After over two years of planning and a months-long public information campaign, the Farmingdale School District on Tuesday will hold a referendum on a proposed $38.5 million bond issue to overhaul the district's buildings.

The vote will take place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 19 in the Howitt Middle School Gymnasium.

The bond would fund building additions needed to address overcrowding due to steady enrollment growth, as well as for the implementation of full-day kindergarten, reduction of elementary class size, and the move of sixth graders from the elementary schools to the middle school. In addition, the measure would fund district-wide facilities maintenance work on the school system's aging buildings, such as roof and window replacement.

"I think that the bond represents some very important programs for our students - certainly, the full-day kindergarten, the smaller class size for the elementary grades, where the start of their education is so important, the importance of moving the sixth grade - because of the increase in the standards, the five different assessments, English, social studies, math, science, and language in eighth grade, and the Regents examinations at the high school required for graduation," Barbara Horsley, assistant superintendent for administration and transportation for Farmingdale Schools said this week.

"We really have to take a very careful look at the academic program that we're putting out there for kids. And, I think that this bond goes a long way at supporting their needs...These issues are there no matter what. Our buildings are overcrowded. Our enrollment is growing."

Faced with steady enrollment growth throughout this decade, the district has been making due with the limited space it has, often re-configuring rooms to accommodate new students. For example, rooms previously dedicated for specials, such as music, have been turned into homerooms needed for new students. "And that's not going away...The long range projection that we had done with the demographic study from Nassau-Suffolk BOCES indicates that that increase is going to be sustained over the next few years," said Horsley. The district expects to have over 450 more students in four years, and 660 more students over the next decade.

In addition to informational mailings, the district has held a series of public meetings about the bond aimed at increasing awareness of its components, and why school officials feel these are critical. Gauging public opinion about the bond has not been simple. Turnout was generally low at the meetings, although a recent one covering elementary issues, such as full-day kindergarten, drew about 65 attendees and lively audience participation, according to Horsley.

"We haven't been hearing a lot of negative [feedback]. At each of the meetings, we've had a lot of questions. Most of the questions were on issues, were on details," she said. "I don't know what that means. I know we've had a lot of people coming in to register in the last couple of days...And, so I think that's a good sign."

Close to 100 residents have registered to vote during the past month, which is largely attributable to voter registration efforts by the district aimed at getting out the vote on the bond. Between Sept. 23 and 0ct. 6, 14 people registered, bringing the total number of registered voters in the district to 6,472, according to Josephine Murray, district clerk. Between Oct. 7 and Oct. 12, 74 additional people signed up. Murray noted that other than those who recently registered, residents who have voted in the general election or school election within the last four years are eligible to vote. The voter registration deadline was Oct. 14.

Included in the $38.5 million bond proposal, which consists of construction sites on every campus in the district, are the following:

-New classrooms, which are needed to address enrollment growth, create full-day kindergarten in all four elementary schools and reduce elementary class size to around 20.

-Learning environments for special services, such as speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, corrective math and music.

-About 30 classrooms would be added in the elementary schools, as would music rooms, elevators in all buildings currently without, and additional bathroom facilities for students.

-Expansion of the cafeteria at Northside.

- A large construction site at the Howitt Middle School is included in order to go forward with a plan to move the district's sixth graders from the elementary schools to the middle school. That site would consist of the construction of a sixth grade wing into Howitt East, 25 new classrooms, the conversion of four rooms currently used by the library for use in the middle school, a new library media center and a new music suite.

-Expansion of cafeteria space at the high school - work that will help accommodate growing enrollment which is a result of the booming population at the lower levels.

-Renovations to address the maintenance needs of the district's aging buildings. Schools districtwide would see replacement of old, inefficient boilers and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems; upgrading of security and fire alarm systems in all buildings, electrical wiring to accommodate the increased demands of new technology in all buildings, and roof, door and window replacement. At the high school, the physical education locker rooms and offices would be replaced, as would the bleachers in the main gym, and Guildford Hall and the auditorium would be reconstructed.

The district expects to both borrow and pay back the funds over a 20-year period. Considering state building aid, which is at an all-time high of close to 60 percent, the estimated annual impact on taxes for Oyster Bay residents with an average home assessed at $6,000, and Babylon residents with a similar home assessed at $4,051, would be $89.40.

For further information about the bond referendum, one may call the school district at 752-6631.