Long Beach Board candidates discuss East School, needed improvements

The Herald asked the two candidates for school board, incumbent Lynn Gergen and challenger Roy Lester, for their views on topics of concern to residents. This is the second part of a two-part series.

Do you support the repurposing of East School, and if it is decided by the board that it will no longer be an elementary school, how would you support the community in adjusting to the change? 

Lynn Gergen:

Because enrollment was down in the district, East School needed major repairs if it were to remain a K-through-5 school, at an estimated cost of $38 million, or to rebuild at about $50 million. And because the economic climate for New York state, communities and individuals was deteriorating, the board looked at using East School in ways other than as a K-through-5 school.

I have an emotional attachment to East School, since I was a student there. I like the idea of having two small schools and two large schools in the district and respect the passionate plea from the East School community to retain this school, not simply because it is a community school, but because the school has become part of their family unit and the principal, teachers and staff are respected for the quality education they give.

The Board of Education committed to keeping East School open for a two-year period to obtain additional information regarding retaining East School as a K-through-5 school. I support this moratorium until we receive the results of the 2010 census, of another demographic study and future input as to the fiscal condition of  New York state. I remain neutral, as promised last year, until the information is available.

As an alternative, I considered the option of a public referendum. Unfortunately, the commissioner of education has said that the use of public referendum for such purposes is ill-advised and should not occur. 

Should the board consider altering the purpose of East School, a discussion should be held with the community. Should the ultimate decision be to make the change, the community should be involved in the process.

Roy Lester:

Mahatma Gandhi was once asked how he could say one thing one week and a different thing the following week. His reply was, "Because I have learned something in that week." Last year my opponent and I believed it was the board's place to repurpose a school for financial reasons. Since that time I have changed my position.

I have come to realize that the changing of any school is a very emotional issue, not always tied to economic realities. I should have known that, given a law practice that deals with so many people in foreclosure, I know emotional issues do not always have logical solutions but the seductiveness of the financial benefit proved too powerful of a siren. I learned my lesson._

I believe that in the future, if a decision has to be made regarding repurposing or closing a school, the entire community should make such a decision. I realize that the changing of a school affects, in both positive and negative ways, not just the people and their families attending that building but the entire community, whether it be through the additional burden on the remaining schools or the financial influence on the taxpayer. 

The only fair way to make such a determination is through a communitywide referendum. This can easily be done on school board Election Day at no additional cost to the district. I believe that if the community has its say in the future of any individual school, there would be much wider support for whatever decision is made.

If you could improve one thing throughout the district, what would it be?

Gergen: 

The obvious areas that can be addressed are the establishment of innovative, rigorous curricula, the achievement gap, and ensuring that each child is being challenged in class, all of which the district is in the process of doing. 

The one area that I would reinforce is communication. Proper communication can only enhance the working relationship between board trustees, administration, staff, parents and the community. 

The district must expand communications with community-based organizations, enhancing their working relationship.

Although the district has instituted the "parent link," we still need to expand ways to communicate better and more openly with parents regarding board presentations, changes in curricula, events and emergency situations. 

In addition, we need to empower parents to address issues that confront them in educating their children. The board is in the process of developing regulations whereby parents would know the proper protocol for contacting school staff and administration regarding concerns. Rather than waiting weeks for a board meeting, parents can start at the school level and accelerate the process while creating a working relationship with staff.

In addition, I would like to involve staff more in educational and curricula decisions, enabling them to be part of the process and give administration and the board insight they might not have had.

The board has already begun to enhance their communication with each other and the superintendent through a recent retreat with a facilitator, which is recommended by the school board association, and which boards around the country do often.

Good communication affects how the district functions and enhances trust in the process. People need to be validated rather than disenfranchised, whether the communication is between the Board of Education and the superintendent, administration and staff or between the district and parents/community. The way to effect positive relationships is through open communication. 

Lester: 

Assuming I had a magic lantern and a genie that wasn't concerned about cost or feasibility, my one improvement would be to change the culture of our district. In order to be a truly successful district, it is important for a culture of scholastic excellence to exist throughout our school district. In other words, learning must be considered "cool" for achievement to root. While a tall order, I believe it is possible.

_ There is no question that each district has their own subculture, wherein students assign certain factors toward what they consider popularity and status. Achieving a conceptual shift in the perception of status for academic achievement would shift the entire district in a positive direction. Status is extremely important to a developing teenager and is probably the most motivating factor in their young lives. Change the way a culture assigns status and you will change the behavior of its members.

A good example is the reaction a teenage male has to a teacher complimenting him on his academic prowess as opposed to the same compliment from an attractive female classmate. Who, in most cases, do you think he will work harder to impress?

This paradigmatic shift has to start on a district-wide level with a sincere push to appreciate academic triumph. Such achievement should be celebrated in much the same way we currently celebrate athletics. Unfortunately, our national media still values a good ballplayer over a brilliant scientist. But the truth is, the brilliant scientist will advance our society while the ballplayer merely entertains it.

If I could accomplish this one thing in our district, so many other positive results would flow from it. Long Beach, a district that is blessed with an abundance of spectacular academic potential, could then truly take its rightful place in the forefront of districts on a nationwide level.

Comments about this Q&A? JKellard@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 213.