The article by Dr. Bozzomo last week misstated the board of education's reasons for redistricting four years ago. As president of the board at that time, I would like to clarify the false impression that some members of our community and Dr. Bozzomo seem to have about why the board made that decision. It was not to Úquot;help match enrollments with the capacities of Shelter Rock and Munsey Park elementary schools,Úquot; but rather it was to keep Shelter Rock's enrollment at about 750 students.

In 1992 when Dr. Petraglia was appointed superintendent, both elementary schools had experienced significant enrollment growth. There was a shortage of classrooms at both schools, due to this growth and the introduction of new programs. To accommodate this growth, small workrooms in Munsey Park were converted to educational spaces. Since Munsey Park was a much older building than Shelter Rock, the classrooms there were quite small compared to Shelter Rock. Munsey Park had rooms about 700 square feet, while Shelter Rock classrooms were between 1000 and 1200 square feet.

In order to properly plan, the school board appointed a demographer to provide the board with a comprehensive study of our community. At the same time, an architect was also appointed to perform a facilities' needs study and provide options on accommodating the existing and projected enrollment. After receiving the first demographic study, which projected very high increases at both schools, the board, at the recommendation of the superintendent, commissioned a second demographer to do the same demographic study. The second study projected lower increases than the first study. The board decided that the figures in the second study were more accurate as far as demographic studies can be.

There were a number of options presented to the board to accommodate the growth that we were experiencing and would experience in the future. They were:

a) To build a third elementary school

b) To add classrooms to both schools

c) To implement a Princeton plans and add to both schools

d) To move the sixth grade to the middle school and

e) To redistrict and build at least 12 additional classrooms at Munsey Park and three classrooms at Shelter Rock.

At that time, the bulk of the enrollment growth was projected to come in the Shelter Rock attendance area. Shelter Rock was projected to grow to approximately 900 students in 2004 from the current 750. Munsey was expecting to grow to about 550-575 from about 475 students.

After several public hearings, many board meetings, much study and crunching of numbers, and a community survey, the board of education chose the option of redistricting and adding classrooms at Munsey Park. The board also decided to add five, rather than the three classrooms at Shelter Rock that were recommended by the architect. This plan would allow Shelter Rock to remain at about 740-750 students while Munsey Park would increase to 650 students by 2004. At no time did the board think this option would provide for equal populations at both schools; but rather that it would shift most of the projected growth from Shelter to Munsey.

The school board studied the different sections of Manhasset to determine what areas would give us the number of students needed to reach the goal of 650 students at Munsey Park over the course of the projection period. After numerous meetings, the board decided to add the part of Munsey Park Village that was in Shelter Rock's area, all of North Strathmore and a good part of Manhasset proper to the Munsey Park attendance area. All were areas contiguous to Munsey Park and that we felt would provide the number of students needed to effect the change. Needless to say, some residents of those areas did not agree with our decision. I met with those residents and worked out a compromise that I then recommended to the board and they accepted. Those students who were currently enrolled in Shelter Rock when redistricting took effect would be grandfathered and could remain in Shelter Rock. Any future siblings would attend Munsey Park. There are probably about 30 to 40 of those grandfathered students still in Shelter Rock. I hope this clears up any misunderstanding of the board's intentions on redistricting at this point in time. If not, please feel free to call me and ask. I am in the book.

Elizabeth A. Masone

Former Board President and Trustee