My name is Rich Barry. I am a member of the Pool Committee that was formed to explore the feasibility of a project for the Levittown School District, to be located at LMEC. I lived in Levittown, and graduated from MacArthur High School. My wife and I currently live in North Seaford, and our three children attend Levittown Schools. I am also the chairman for the Field of Dreams Committee. This committee was formed to explore the feasibility of a field project, in the same fashion as the Pool Committee.

I have been involved with this process from the onset. Unfortunately, this process and these committees were misunderstood by residents located in the immediate vicinity of LMEC. These committees were formed to explore the feasibility and then make a recommendation to the school board. Many local residents attended these meetings from the onset, and a few local residents were even placed on these committees. The school district has been very open to this process. The Pool Committee voted and approved to send this project to the Levittown School Board for a formal review. The Field of Dreams Committee is in the process of scheduling a meeting to vote on the projects and feasibility.

Superintendent Dr. Herman Sirois chaired the first meeting for both projects. He stated clearly that these projects, if they were feasible, were not to burden the taxpayer. He also stated that if they were approved, after a full review from the school board, then fundraising would commence. This fundraising would be the only avenue used to generate the funds necessary to complete both projects. This is very important. Any other comments about these projects entered in this forum, or any other, are used to ignite an opinion based on untruths. It would be very unfortunate for our community to fall victim to untruths. Please do not lead our neighbors and friends with untruths.

I am a board member for one of our local athletic associations. I also sit on the Levittown-Island Trees Youth Council. I grew up on a block of a Levittown school. I grew up on a block with a community center. I grew up on a block with bus traffic. I live on a block of a Levittown school. I live on a block that is used for busing our children. When I purchased my home, I was informed to the fact that a school was only houses away, as is every NYS resident when purchasing a home of similar consequence. I made that choice with full knowledge of my surroundings. Our school district has changed over the years. Some facilities have closed, while others have been changed to support the school district. Times change, populations change and we all change with the times.

So, as I see it, we are exploring the feasibility of adding to, and improving, the facilities for our children. We are using the assistance of residents and former residents who want to give back to the community that reared them. We are following a process that helps us intelligently answer all the questions about our project. We have asked the opinions of those, like myself, who have lived, and continue to live in an area that is directly affected by our schools. What could be bad?

I am proud to say that I support, and will volunteer my time to this project because any improvement to our school district is an improvement to our community and in turn helps our children. I am proud of the progress that our school district has made over the last 10 years. Our children are reaping the benefits of this progress. Let us continue and improve our community. Let us all have an open mind, and think of the community as a whole. As the buses line up to take the children home from school and I sit and wait the extra few minutes while the children of my neighbors and friends are safely driven off, and the boys and girls scatter to their homes, may I have patience and show respect to my neighbors and friends.

Rich Barry

MacArthur High School Class of '83

Vice President,

Levittown South Wantagh Baseball