At the last meeting of the New Hyde Park/Garden City Park School board the budget vote for $19, 889, 568 was passed. However, an emergency meeting was called for the board to meet on Friday night. Due to the written notification of teachers who will be resigning and those who submitted leave requests, it will be possible to hire teachers at a lesser salary, and therefore the board was able to amend the budget to a final figure of $19, 836, 821. That will translate into a $127.32 additional in taxes, for the average homeowner, rather than $131.76. This could perhaps be pared down further if the district receives a larger than expected amount from the state, which at this point seems unlikely.

The budget provides for two additional teachers, if needed, for a class that could possibly exceed the classroom guidelines for students. If that does not happen the budget will be adjusted accordingly.

During the meeting Patricia Rudd announced her intention to run again for school board trustee. She said, "This is a good board, we work well together and since the bond was passed I would like very much to stay on until its completion." At press time the Illustrated News found out that Dr. Frank W. Calamusa, of New Hyde Park, retired former principal of the Hillside Grade School and the Garden City Park Grade School, has filed petitions to run for trustee. Trustee Suzanne Wenz did not file petitions which automatically signals that she will not run for re-election after serving the school board for a number of years.

The date for the school board election has been set for all districts in New York State as May 21. Voting will be held at the Manor Oaks School from 10 a.m to 9 p.m. The residents of the district will vote for the New Hyde Park/Garden City Park School budget, the Sewanhaka Central School Budget and the Hillside Library budget. Plus, they will also vote for the uncontested re-election of Patricia Rudd and for the election of Dr. Frank W. Calamusa to the school board.

Superintendent Joseph Rudaitis announced that during the week of June 12 the Hillside Grade School will host astronaut James Massimo. His wife was a Hillside Grade School graduate and he actually brought a Hillside Grade School T-Shirt with him into space.

Contingent on the passage of the budget, the board appointed teachers for the Summer Reading Program including: Maureen Cullen, Rosellen Picciano, Bernice Kaplan, Francine Berke and substitutes Lillian Buccella and Nanette Stepanian.

The board also passed the following people to work in the self-sustaining Summer Recreation Program: Richard Vaccaro, Carol Burnett, Patricia Swendenberg, Julie Croshere, Therese Mannimo, Karen Zuccarella, Gina Gaudioso, Polly Farrugia and Amy Housel. The recreation program will be held at the New Hyde Park Road School this year.

The following were appointed to the Fourth Grade Humanities Academy: Administrator Steve Scarallo; teachers: Sheila Bet, Paul McDuffie, Leonilla DiBartolomea and various aides who have not as yet been announced.

Superintendent Rudaitis announced that the New York State Education Department has approved the Hillside Grade asbestos removal project for this summer. In accordance with the plans to begin building, this summer the district will start work at one of the buildings.

The district has also hired a construction management firm, School Construction Corporation, the same company that is guiding the building of the Herricks School District. They will be on hand at the various building sites every day during construction. They will make sure that the proper materials are used and that air-monitoring is done and that safety of the students is observed at all times. On test days they will make sure that there is no noise around the buildings. In other words, they will monitor the school building project from beginning to end.

The only resident to comment was Annette Giarrantani and she praised the board for appointing such a well-known company to guide the building of the schools.

The next school board meeting will be held on May 6 at the Manor Oaks School at 8 p.m.