The Board of Education, including the newly appointed Dr. Nancy Fredericks, who will fill the vacancy of Board Trustee, effective as of April 28 until the next general election, voted unanimously to adopt the Proposed 1998-99 School Budget totaling $48,379,927 at their last regular meeting (April 28). General support in the proposed budget totals $6,371,526; instructional components total $30,129,973; transportation costs will be $2,130,170; expenses listed as community activities total $69,279; and undistributed expenses make up $9,678,979 of the total budget. This is a $2,594,166 increase from the 1997-98 School Budget which totaled $45,785,761.

The budget funds the addition of four teachers in K-5 positions, a 0.3 increase in full-time science, music and library staff for the primary level, a 2.9 FTE position in core and special subject areas in grades 6-8, 0.2 FTE instrumental position, 1.3 FTE special education teachers, 1 FTE speech therapist, 0.5 FTE reading specialist, and 1.2 FTE school nurse positions at the primary level. The installation and first year's lease of four additional temporary classrooms, significant funding for capital improvements (such as roof repairs), $100,000 for computers for the expansion of the computers in the classrooms program begun with the fifth grade to the fourth grade, the extension of the at risk program to the 11th-grade in response to changes in graduation requirements by the State, and additions and renovations (such as the high school computer lab), are all included in this proposed budget.

Parents, such as Mrs. Hayes at the April 28 meeting and Mrs. Cecilia Ortiz in a March 29 letter distributed at that work session to parents and members of the board, have expressed concerns about current class sizes and have questioned the board as to their plans to address this issue. The leasing of the temporary classrooms is the current solution to this problem as children in the elementary schools and soon the primaries as well take classes in portable classrooms (essentially trailers akin to the trailer classrooms used at St. John's University's Queens Campus). Oritz had noted in her letter that special education students at Hemlock Primary School were forced to take classes in the hallway as a result of the limited classroom space. According to Ortiz there are three Kindergarten classes with 22 students and the fourth has 23 students. One of the first grade classes has 27 students according to Ortiz's letter.

Demographic studies have been a point of contention at meetings since the bond referendum hearings of last fall. The Ad Hoc Committee has ordered a new study and the findings should be released within the next couple of months. In the meantime, as the budget plans move toward the public hearing phase, parents are concerned that the funding in this year's proposed budget will not create enough space for an optimal learning environment.

PTA President Maureen Cornacchia read a prepared statement at the Board of Education meeting endorsing the proposed budget. She stated that the Budget Review Committee of the PTA saw the budget as the only way to address the dire capital needs of the district's buildings. She added that this was "a very sorry state for us to be in." She also commented that with the anticipation of future growth, the need for more space would only become more pronounced. She commended the board for including funding for a director of music and fine arts for the district, but stated that she was sorry to see the computer program limited and felt that it "neglects a significant number of students" who will be facing more demanding collge competency requirements in college.

Residents concerned over the inclusion of payments to Wiedersum's architectural firm and J. Michael Orifici's construction management firm for the work they had done on the defeated bond referendum of last fall into the new proposed budget asked if the district was still negotiating this issue with the two firms. An added agenda item (number 18) was read by Rudy and stated that the contract with Wiedersum was to be "terminated as it relates to the $50 million bond" which was "rejected by the voters" and "abandoned by the district." When Joe Calamari asked if the district still has to pay the firm Rudy responded, "The statement I just read is all I can say."

Also in response to Mr. Calamari's inquiry about expenditures by the district, it was explained that agenda item 8, a vote for the Administrative Budget of the Board of Cooperative Educational Services of Nassau County, would mean a payment of approximately $175,000 from Garden City. The total tentative administrative budget for the 1998-99 BOCES school year is in the amount of $10,816,506.

The Proposed 1998-99 Budget is currently available in a three-part budget format for review by residents. The copies are available for viewing in every school building, the Business Office in the Administration Building, and at the Garden City Public Library. The public hearing will be May 11 at 8:15 p.m., and has been slated to take place in the high school cafeteria. The vote will take place on May 19 from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. in the high school gym.