Could South High School's address change?

The Valley Stream Central High School District Board of Education is looking into whether South High School’s address could change in the near future.

To find an answer, officials are doing research and completing a number of different tasks, including consulting with the local post office. Those tasks could require a lot of time, effort and a number of different issues to solve. “The last time we talked, we said that we would look into it, but realized there would be cost implications,” said Superintendent Dr. Richard Marsh. “The board said let’s consider it, but not do anything quickly.”

The school’s current address is 150 Jedwood Place, however, that does not reflect the building’s front but instead its rear entrance. Board of Education Trustee Bill Stris explained why the address is Jedwood Place. “The reason they never knew which was the front was because they went through piecemeal, purchasing the property and adding onto the building.”

South High was built on the original site of the Reisert Farm, which the community purchased in 1950, according to Stris. A first vote to build both North and South high schools was defeated in March 1953, but passed in December of that year after the price was reduced. Also that same year, a citizens advisory committee helped purchase two acres from Valley Stream District 24 for South’s site, Stris added.

In 1954, an additional one-and-a-half acres were purchased from the Long Island Water Corporation. South then opened in December 1955 and within another six years, eight new classrooms were added.

First-time visitors usually have to go around to the front to enter the building despite the address leading them to the back. Some officials found that to be confusing and the address to be somewhat misleading, especially Trustee Larry Trogel, who originally brought up the address change idea earlier this year.

“People feel a little different about the address being in the back than the front of the building,” Marsh added.

Trustee Ian Wraith said that the change would make sense. “For aesthetic and parking reasons, we want people to go to the front of the school,” he said, “ and for things like deliveries.”

The board has asked the post office what would be involved in a possible change, especially what would be the costs. They want to know if a new address, 10 Gladys Ave., would be the correct one for the school. The Gladys Avenue address reflects the school’s front, officials noted.

“We are finding out the particulars, “ said Ken Cummings, board president, “and what else needs to happen from the post office perspectives.”

According to James Meades, Valley Stream’s postmaster, the district would have to go through the Town of Hempstead, as South Valley Stream is part of the town. They would also have to change letterhead and permits, he added.

Board members also are examining if they could change the address on Mapquest. Wraith said that is an issue since people do “punch in the address” to find the school. Officials would also have to change any stationery about South including the district’s calendar. Paperwork and materials would have to be phased out with the old address and new material would have to be printed, Cummings said.

Cummings added that if the change was ever to become a reality, the district would have to notify residents at a public meeting. But for now, they are only in the “exploratory” stages and no action is being taken.