The highly-awaited report of the Elementary Reorganization Committee was presented to the Manhasset Board of Education at a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 23. About 100 interested parents and residents attended the meeting.

The report was given by Dr. Robert Feirsen, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, and chairperson of the committee. Committee members included Janet McCauley, Assistant Superintendent for Business; Ira Chudd, Director of Transportation; Lisa Bornstein and Mae Meoli, Munsey Park teachers; Debra Capolarello and Lynn King, Munsey Park parents; Lynn Screvane and Ann Soldano, Shelter Rock teachers; and Louise Molloy and Jeanne Signorile, Shelter Rock parents.

The board of education charged the committee to study two options:

Establish a kindergarten center by locating all district kindergarten classes at Munsey Park

Revise the elementary attendance zones to result in a decrease of 3-4 sections at Shelter Rock and an associated increase in the number of sections at Munsey Park.

The committee was further charged to recommend one of these alternatives based on an assessment of the impact of the proposed change for the next four school years.

The committee report including the following statement:

"The committee understands the depth of feelings in the community accompanying the issue of elementary redistricting and appreciates the suggestions, questions and comments offered by parents, staff members and other residents of the school district. These contributions provided the group with much food for thought and helped guide our deliberations. The committee also recognizes that its charge focused only on a relatively modest time period; additional work is required to address long-term space issues and enrollment trends."

The committee report reiterated that student adjustment issues are key elements to be considered in either option. Further, the report emphasized that neither option considered by the committee provides the perfect solution for the issues related to projected rising enrollments at the elementary level. Room utilization levels are expected to increase at both schools.

Dr. Feirsen summarized the committee work and study in the following areas: criteria for evaluating each option, development of enrollment and class section projections, findings for each option, conclusions and recommendations.

Recommendations of the committee are as follows:

The kindergarten option requires the shifting of too many students and sections to Munsey Park and is not recommended.

Redistricting is therefore the better of the two options.

The district should end its lease with BOCES at Munsey Park in order to provide an additional available classroom.

The committee has identified five promising redistricting options, or scenarios, and recommends that the board of education work with the district administration to refine these options for implementation beginning in the 2002-03 school year. It is important to note that these scenarios selected for recommendation hold the most promise but do not achieve optimal results. By the third year of the scenarios, enrollment increases again place pressures on space available for classroom and special program use.

The committee recommends that current fifth graders at Shelter Rock remain at their home school next year. All other grade levels should be considered for redistricting.

The committee recognizes that the scenarios presented to the board represent, at best, solutions that afford some degree of relief to Shelter Rock, primarily in the first two years of the plan. The committee strongly recommends that the board consider developing a long-term solution to the issue of enrollment growth in the district.

The committee recommends that the elementary principals and their staffs immediately begin planning transition activities for students who will be affected by the redistricting. While a good part of this work cannot begin until the students to be redistricted are conclusively identified, general planning for redistricting should be initiated as soon as possible. Pupil personnel staff should also begin collaborating to identify potential issues for individual students and their families.

Currently, Shelter Rock's classroom space is at maximum capacity. Special services for students (speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, reading, math lab, music rehearsal) are being delivered in spaces that are too small for student instructional needs. At Munsey Park, some space is available, but "it is not limitless." The ultimate outcome of any decision is to avoid recreating the same space issues at Munsey Park while recognizing the impact of enrollment trends.

Dr. Feirsen explained that this study was undertaken because of the current and projected elementary schools' enrollment growth and classroom space utilization. Elementary enrollment is projected to rise from 1368 students in 2002-03 to 1476 students in 2004-05, a gain of 108 students. A total of 1495 students is expected in 2005-06, a gain of 127 students.

At the conclusion of the report presentation, Barbara Donno, board president, opened the public comment portion of the meeting. During this time, parents and residents had the opportunity to address the board or submit, in writing, a question or comment regarding the report and recommendations.

Mrs. Donno expressed thanks on behalf of the board to the committee, for the time and careful thought required to develop the report. She said that the board is sensitive to the concerns of the community. Recommendations will be considered fully and the Board will keep the best interests of children at the forefront of all decisions.

The board also thanked all community members who sent letters, e-mails or spoke to board members individually. It continues to welcome comments from the public by mail or through the district's web site, www.manhasset.k12.ny.us. The board of education's decision on elementary reorganization is expected to be made by May 23.