At the Glen Cove Board of Education meeting of Monday, Nov. 17, Kathy Beatty, vice president of Syntax Communication, the firm that handles the district's public relations, presented an overview of the many services the company offers in general, as well as what it provides the district.

According to Ms. Beatty, Syntax has been working for more than 20 years with school districts across New York State, most of which are on Long Island. The firm has "a full professional staff of researchers, publicists, photographers, videographers, media strategists, writers, graphic designers, web designers and communication trainers," which allows Syntax to work with a "team approach."

The firm is contracted to design and develop five district newsletters per year, create a school calendar, cover 10 district events per month, with corresponding press releases and photos, work with regional media and attend board of education meetings. Syntax also provides material for use on the district website and develops budget and bond campaign support materials.

It was generally accepted that local print coverage is well-maintained, but residents and board member Joel Sunshine questioned the amount of press the district receives regionally, specifically in Newsday and on News 12 and TV 55. Ms. Beatty explained that Newsday has severely cut back its educational coverage in general, and that television stations only cover major events, but said that the Glen Cove School District has certainly received its fair share of coverage. She also said that Syntax has a "very good back-and-forth relationship" with most media, and can often ask for a specific news item or event to be included. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Larry Aronstein said that he has turned to Syntax a number of times when he was uncertain as to the way to handle an unanticipated situation. An example he used was when Glen Cove had one of the first confirmed cases of the MRSA infection. He composed a letter to parents, and "ran it by" Ms. Beatty, to be sure the content was factual and not unnecessarily alarming. "It's good to have a PR firm that's a phone call away to point us in the right direction," the superintendent added. The question was asked as to what the district pays annually to Syntax; the answer was $60,000.

A concern expressed by a number of people was the importance of the district's reputation among people outside Glen Cove who are considering moving to the city and the necessity of getting positive press to them. Within the educational community, said Dr. Aronstein, it has been widely noted that Glen Cove is experiencing a resurgence and he said "the buzz on Long Island about Glen Cove is good." The district has no shortage of teachers applying for jobs.

Dr. Aronstein addressed the critical economic situation as it pertains to the school district. In speaking with the superintendent at press time, he stated that the state legislature's vote on Governor Paterson's budget cuts, including those for education, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 18 was postponed until after the new legislature convenes in January, but he explained the conditions as they currently stand. Glen Cove had been slated to incur a $750,000 decrease in aid during this fiscal year, but that decision will not be made until the vote; however, it is anticipated that for the next school year, the district will be subject to a $1.5 million decrease in state funding. "I am working on the adage to 'plan for the worst and expect the best,'" said Dr. Aronstein. He reiterated the importance of the residents' passage of the $13.9 million bond referendum, as "there will be very little money available for the next three years" and the district urgently needs to do as much as it can in capital projects now. The superintendent stated that Gov. Paterson has made it clear that state aid that will be returned to the district for applicable projects will remain at 27.3 percent. He emphasized that the "bond issue is not related to the budget crisis," the only connection being that with less state aid in the next couple of years, there will be less money for capital improvements without a bond.

Rick Smith asked the cost of putting the referendum forth, and was told it is $1,400. As this is a specialized form of law, the district has had to consult with outside attorneys, but, said Kevin Wurtz, assistant to the superintendent for business, no lawyer fees would be incurred should the bond not pass.

Dr. Aronstein brought up what he called "an interesting and unorthodox journey" with which he has been involved for the past nine months. At that time, he said, the county assessor indicated that there is an offshore gas pipeline in the Long Island Sound and that the nine school districts along the North Shore could petition to extend their districts' boundaries into the water up to the pipeline. This property could then be added to the commercial tax rolls. The process of surveying to find the exact location of the pipeline is currently underway, and Dr. Aronstein said it could unfold that Glen Cove would receive a 19 percent portion of the $13 million that would be added to the tax rolls. This would result in a reduction in both homestead and non-homestead tax rates. It could also have a positive effect on Glen Cove in regard to the district paying tax certioraris, as the district would no longer be co-terminus (having the same footprint) with the City of Glen Cove. The report is due to be completed and filed with the BOCES superintendent by Jan. 2, at which time Dr. Aronstein will have further information.

The next Glen Cove Board of Education meeting will be held on Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m. at the high school.