Many heartfelt thanks and appreciative gestures were expressed at the October 1 meeting of the Farmingdale Board of Education. At the start of the meeting, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Roberta Gerold expressed gratitude on behalf of herself and fellow district administrators to the seven-member board. The superintendent noted that administrators often worry, frustrate and criticize the board but rarely take the time to thank and recognize its members. On behalf of the district, Dr. Gerold presented each board member with a token of appreciation for their hard work in ensuring the best for the community's children.

The board was also recognized and thanked by the Farmingdale Council of PTAs, from which a representative thanked them for their time, effort and heart when considering the children of the Farmingdale School District. She noted that as a group of seven, they work countless hours to help provide children with the best education possible and their investments will pay off through the children who will have excellent futures. On behalf of the council, board members were presented with tokens of appreciation.

The board was also thanked by the Farmingdale Swim Team for their quick remedy of the problem that the high school pool had been closed at the start of the season. At the September meeting of the board of education, dozens of residents, including many team members, their parents and coaches, came down to the meeting to express their dismay that the facility was closed. The district closed the pool for a few reasons, including a leaky valve and unsafe levels of chlorine in the water. The board promised all in attendance that the pool would reopen no later than October 1 and they fulfilled that promise. In fact, the pool opened two days sooner.

A representative for the swim team thanked the board for its swift actions in regard to the clearly emotional issue. She also thanked those district personnel who made sure that the swim team always had a place to practice, even when it required busing them to various locations. She noted that the swim team has already broken two school records and are off to a great season and thanked the board for being "great" to them. Board President Anthony Vitale thanked her for her comments and noted that when working together, things get accomplished. He said that the board too was happy they were able to keep their promise.

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance John Lorentz also had a special presentation to make, thanking "those who don't always get a lot of credit."

Lorentz said that custodial and grounds staff, along with maintenance crews, were working around the clock over the summer to ensure that necessary construction in the district was completed, particularly at Howitt Middle School.

"[They] put in a significant amount of effort to get our schools ready for our children," Lorentz said, noting that some residents who may have walked into Howitt the last week of August may have wondered how the school would possibly be ready in time for the Sept. 2, first day of school. He added that the school was in fact ready to welcome its students and all who entered its doors could clearly see the fine work done. He further noted that during the blackout, those workers were at the schools protecting the district and its children. On behalf of the district Lorentz honored custodial and maintenance staff and presented them with thanks from the board and administration.

Also discussed at the meeting were concerns regarding The Place, an after school program available to middle school students on Friday nights, which provided youngsters with a place to meet with their friends to have some fun. Due to a great loss of state aid, the school board had to cut the program for the 2003-2004 school year. Farmingdale students who worked at The Place told the board that they wish it could find a way to reinstate the program, as many benefited from having a place to go after school hours. It was explained that when the program first began, there were only about 25 students participating and that number quickly grew to about 200. Participants of the program noted that children learned about morals, created new friendships and learned about the importance of socialization. Board Vice President Tina Diamond said that while working with the staff during the program's first year, she saw first-hand how beneficial the program was to all its participants.

"Believe me when we had to make those awful cuts last year, it was a hard-pressed day when we had to cut [those type of] programs [out of the budget]. We are doing everything we can to try to get [such programs] back," Diamond said.

Dr. Gerold added that the district is currently in the process of pursuing other grants in an effort to bring programs such as The Place back to Farmingdale and that they hope to offer similar programs by coordinating efforts with the Farmingdale Youth Council.

Also discussed at the meeting were bus safety issues, when resident John Caracciolo told the board of his dissatisfaction regarding busing in the district. Caracciolo noted that he lives south of the LIRR tracks on Main Street, which his daughter has to cross over if walking to school, without the assistance of a crossing guard or police officer.

"The claim is that you have to live a mile away from the school to get a bus," he said, noting that a bus stops across the street from his home and picks up middle school children. "This bus is only half full upon arrival at Howitt."

Caracciolo noted, however, that even though district officials told him they clocked the distance to his house as being over a mile and he clocked it twice as being under, that safety, rather than distance, should be the reason his daughter and other South Farmingdale residents should be bused.

Assistant Superintendent for Transportation Barbara Horsley noted that there is a 30 page document regarding safety zones to which the district must adhere in order to consider changing the zoning of an area. She explained that there is extensive analysis required by law which the board must follow. Board President Anthony Vitale agreed, noting, "I do sympathize with you, but Mrs. Horsley's right. We do have to follow a certain policy."

Horsley explained that if a petition is brought to the board with a certain number of names, then the board could ask the district to perform a study regarding that area. She added that the area in question was brought up as a cause for concern when tests were originally done in the district about a decade ago, but it did not meet the necessary criteria.

The board also discussed the formation of Farmingdale's Districtwide Facilities Advisory Committee, whose duties will include reviewing the current status of district facilities and buildings; establishing priorities for building renovations and repairs; exploring options to fund districtwide renovations and repairs; and reporting on a recommended plan of action to the board of education. Lorentz was happy to report that approximately 30 residents had already signed up with just under a week left of the deadline. Administrators agreed that the committee should prove very beneficial to the district.