As the 1998-99 school year comes to an end this week, the summer season begins in the Roslyn Public Schools. July and August will once again be busy with the hiring of staff, catching up on maintenance projects and generally making sure we are ready to go when school starts again on Sept. 8.

Of course, our schools are not entirely empty of children during the summer. Several hundred youngsters participate in the district's annual summer program from June 28 to July 30. There will be morning programs encompassing a range of academic and recreational activities for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 8. We also offer English as a Second Language for students in grades 1 through 5. An afternoon recreation program, evening summer youth for students in grades 6-12 and a program for the physically challenged are also available, as are driver education and a summer high school academic program in conjunction with Mineola High School. The summer program will take place primarily at the Harbor Hill School.

Though there are no large-scale construction projects under way at the present time, there are always numerous smaller renovation and maintenance projects within the buildings that can best be completed during the summer months when school is not in session. In addition, the annual top-to-bottom cleaning of our school buildings begins on the very first day that students are dismissed.

Many of Roslyn's teachers take advantage of the summer months to continue their own studies. In addition to the district's own inservice courses offered during the summer, staff members further their professional development by attending numerous academic programs, conferences and seminars on their own time in July and August. Thousands of hours are dedicated to the important professional activities during the summer vacation. Curriculum writing projects are also completed by faculty members, a vital function which helps to keep our instructional program on the cutting edge.

Hiring new staff members, including teachers, has been going on for several months and continues into the summer. Student enrollment continues its upward trend with implications for staffing as we are committed to maintaining appropriate class sizes. Roslyn has included 10 and a half additional teaching positions in the 1999-2000 school budget, the largest one-year increase in the faculty's size in a long time. The district must also hire teachers to replace those who have retired or are on leaves of absence. The comprehensive and highly competitive process of finding the very best teaching talent available is an ongoing one.

The registration of new students in July and August is another important summertime activity. Parents who have recently moved to the district should contact the office of Arnold Pressman, director of K-12 guidance and human resources, at 625-6347 to make an appointment. You will be told what documents you will need to bring with you. Parents are urged to register as early as possible in the summer rather than later, as it greatly assists in our planning for the new year to know as precisely as possible how many students will be attending school in September. It also tends to get much busier as the first day of school gets closer.

During the last week of the summer vacation, I will be pleased once again to welcome new parents at a special reception and program. If you have registered your children in Roslyn for the 1999-2000 school year, or will do so during the summer, you will receive a personal invitation to this event where I will share with you some general information about the school district and answer your questions.

The Central Administration is open on regular business days throughout July and August. Any questions or concerns can be directed to my office at 625-6303. To all our students, faculty and parents, have a restful and healthy summer. We'll see you all after Labor Day.