IT Board to Vote on Bus-Limit Proposal

By Dave Mock

The Island Trees Board of Education will vote next month on whether or not to approve a vote on revising the mileage limits for bus transportation in the district.

If approved, the proposal would go on the ballot the same day as the school-board and budget vote, Tuesday, May 19, said school-board president Jerry Donahue.

The district's current regulations allow for transportation of students in kindergarten and first grade who live more than a half mile from their school. For second-through sixth-graders, the minimum is three-quarters of a mile, for seventh-through ninth-graders, one mile, and for 10th-through- 12th-graders, a mile and a half.

Island Trees is considering the effect of making the standard Sparke and Stokes minimum distance a half mile, the middle school three quarters of a mile, and the high school one mile. As a result, the district would have to increase its number of buses by two, to 14 and a half.

Deputy Superintendent Dr. Peter Egan, who made a second presentation on the bus guidelines at last week's school-board meeting, said that the current distances were based on schools that were kindergarten through sixth grades-(the former alignment of Stokes and Sparke schools) seventh through ninth grades (the former junior high school) and 10th through 12th grades (the high school).

The elementary schools are now kindergarten through fourth grade, the junior high school is now a fifth through eighth grade middle school, and Island Trees High School is ninth through 12th grade. In all those cases, the present bus regulations actually "split up" the mileage requirements for students in each building, with bus mileage limits changing in seventh grade and 10th grades.

Last week, Egan said that the approved revisions would allow 250 students who live outside the busing limits to take bus transportation, including 83 at Island Trees High School.

The cost, he said, would be $90,000, or a dollar a day per trip per student. It would be offset by money from the state the following year, around 40 percent, Egan added.

Decoration Guidelines

Also at the Island Trees meeting, board president Donahue said that the district would not add to its general guidelines for holiday displays. During the November meeting, district resident Sonia Meyer had urged the board to consider adding a creche (Nativity scene) to its holiday decorations.

"You must have an equal balance among the various displays put out," said school-board attorney David Rubin, who said that a menorah and Christmas tree would provide that balance, but a menorah, Christmas tree and Nativity scene would force the district to have another item to redress the balance.

As he mentioned in a Levittown Tribune interview last month, Rubin brought up the 1989 federal court case of Allegheny vs. the American Civil Liberties Union, which centered around how a menorah and a display were set up in separate areas, with the creche standing alone on the grand staircase of the county courthouse with a sign in Latin that read "Glory to God in the Highest." The court found the display illegal.

Meyer said she was disappointed, insisting that it would fall within legal guidelines. "It's a symbol that speaks of a greater truth," she said. "If we as a community are a truly interfaith community, what is the problem?"

Donahue replied that having a creche would not evenly reflect the multiple holidays. "We decided to maintain that balance," he said.

Notebook

Also at the meeting, the Island Trees board approved its budget preparation dates.

Upcoming events in that calendar will include the board of education review of the proposal on March 21, business office budget outline on March 27, submission of the budget newsletter on April 3, receipt of the school board trustee petition by April 23 at 5 p.m., mailing of the budget newsletter on April 21, approval of the BOCES administration/operation budget by April 28, and adoption of the budget on April 29.

The Island Trees budget will be available in the school buildings on May 5, a budget hearing will be presented on May 12, voter registration will be done on May 13 and the budget vote itself will be held on May 19 from noon to 9 p.m. in the gymnasium of Stokes Elementary School. The meet-the-candidates night will be held at a date to be determined.

The next Island Trees Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Wednesday night, Jan. 28 at 8 in the all-purpose room of Michael F. Stokes Elementary School.