School Board | Large class of students to be ‘transitioned,' again, this time into high school to make room for 5th grade

A new plan to ease overcrowding in the middle school next year had parents upset at Monday's School Board meeting. The plan calls for shifting 8th grade students into some high school classrooms to free middle school classrooms for 5th graders moving up from the elementary school. “We are concerned about pushing our kids, the current 7th grade, into high school too soon,” Melanie Matz and Susan Binder, parents of students who will enter 8th grade next fall, said in a statement at the meeting.

Word of fall schedule changes raised parental concerns last weekend, Board President Rebecca Mundy said. In an interview Wednesday, Ms. Mundy explained that a parent of a special education student saw the fall schedule during the course of setting out the student's individual educational plan. That parent told other parents, who told Ms. Mundy because she is also the parent of a current 7th grader.

The double-sized class of students prompted a move of the 5th grade from the middle school to “a transition grade” in the elementary school in 2006. These students “were held in elementary school in 5th grade due to their size,” Ms. Matz continued. “Now it seems they are being pushed ahead because of numbers. This class of 35 has the most at stake, the most to lose if this is just another experiment.” Superintendent Sharon Clifford said the policy is “not an experiment.” She said she has not received any parental complaints about the current 8th grade's accelerated algebra program. Ms. Binder reminded her that the 8th grade class has yet to take the Regents exams so there is no data to show how successful that move has been.

Ms. Matz and Ms. Binder were unhappy because next year's 8th grade class will only be in the middle school for earth science and social studies. The rest of their classes are currently scheduled to be held in the high school wing. But middle school students already go to the high school wing for Spanish class, Ms. Mundy explained. The 8th grade's accelerated algebra program, started this year, is taught by a high school teacher. And, with the 5th grade moving to the middle school, there are not enough periods in the day for the current middle school language arts teacher to provide instruction to the 5th through 8th grades because of the double blocking of the balanced literacy program. To overcome that scheduling conflict, the 8th grade's language arts classes will be taught by a high school teacher as well, Ms. Mundy said.

“This is the class that needs the social, emotional and academic balance that a middle school curriculum provides,” Ms. Binder said. “Our hope is for the administration and the board to reconsider the current policy.” Teacher Virginia Gibbs, who is in charge of coordinating the common planning, said the “transitioning” plan had been well thought out. Ms. Mundy said during the interview that bringing the high school teachers on board to keep that “safety net to make sure nobody's getting lost in the shuffle” is in the works.

Ms. Binder disagreed with Ms. Gibbs's assessment. “I feel this class is being pushed” up to high school, she said.

Ms. Mundy said that if anything, they needed to be pushed more. “I personally feel that that big class has almost been babied too much,” she said. “We have a lot of work to do next year so that when they hit 9th grade, they're going to be able to handle the rigors of their studies.” In the interview, she added, “That has to be a future goal, to keep improving the rigor of studies for our students.”

Ms. Mundy suggested 8th grade classes could be moved back to the middle school wing, something she said in the interview that the administration is already working on, at least in terms of language arts classes. “That has to be the give and take in this,” she said during the meeting, adding, “This can all work.”

Repairs

The board voted to declare repairs of the middle school flooring,

gymnasium locker room tiles and flooring and exterior door at the entrance behind the home economics room to be ordinary contingent expenses of the board. The current conditions in all three places “threaten the health, safety and welfare of the students and employees of the district,” according to the resolutions the board passed on Monday. The repairs are necessary steps “to properly safeguard the occupants and/or integrity of the building.”

The repairs were declared an emergency necessity and bids were awarded for the repairs.

Carpet removal and floor tile replacement in the middle school went to Country Carpet in two separate bids. The first, for $4,700 to be covered by the school's insurance, will fix the social studies room which has been affected by mold caused by leaks. The rest of the repairs, $10,400, will be covered by the district.

The board awarded a bid of $33,850 to Kraus Tile & Woodwork for locker room repairs.

The board rejected the one bid it received for the exterior door. Business Official Sam Schneider said it would be in the school's best interests to re-bid the project. That has been done and new bids will be opened on June 23.

