More than a dozen Glen Cove High School students, most, if not all of them members of track and field teams, attended the Glen Cove Board of Education meeting of Monday, Aug. 25 to question the status of the new track and scoreboard slated to be built at the high school. Funds for the project came through a one-time State Department of Education EXCEL Aid Grant prior to the 2007-2008 school year, yet the work has not yet begun due in large part to bureaucratic red tape at the state level. Once the aid was offered, projects needed to be presented to the state for review, and in the time since Glen Cove submitted its requests, three different project reviewers have been involved in the approval of the project. The district ultimately received official, written approval from the state at the end of June 2008.

Spokesman for the students was Adam Ramadan, president of the Class of 2010, who remarked that the project was introduced when they were freshmen and the athletes were concerned that they would graduate before they were able to use the track. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Larry Aronstein, after commenting that it was a pleasure to see students at a board meeting, explained the bureaucratic intricacies, and continued by explaining the more practical considerations.

The board has been working, he said, to find the best time to have the construction done with the least interruption and inconvenience to high school athletics. Football season starts in the fall and lacrosse, spring track and other field sports run in the spring. The season in between is winter, when outdoor work is impractical, if not impossible, as the weather is unpredictable, if not unbearable. "The work cannot be done in winter," said the superintendent, "due to the possibility of freezing and unfreezing temperatures. We need to wait for the ground to thaw." Assistant to the Superintendent for Business Kevin Wurtz added that the temperature needs to be above 50 degrees in order for the components of the materials used to settle and adhere properly. In fact, said Mr. Wurtz, the manufacturing of asphalt shuts down in winter, due to the inability of its usage.

One student made the suggestion that the work be done in the summer, and was told that the suggestion was a good one and was being considered by the board. Parent Zefy Christopoulos remarked that the board should "consider what we can control," and said that if the work is begun before graduation, a stipulation should be made to the contractors that it be completed by graduation day. If not, she said, the contractors would need to agree to dismantle the "mess" for the commencement exercises, and renew work following the big day. "We need to take all students into account," she said, adding that the district should not let anything interfere with graduation and that graduating students are equal to the athletes.

Rick Smith questioned the anticipated roof replacements of the high school and Deasy and Gribbin schools. He said he has been on the roofs with Guy Forman, superintendent of buildings and grounds, as well as a contractor he knows well, and he is preparing a report on their findings. Dr. Aronstein said that the district has had an architect and consultant on the roof as well, and they were preparing a report to present at the next school board meeting. He said he looked forward to Mr. Smith's report, however, he added, the district's personnel come with "responsibility and accountability," and an outsider would not.

The next meeting of the Glen Cove Board of Education will be held on Monday, Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m. at the high school.