Last Monday, following the appointments made at the reorganizational meeting, the board held its regular meeting. After the routine business led by newly reelected President Emilia Sutz, the table was open to questions from the public.

A specific group of parents in the audience expressed their concern for the safety of their children attending the high school, as a result of a past proposal to lock the back door of the school due to upcoming construction. Many parents were worried that their children would be forced to walk approximately an extra 1.5 miles on Shelter Rock Road without any sidewalks.

A request for transportation for these students was made by one parent in the audience. The students' safety has been an issue of concern by many parents in the community. Sutz informed the public that the board is very cognizant of the safety of the children and members of the community that walk the area. She assured the parents that no action would be taken regarding the high school construction unless it was discussed first with the members of the community. Sutz calmed their immediate fears by saying, "We will not be breaking ground in the high school before September."

The next item on the agenda concerned the dates regarding the middle school graduations. It was decided by the board that the middle school graduation be held on June 20, 2002. Plans are now being finalized to hold the ceremony once again at the Viscardi Abilities facility on I.U. Willets Road in Albertson. The high school graduation date is June 25, 2002, however, no time or location have been decided at this time.

The topic of graduation was opened to the public and one mother of a recent high school graduate expressed her concern over the health factors present at high school graduations when they take place on the high school football field due to the extreme heat. She requested an air-conditioned facility for future graduations, claiming that graduates, and especially grandparents, need comfort on such a memorable day. Newly installed Trustee Edward Kennedy said, "I know graduations can be uncomfortable for the spectators, however many students believe that the field has a sentimental value. At Herricks, we don't celebrate enough on the football field - it's nice to get some happy moments on the field." Sutz explained to the audience that many of the facilities suitable for graduations are unavailable. She promised, however, that the board would continue to look for an alternative location.

The next topic was textbooks. One parent asked to have texts online in the near future. "When we buy textbooks, we should also look into technological advancements in getting PC versions so that children can possibly log on at their home computers, instead of lugging the hard copies around." Dr. Bierwirth said that he would research the matter further.

Much interest was expressed when the board began its discussion of the declaration of emergency and contingent expenses of the water damage to the Herricks Community Center due to a severe rainstorm on June 17 that caused roof leaks.

Harbor Day School suffered the most damage, as they lost their space and had to be moved to the Searingtown School. In response to a question from the audience, Sutz commented, "At this point we are negotiating with the insurance company. Because of possible litigation involved, we are not at a liberty to discuss specific details at this time. The project needs to move forward and we are moving in a direction that will protect the district and its taxpayers because that is our responsibility." Sutz assured everyone that the roof was intact, that it did not collapse, and that no individual was hurt.

The next board of education meeting is a regular meeting to be held July 19 at 7:15 p.m. at the Herricks Community Center.