Vote 'yes' on the Bellmore-Merrick Central District budget

Voting for the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s $139.5 million budget should be a no-brainer for local residents. Newsweek recently ranked all three of the Central District’s high schools –– Calhoun, Kennedy and Mepham –– among the top 600 high schools in the nation –– out of more than 26,000 high schools.

We can only say, Wow!

Kennedy came in at 268 on the list of “America’s Best High Schools.” It ranked just ahead of South Side High School in Rockville Centre and Hewlett High School in the Five Towns, both of which are perennial South Shore academic powerhouses.

Calhoun was not far behind at No. 360. Mepham came in at 577.

Kennedy’s ranking put it among Nassau County’s top 10 high schools, coming in No. 9 countywide. The others were Jericho, Great Neck South, Manhasset, Cold Spring Harbor, Herricks, New Hyde Park and Plainview-Old Bethpage.

All of the other top 10 high schools are in districts that spend considerably more per pupil than Bellmore-Merrick. Jericho, in fact, spends $7,000 more per student per year.

Bottom line: Educationally speaking, Bellmore-Merrick residents are getting a very big bang for their buck.

We must give credit where credit is due. Over the past eight years, Bellmore-Merrick’s outgoing superintendent, Dr. Henry Kiernan, has brought a host of innovative educational programs in science, engineering, history and business to the Bellmore-Merrick Central District that have challenged students to perform at ever-higher levels, and they have responded –– much to the benefit of the district’s national profile. At the same time, the Board of Education has spent the district’s money wisely, pumping precious tax dollars into academic programs that directly benefit students.

Clearly, Bellmore-Merrick is a community with truly great schools, making it attractive to young families with children –– which, of course, drives up home values.

Bellmore-Merrick residents should vote on Tuesday to pass the Central High School District budget and maintain the outstanding educational programs that help make Bellmore-Merrick a special place to call home.