At the last Herricks school board meeting the board approved the appointment of David Helme as interim principal for the Searingtown School.

Helme is no stranger to Herricks having served as interim assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Interim Assistant Superintendent for Personnel.

Helme, who is retired, brings to the Herricks district more than 45 years of professional experience as a teacher and school administrator including the principalship of the Great Neck North Middle School and The Wheatley School, an assistant superintendency in Port Washington and the superintendency of the East Williston School District.

He was also the Interim Superintendent of the Roslyn School District, Interim Associate Director of the Long Island Regional Resource Center and the Interim Middle School Principal/Assistant Principal of North Shore CSD. Currently, he is an instructor at SUNY Stony Brook.

Both the board members and Herricks Superintendent Dr. Jack Bierwirth had nothing but praise for Helme and thanked him for once again providing his experience and expertise to the Herricks district.

Helme said that working at the Searingtown School as interim principal will be a challenge that he looks forward to. He said that his number one priority will be to conduct a search for a permanent principal for the school.

It was also announced that Carmine Matina would take over for Joan Keegan when she goes on maternity leave and that Ron LaBrocca will be the interim math chairperson.

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Dr. Deirdre Hayes reported that the Summer Recreation Program has been a huge success. They even had a car wash fundraiser toward the end, donating the monies to charity.

Herricks Superintendent Dr. Jack Bierwirth announced that finally the state has approved the Energy Performance Contract of $4 million, that was submitted almost a year and a half ago. They revised timelines so that most of the work will not be done in the summer, but rather during the fall, after hours. The work will be done by contractors and the Herricks staff will do the clean-up. It was established that the remainder of the Denton roof will be completed before the start of school, but the balance of projects will be done at later times, but will not interrupt the school day.

Dr. Bierwirth announced that at the next board meeting results of the AP tests would be available as well as college acceptances.

A spokesperson for parents concerned about the inter-mural games at the Middle School said that she and members of her committee have met several times, but to no avail and they want to know what is being done to reinstate these games.

School board president Christine Turner said that she would look into the situation and get back to her.

Another audience member reported that very often, at night, when she passes the Shelter Rock Academy on Shelter Rock Road there are a bunch of people having a tail-gate party complete with beach chairs and that they use the lights in the parking lot.

Dr. Bierwirth said that unless these folks are doing something wrong or if they do not belong in the district, he does not ask residents to leave school grounds, but that he would check into the tailgate situation.

In other business the board established the tax levy for 2007-'08 at $74, 829, 979 which will result in a tax increase of 4.95 percent as advertised.

The board approved the Allocation of Funds to Workers Compensation, Unemployment Insurance Reserve Funds and Reserve for Employee Benefits. The board allocated the following:

$193, 200 to the Workers Compensation Reserve Fund

$41, 294 to the Unemployment Insurance Reserve Fund

$463, 015 to the Reserve for Employee Benefits

$430, 450 to the Unappropriated Unreserved Fund Balance

Therefore, the board of education reallocates $8, 015 from the General Insurance Reserve Fund to the Workers Compensation Reserve Fund.

The board also approved an Inter-Municipal Agreement with Town of North Hempstead for various services including the use of equipment, labor or professional services or for the purchase of equipment, materials or supplies as may be agreed to between the parties.

The board also approved various other contracts for BOCES and for transportation and then the board adjourned.

The next board meeting will be held on August 23 at 7:15 p.m. at the Herricks Community Center, 999 Herricks Road, New Hyde Park.