Board of Education Reviews Standards

By Susan Squillace

Continuing with the themes of the past few months' meetings, the Dec. 3 meeting of the Farmingdale Board of Education touched upon growing enrollment, the New York State Board of Regents standards, and sex offender notification.

Arleen Besner, principal of Howitt Middle School, presented a paradigm on how the middle school may be able to accommodate a growing enrollment. It is projected that the school year 2001-2002 will show the largest growth in enrollment, with approximately 84 additional seventh graders, and 110 additional eighth graders. If the middle school remains a school for only these two grade levels, the building would be able to accommodate this growth in enrollment. However, if the building configuration changes to a three grade level middle school (sixth, seventh and eighth) to help ease the overcrowding in the elementary schools and provide an augmented curriculum for the sixth graders, 28 extra classrooms would have to be added.

In this case, the district administration offices would have to be converted back to classrooms. Even with the change, though, Besner delineated certain concerns. For example, lunch periods would need to be extended from fourth to eighth periods. Physical education classes would need to be scheduled during some lunch periods, preventing the use of the gym for lunchtime recess. There would be some grade crossovers in the different sections of the building, and a "self-contained" sixth grade would not be able to be maintained. There would also need to be some construction of specialized areas, such as computer rooms, art rooms, etc...and additional lockers would be needed. However, if the district decided to construct an addition to the second floor, or extend the first floor of the building, these concerns would diminish with the additional space.

In discussing these possible changes, School Board member Troy Rosasco said, "Change must be motivated by program, not simply space utilization. The new Regents standard is the engine that will drive what we do." But board member Robert Guarino said, "The space problem is not going to go away. We don't have the luxury to take a long time to determine this philosophically." The board will discuss this issue again at the January meeting, including how the new Regents graduation requirements, pre-kindergarten program, full day kindergarten program and decreased class size in the primary grade levels would affect the space concerns in the buildings.

Farmingdale Schools Superintendent Gerard W. Dempsey discussed the recent announcement by the Board of Regents that they will be reversing the decision that was made to add the foreign language requirement to the five Regents exams that must be passed in order to receive a local diploma. It will approve the proposal to require all students to either take one year of foreign language in high school or pass a proficiency test. The Regents Diploma Advanced Designation will require taking three years of a foreign language, and passing the Regents Exam, with an option to take an arts or occupational education sequence.

During the second public participation, high school teacher Ken Ulric stated his concern about the ongoing problem of student attendance to class. He said that 10 percent of the entire student body is late for class, and that attendance lists are published two days later, making it difficult to keep track of who is cutting class. "The students are not concerned about the increased standards," he said. "They will take the path of least resistance." Dempsey said that the commissioner has stated that a student cannot fail based on non-attendance, but that participation can be included as part of the grade. The district policy may need to be tightened, he said.

The board again discussed their policy regarding sex offender notification. The draft policy states that the district superintendent, upon receiving information about a convicted sex offender who is residing in the community, determines who should receive this information; keeping in mind that only those who are in a position to "use the information to protect likely victims and facilitate the prosecution of sex crimes" should be informed, and that those individuals and/or organizations are not allowed to further disseminate the information.

The list of those to whom the superintendent may decide to give the secondary notification includes building principals, staff members who greet members of the public visiting the building, bus drivers, crossing guards, playground monitors, custodians, security, coaches, supervisors of school related organizations, and "those members of the staff and community at large who, in the opinion of the superintendent...have an immediate need to be notified of such data in order to promote public safety and facilitate the prosecution of sex crimes." Other community residents requesting information are advised to contact their local law enforcement agency or call 1-900-288-3838.

The notification process is one of great concern to the members of the board of education and Tina Diamond, president of the PTA Council, have expressed concern about the notification process and there was much discussion regarding who should be notified, and how that process should be handled.

There was also a presentation of awards at the meeting. Walter Hughes of the Continuing Education Program presented the Adult Education Teacher of Excellence Award to Kenneth Ragone. Ragone is a swimming teacher whose dedication and expertise have helped many of his students go on to swim in competitions. Hughes also presented the Adult Education Student of the Semester Award to Sharon Love. Love is studying oil painting, and many of her works can be seen displayed in the public library.

Tom Howard, director of the Athletic Department, and the board of education presented Certificates of Appreciation to John Venditto, Oyster Bay town supervisor-elect; John Grillo, and Hughes and Hughes Construction Company for their support and hard work in building a press box at the high school. Howard stated that when the idea to construct a press box began, community residents donated $12,000. Much more money was needed, however, and Venditto suggested a "school-community venture." Venditto was able to get local volunteers to provide support for the project. Grillo, an architect who has worked with the school district on other major building constructions, designed the press box free of charge. Hughes and Hughes Construction donated the materials and the labor. The cost of this project was $90,000, but Howard said, "Because of the vision, determination and generosity of a few good people," the cost to the school district was nothing. In accepting his award, Venditto stated that this demonstrates "what different levels of government can do when they combine their resources."