(The following letter was presented to Dr. Calluzzo and members of the school board at the March 5 meeting of the Manhasset Board of Education and is printed here at the signers' request.)

We are here tonight to deliver to you 260 signatures from elementary school parents who want a second science teacher hired for the Manhasset Elementary Schools.

After only five days of circulating this petition, it became clear to us that community support of this issue was broad based. Parents across the board agreed that their children would benefit greatly from having a weekly science lab scheduled into their school curriculum. As it stand now, Mrs. Berliner teaches 67 classes mostly on an every-other-week rotating schedule at both elementary schools. First graders see her only from January to April and second, third and fifth graders don't see her at all for about two months while she increases to a once-a-week schedule to prepare the fourth graders for the ESPET Test in May. If any lab sessions are missed within this schedule there is no time to make them up.

When you consider expected class size increases, the state mandated fifth grade math, science and technology test, which will be required in the year 2000, and just being able to stay current in the world of science, we don't see how only one teacher can handle both schools effectively.

We are aware that there are budgetary constraints and many needs to be considered in next year's budget and we don't envy you your task. However, we feel that hiring a second science teacher at the elementary school level will work toward exposing each child every week to a hands-on experience in the lab which will peak their interest and spark their imagination. Exposure to lab work at the elementary level, when all children are "natural scientists" we believe will have positive, long lasting effects.

So, in addition to support already shown by the Shared Decision Making Team and Munsey Park Grade Level Chairs, we as parents urge you to allot funds in the 1998 budget for hiring a second elementary school science teacher for the benefit of all our children.

Thank you for your consideration of this issue.