Westbury Village residents want the zoning board of appeals to know they support SCO Family of Services' proposal to operate a residential school for teenagers with high functioning autism (HFA) or Asperger's Syndrome out of St. Brigid's convent. And they made their message loud and clear at a meeting last Monday night.

Of the more than 500 who attended all but 15 wore their support on their sleeve - or shirt - in the form of a fluorescent green sticker that read, simply "Westbury Welcomes Westbrook."

"It was great seeing so many people from the community come together the way they did to support the families and children with Asperger's Syndrome and autism," St. Brigid's Pastor Father Ralph Sommer told The Westbury Times. "Instead of saying, 'put these people somewhere else,' I heard the people overwhelmingly tell the board, 'we welcome this school in our community.' These are our families and children who were supported at the meeting. This is what makes Westbury such a great community to live in. How could I not be proud of this community in which I live?"

Earlier this year, Glen Cove-based SCO, a nonprofit Catholic yet non-sectarian human services agency, submitted an application to the village seeking to operate Westbrook Preparatory School, New York State's first co-ed residential school for 24 bright yet fragile adolescents ages 14-21 with high-functioning autism/Asperger's Syndrome out of St. Brigid's vacant convent.

Since the property is currently zoned Residential B, St. Brigid's Parish - as property owner - must obtain a use variance - not a permanent change in zoning -to operate Westbrook Prep as "institutional use." In May, Westbury's Board of Trustees denied the application based on the grounds that a school is not currently permitted to function within the current zone and an appeal was made to the village's zoning board.

In considering the application, the zoning board reserved decision for additional review and discussion. In the meantime, a meeting for just St. Brigid/Our Lady of Hope School parents was held in June followed a week later by a meeting specifically for village residents. Last Monday's meeting provided SCO representatives, autism experts and parents of children with HFA or Asperger's, along with community residents for and against the proposal, a final opportunity to have their voices heard.

During the meeting, which took place at Westbury Middle School, the zoning board listened to testimonies from those for and against the proposal as well as from parents of children with HFA or Asperger's and other autism experts. Although in favor of what the agency does, several community members are not sold on having an "institution" in their backyard. Several have stated that they would not have purchased their homes if the school existed while others are concerned that the school will have a negative impact on property values and village resources.

SCO officials, however, have stated that the school will be state- and federally-funded as well as supported by a student's home school district and that Westbrook Prep would not drain local resources as students would not utilize Westbury buildings or facilities. In fact, SCO has reached out to local universities and colleges, as well as the county to develop programs and agreements for use of facilities and grounds.

As of press time, the Westbury Village Zoning Board of Appeals was expected to render a decision Aug. 6.