There wasn't an empty seat in the boardroom at the start of the Oct. 19 board of education meeting held at the Levittown Memorial Education Center.

Newly hired school district personnel, volunteer firefighters, ambulance workers and others filled the room for the 8 p.m. meeting.

School Superintendent Dr. Herman Sirois started his report by thanking the students at Wisdom Lane Middle School for their decorations which were displayed in the meeting room and hallway of the LMEC.

Dr. Sirois then welcomed and presented the over 100 new employees in attendance to the board. "I want to thank all of our new staff members," Dr. Sirois said. "The future of our children rests with you. We put a lot of faith in you. So far, you have been delivering and we are proud of that."

Dr. Sirois called on Assistant Superintendent for Administration Victor Longaro for his report. Mr. Longaro explained there were 132 new instructional staff members and 42 civil service employees hired.

He said the need for the additional staff was the result of the increased population and expanded nine-day period in the high schools along with the extended day kindergarten program. Longaro stated; "I want to congratulate all the new staff. You are in the best profession there is. You are in a great place to practice that profession." Mr. Longaro then read the names of the new staff members in attendance. The meeting was adjourned and a reception held in their honor by the Levittown United Teachers Association and the Levittown Parents Teachers Students Association.

The meeting reconvened with a report from Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Robert Davis. Mr. Davis spoke of changes this academic year such as a nine-period day and newly offered courses in the high schools. In addition, Davis indicated that significant changes had to be made to the math curriculum to adhere to changes made by the state. Also, updates and revisions were made regarding the computer literacy program in the elementary grades.

The meeting continued with the opportunity for the public to be heard. Uniformed members of the Levittown and Wantagh Fire Departments were in attendance for the Volunteer Firefighter and Volunteer Ambulance Worker Exemption board vote. The recommended motion: "Resolved, that the Levittown Board of Education take into consideration and adopt the Volunteer Firefighter and Volunteer Ambulance Worker Exemption as indicated in Section 466-c of the Real Property Tax Law passed in July 2005, thereby providing for a 10 percent exemption from school district taxes to those eligible taxpayers as indicated in the aforementioned law."

Thomas Cartunia, a member of the Levittown Fire Department for the past 44 years and vice president of the Fireman's Association of the State of New York addressed the board. "We're here to urge the board to give favorable consideration to item number 8 of the action items granting an exemption from school district taxes for our members who reside in the Levittown Public School District. This should be a means of easing the tax burden of our members who give so much of their precious free time to protect the lives and property of the residents of this district and risk death and serious injury for this purpose," he said. Mr. Cartunia explained that this would apply to members of the Levittown, Wantagh and East Meadow Fire Departments who reside in School District 5.

Dan Kipnes, 2nd Assistant Chief of the Wantagh Fire Department responsible for the north end of the fire district addressed the board. Chief Kipnes cited the current problem of recruiting and retaining members of the volunteer fire service. He said, " We have gone from the days of waiting lists 20 plus years ago to struggling to get new members and retain those who join. A recent study was done two years ago by the State Association of Firefighters of the tax impact of possibly going from a volunteer fire service to a paid department. Those numbers are truly staggering." Chief Kipnes explained that less than 200 members of approximately 650 members of all three departments involved would be eligible for the school tax deduction. He further explained that would be less than $7.50 per household in the district. Chief Kipnes said, "This small increase would provide a big help to the members who give so much of their valuable time to your community."

After discussion among five of the seven board members present regarding the tax exemption resolution, Dr. Sirois decided to pull the resolution and address it further at a special meeting and planning session on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. at the Levittown Memorial Educational Center. The board will reconvene for a regular meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. at the LMEC.