An adult male tried to abduct a young girl walking to the Glen Cove middle school, officials said Thursday.

An eighth-grade girl was on Prospect Avenue, on her way to Robert M. Finley Middle School, when a man allegedly approached her in a silver Nissan Maxima, Superintendent Dr. Larry Aronstein said. Aronstein said the man allegedly made a U-turn, stopped his car and asked the girl if she would get in. The man said he needed help finding his daughter, Aronstein said.

The superintendent said the girl immediately ran away and told school officials. At no time did the man make physical contact with his alleged target, he said.

Aronstein sent a letter home to parents describing the incident and teachers spoke with their students about strangers and safety.

"Parents have to tell their kids how to react, which that girl did. She ran to tell someone right away," said Valerie Gokturk, a parent in the Glen Cove district. "That's the only thing you can do because you can't be with your kids [at all times]."