At the Nov. 4 Levittown School Board meeting, after much discussion and an airing of resident concerns, the board of education chose to table a decision regarding the rezoning of the school district. This re-zoning would have all the children who attend Abbey Lane Elementary School advance to Wisdom Land Middle School and then to Division Avenue High School rather than going to Salk Middle School and MacArthur High School.

The board will again discuss this option for the district at the next planning session which will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. According to Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Robert Davis, the board cannot take action on this resolution at a planning session.

Realizing that many residents had concerns about the possible rezoning of the district Assistant Superintendent for Administration Gerald Claps discussed the history of this proposition. He spoke of the 50 community members who got together in the 1994-95 school year, because of overcrowding issues, to discuss possible solutions for the district. He said that these community members spent close to six months looking at both elementary and secondary attendance zones and made some recommendations. Two of the recommendations they came up with involved splitting both Abbey and Gardiner's Avenues Schools in order to equalize enrollment between the north side of town and the south side of town. The North side feeds into the smaller Wisdom and then into Division which is the larger of the high schools. All plans involved adding classrooms to Wisdom.

The proposal that Central Administration felt best served the community only affected Abbey Lane and kept those students together as a school as they moved up to middle school, which would then have nine classrooms added to it. This proposal affects students who live on Anchor Lane (#46 and down), Castle Lane, Copper Lane, Cord Lane, Crest Lane, Gardiner's Avenue (odd numbers 459 and down), Glade Lane, Green Lane, High Lane, Hook Lane, Low Lane, Old Hill Lane, Old Oak Lane, Rainbow Lane, Ranch Lane (179 down to 142), Sunrise Lane (161 and down), Sunset Lane, Swan Lane (157,160, and up), Tower Lane, Water Lane (36,41, and down), Wantagh Avenue West (248 and down), and Wood Lane (25,26, and down). They have looked at the number of children in this area and have discovered that this affects approximately 25-30 students each year which is the sort of numbers they need to equalize the schools.

During the Public Be Heard section of the meeting one parent stated, "I think it should stay the way it is and I also think that we should have more time to discuss this thing. "He and several other parents were disturbed that they were only informed two days before that this would be brought up at the board meeting and that it was only an addendum to the regular schedule. He urged the board not to vote on this resolution at the meeting.

Following Claps' explanation of the history of the rezoning plans and what areas would be affected many people chose not to speak out. The president of the Wisdom Lane PTA, however, chose to speak on the practical concerns at Wisdom. She said, "While I do see this to be a very positive move for those children, nevertheless, until we physically have those nine additional rooms this decision should not be made." She urged the board not to rush into this decision.

One concerned parent was bothered by the fact that she lives less than half a mile from Salk and MacArthur and this re-zoning would require her children being bused three miles away to the other schools. She said that this would present problems if her child had to stay after school for extra help or any other after school activities because she would have to wait around for the late bus, whereas now she could just walk home when she was done. She concluded, "It is ridiculous the amount of time she would have to spend in transportation. In that amount of time she could be home studying."

Another concerned Abbey Lane parent asked members of the board what the first question they asked their real estate agent was when they were looking for a house. He told them that his and many of his neighbors' first question was about the schools that their children would attend. He stated, "This is why I bought my house on this block. It's where I want my kids to grow up. I didn't want my kids to go to North Levittown Schools for certain reasons and I'm sure you all know those reasons." He added that he believed this was Constitutionally wrong. He said that the surprise of the meeting was also very upsetting to him.

The Public Be Heard continued with more concerns along that vein. Another parent spoke of why he bought his house where he did and the time that he put into researching the schools that his children would attend. He said, "I bought my house pending on certain zoning and I think that I have the right to choose that zoning. I did when I bought my house, then all of a sudden it changes." He concluded, "We're happy with it. Let's leave it the way it is. It works and I'm happy with it!"

Following these concerns Davis again brought up the fact that this is not an issue that came up suddenly. He reminded everyone that this has been a public issue since 1994 and that no one is trying to fool anyone, that no decision can be made unless the proposal is put on an agenda. He added, "At some point and time a decision has to be reached and we're getting very close to that time."

Dr. Alan Groveman, assistant superintendent for business, informed everyone that one of the issues in the proposal is the ability to grandfather children, in cases such as when a sibling already attends Salk or MacArthur.

Ronald Kinberg, school board secretary, reminded everyone of the extensive research that went into this proposal by the citizen's advisory committee which was made up of people such as PTA presidents and council representatives. The board assured concerned residents that no decision has been reached yet.

In an interview following the school board meeting Davis stated, when asked if the community's concerns were warranted, "I think it's legitimate for people to have concern about where their children go to school. I think schools have historically changed their boundaries over the years, it is an unfortunate but necessary thing that we have to do." He stressed that it does not mean that it is or is not going to happen in this case but that it is a situation that the Levittown Schools have had to deal with in the not too distant past. He added that sometimes it cannot be avoided and sometimes it can, which is why it is being discussed openly and in public.

Many people believe that they have not been well informed about this issue and feel that they should be given more information about a subject that could possibly affect the value of their homes.