Retirement Fund

The board approved the establishment of a retirement contribution reserve fund. It will be initially funded up to $100,000, by the excess balance from the 2008-09 fiscal year. The fund must be set up according to state legislation to cover what the state comptroller's office expects to be increases in the mandatory contribution rate to the employee retirement system from between seven and eight percent to 10 percent, Mr. Schneider said. The percentage is the required amount of an employee's salary that gets paid into the retirement system. In response to a question from board member Stephen Gessner, Mr. Schneider said he thought the district was responsible for funding 104 percent of its liability to the retirement system.

Personnel

The board approved special education teacher Michelle Rice for tenure effective September 1, 2009.

Rachel Fraser was appointed teacher aide, effective June 15, for a 26-week probationary period. She will be paid $17,689, Step 1 pro-rated.

The board appointed Ms. Gibbs summer school coordinator, effective June 15, at a rate of $1,200.

Science teacher Ann Marie Galasso was appointed as an instructor for the SAT II physics test at a rate of $75.78 per hour, effective from May 5 to June 4, 2009.

The following teachers were appointed for the summer school program at their individual hourly rates, effective from July 5 to July 31, 2009: Ms. Mahoney, balanced literacy for 7th through 9th grade, 32 hours; Jennifer Rylott, balanced literacy for 4th through 6th grade, 32 hours; Jennifer Gulluscio, balanced literacy for 2nd and 3rd grades, 32 hours. essential learning, 16 hours and registration, six hours; Natalie Regan, essential learning, kindergarten through 6th grade, 32 hours; Ms. Gibbs, essential learning kindergarten through 6th grade, 64 hours.

Board members approved a stipulation of settlement between the district and a member of the instructional staff, which board member Mark Kanarvogel opposed without explanation.

Other Business

The board approved participation in a head lice study recommended by the school nurse, Mary Kanarvogel. The product being tested is called Lice MD. While it has been on the market for two years and is available at the Shelter Island Heights Pharmacy, it has not been independently tested. Ms. Kanarvogel said Lice MD is silicon-based and non-toxic, unlike some other lice medications.

The study would work like this: If a child came to the nurse's office and had lice, the child's parent would be put in touch with a researcher

involved in the study at Hackensack University Medical Center. If the parent decided to participate, the product would be provided free of charge. If not, the child might be considered as a control subject to test if another treatment works as well or better. The study is “something we could benefit from,” Ms. Kanarvogel said.

The board thanked graduating senior and former Student Council President Kaitie McGayhey for her service as student liaison to the board. Asked to say a few words, she said, “Thanks for having me. It's been fun.”

Ms. Mahoney announced that high school teacher Peter Miedema will oversee weekly quiz bowl face-offs as he seeks to put together a team of five, including one alternate, to participate on News 12's game show, “The Challenge.” Taping will take place on Friday, October 30, and Ms. Mahoney said they will seek 40 Islanders to attend as part of the studio audience.

The board approved funding the capital reserve fund up to $50,000, the employee benefit accrued liability fund up to $35,000 and the unemployment insurance reserve fund up to $2,500. The actual numbers for funding will not be set until a future meeting after Mr. Schneider has closed the accounting books on this school year.

Ms. Clifford thanked retired teacher Mary Dwyer for starting the 2Rs4fun creative writing mentoring program and presented her and 20 other mentors with certificates of appreciation from the school.

Science teacher Sharon Gibbs said 8th grader Declan Mulligan received a certificate of participation at the state's most recent science congress.

The board appointed Mosaic Associate Architects as a consulting architect for a fee of $5,250.

The board approved a SEQRA declaration regarding the wall separating the FIT Center from the school gym. As lead agency, the board declared the project a Type II action, meaning its replacement will not have any significant effect on the environment.

The board approved a memorandum of agreement for the national school lunch program with the Suffolk County Department of Social Services; a contract for health services for seven students who attend private schools in Bridgehampton; and a contract for transportation services with Classic Coach of Bohemia for a field trip to New York City.

The board approved the recommendation from the Committee on Special Education for one student.

Board members accepted the budget status report and revenue status report as of May 31. The budget transfer report for the period between May 9 and June 5 was approved, as were treasurer's reports for the periods ending April 30 and May 31.


Future Meetings

The board will convene a special meeting on Friday, June 26 at 11 a.m. The annual re-organizational meeting will take place on Wednesday, July 1, at 7 p.m. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14 at 7 p.m.

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