megan's Law, convicted sex offenders have to register whereby the area they reside in is public information. Sex offenders receive classifications (either risk level 1, 2, 3). Only sex offenders with a risk level 3, which is greatest risk, have their exact address known to the public. However, those with a risk level 1 or 2 have the area they live in known but not the exact address.

The risk levels are defined as:

Level 1 (low risk of repeat offense), or

Level 2 (moderate risk of repeat offense), or

Level 3 (high risk of repeat offense and a threat to public safety exists).

"Please take this opportunity to review safety rules with your children and remind them to avoid circumstances which increase their vulnerability, including warning them against talking with, accepting gifts from or taking car rides from strangers. Please reassure your children that we do have a safe community, but that they need to be alert and careful," stated the letter by Dr. Licopoli.

A website that provides a wealth of information on sex offenders and protecting your children against them is www.parentsformeganslaw.com. The website provides the state sex offender registry so that parents can check if there are sex offenders living in the area. Those who log on can click on the NY sex offender registry link, then search by zip code or community. You must be over 18 to view the database.

A search of Mineola reveals that there are six sex offenders living within the community, including five level 2 offenders and one level 3. The address provided for the level 3 offender is the department of social services at 101 County Seat Road.

Laura Ahearn, director of Parents for Megans Law, provides the following tips for preventing sexual abuse or abduction:

"Establish and explain healthy boundaries with your child and explain that people have certain roles. For example their music teacher teaches them music; sports coach teaches sports. It is important to be aware and understand the limits or boundaries of those relationships.

"Educate yourself and your children as to the "tricks" that perpetrators use to lure and/or groom children. "Stranger Danger" child prevention education is outdated and does not address the reality that most children have an established relationship with the abuser or abductor. The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children stresses the importance of educating children using clear, calm, reasonable messages about situations and actions to look out for instead of confusing profiles or images of strangers. The Yello Dyno program educates children about "tricky people" who establish relationships with children or their families for the primary purpose of abusing them.

"Incarcerated pedophiles tell us to be suspicious if someone seems more interested in your children than you. One convicted offender said that "parents are so naive - they're worried about strangers and should be worried about their brother-in-law. They just don't realize how devious we can be." Another offender told parents that they should "know that we will use any way we can to get to children."

"Always monitor your children while they are on the Internet and stress the importance of never giving out their name and address."

Additional information can be found at www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us or calling the Nassau County Police Department Third Precinct at 573-6300.