On Monday, May 21, the North Shore School Board held a special meeting to allow an open discussion with the community concerning the Comprehensive School Safety Plan (SAVE). Due to the failure of the school budget on May 15, a discussion and action on the budget was added to the agenda of this special meeting.

There was a lengthy discussion by the board of whether or not to resubmit the same budget, submit a reduced budget or adopt a contingency budget. By law, the contingency budget must be 6/10 percent less than the proposed budget, which for North Shore would mean a $271,000 reduction. This reduction can only come out of supplies and equipment used by students. Teaching materials, textbooks, and equipment used by staff cannot be eliminated in a contingency budget. If such a budget were adopted, each school would be asked to eliminate certain supplies and equipment, and computers earmarked for the second and third grades next year would most likely be eliminated. If a reduced budget was submitted for a vote and failed to pass, the subsequent contingency budget would be reduced as well.

There was discussion concerning the financial rating for North Shore and how it might be adversely affected by the failure of the budget. The ability for any district to borrow money is directly linked to the budget's support by the community. The district is currently in the process of borrowing money for construction bond which was passed by the community last year.

Members of the board felt strongly that the budget they had proposed on May 15 was the best and most fiscally sound budget they could submit and will ask the community to vote again on the same budget. Board members believe they can do a better job in answering any questions that the community may have. After months of meetings, when every line of the budget was discussed, and when only a handful of residents showed up for its adoption in April, the board is unsure of why the community rejected it. Although much of the budget is state mandated or linked to the debt service, the board understands that the community still believes that there is overspending. While the community had four months in which to voice opinions about the budget during board meetings, parent-teacher meetings and open town meetings, the turnout at these meetings was conspicuously small. The members of the school board believe that this is a fair and tight budget and completely in line with other school budgets across Long Island. They will be making themselves available for any questions and discussions throughout the next few weeks. The vote to resubmit the May 15 budget was 4 to 1, with Trustee DiVincenzo voting no. Trustees Montesano and Grande did not attend the meeting.

The rest of the meeting was an open discussion about the district's school safety plan which by law must be adopted by July 2001. It includes a code of cConduct as well as an emergency response plan. Each school building will also have a building specific plan which will outline procedure based on age-appropriate behavior. Community members were encouraged to ask questions and give opinions on every aspect of the plan. There was some discussion over whether or not this plan included procedures for threats given over the telephone or in e-mails between students outside of school. In addition, the language describing the "disruptive" student could be interpreted as prohibiting students from engaging in their right to protest.

Each rule, right and responsibility of every student, parent and teacher is spelled out in the almost 50 pages of document. Copies of the entire plan will be sent to every student's family in the district.