Letter: Re-Elect Stanley Stern

At the Meet the Candidates night in Roslyn, many issues were discussed, including curriculum, safety, the budget, capital expenditures, closed campus and weighting of grades. Four candidates were campaigning for two seats on the Roslyn School Board.

Letter: Asset to School Board

It is a pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for Kim Hunter for the Roslyn School District School Board. I have known Kim for almost three years as she cares for my son in her Family Day Care. Kim is an impressive combination of a woman with solid family values, an exceptional educator, and a strong community advocate. I do not live in Roslyn, but if I did, Kim Hunter is exactly who I would want representing the educational needs of our children, families and teachers.

Letter: The Right Business Skills

We have known the Ehrlichs, Dolores and Mel and their daughter Elizabeth, for many decades. We have seen Elizabeth and her family grow and mature. Elizabeth is a talented, able woman who has raised two sons while maintaining a professional career.

Letter: A Qualified Candidate

I have lived in Roslyn for over 20 years. My office the Flowerhill Dental Group located at 1025 Northern Blvd. in Roslyn has been caring for the families in Roslyn for over 25 years.

What Every Long Islander Should Know - May 7, 2010

Better Education for Less

It’s school budget time, and wrath is in the air. Politicians are raging, taxpayers fuming, students protesting. The frustration is easy to understand. School budget votes in our region are a lose-lose proposition. Vote against the budget, and the ones we hurt are the children. Vote in favor, and we perpetuate the ruinous tax spiral that is devastating families and crippling our economy.

Superintendent's Column: Budget Will Not Compromise Instruction

Those of us who spend our careers in the field of education don’t ever imagine that we will ever have to confront the kinds of fiscal pressures that school districts are facing right now. Our focus is on children, and providing the best education we can for them. As I wrote at the beginning of the budget process, districts are facing some of the most difficult budget circumstances in decades. In Roslyn, our approach to building the 2010-11 budget has been to maintain the strength of our educational program, while fully acknowledging and addressing the economic times we are living in.

Letter: One Last Health Care Volley

First let me thank Congressman Ackerman and his staff for responding (“Exploring Health Care Legislation,” The Roslyn News, April 15, 2010) to my letter to the editor that was published in The Roslyn News on April 8. I’m glad I stimulated Congressman Ackerman to talk to us about this legislation.

Letter: Teachers Contract ‘Financial Gimmickry’

The recently concluded contract with the Roslyn Teachers Association (RTA) is a highly deceptive example of financial gimmickry that over its full term will be extremely costly to the taxpayers of the Roslyn School District (RSD). In exchange for one time up front salary concessions the contract commits the district to back-loaded salary increases in excess of the current inflation rate. Furthermore, the contract doesn’t even begin to address structural problems regarding health care costs and the bewildering system of steps and lanes which guarantee teacher salary increases above and beyond any negotiated annual increases. Even worse, there is no provision to recognize individual performance and to incentivize productivity. To the extent that the current budget is based upon this contract, it is a disingenuous document that diverts attention away from future unacceptable tax increases that will be required to fund the back-loaded salary increases that will be reflected in subsequent budgets.

Letter: Celebrating People in Action

What do we call people that, with willing hearts, give to their community week after week, year after year, expecting nothing in return? We call them volunteers.

Letter: Explaining Health Care Legislation

Please afford me this opportunity to reply to Dr. Hollander’s letter, which appeared in your last edition (“Health Care Bill Critique,” The Roslyn News, April 8, 2010.) But before providing a factual second opinion responding to his regrettably misleading critique of two elements of the recently enacted, comprehensive health care insurance reform legislation which he refers to as “Obamacare,” I would like to strongly caution your readers to be aware of the never-ending stream of misinformation that accompanied a year-long debate on the bill, and continues even now that the legislation has been signed into law.