By: Jason Scheer
Approximately 75 residents showed up to hear from Board of Education hopefuls Anne Hannon, Jerome Lass and Sarah Rafalowitz as well as Louis Sandberg and Christopher Villanti, the two men vying for a seat on the library board. All five are relative newcomers to Baldwin's leadership landscape.
The school board candidates, looking to take the seat that will be vacated by Bill Edelman, went first. They were asked what they would change about the proposed budget. I feel honestly that [the board] came up with a sound budget," Hannon replied. "They did the best they can and a lot of things within the budget that we would like to change are, unfortunately, not under our control, such as Social Security and health insurance. ... We only have control over programming, and I'd hate to see programs cut."
Rafalowitz agreed. "I feel the budget is really the way it is and there's really nothing more we can do to cut it," she said.
Lass admitted that he did not have knowledge of the budget, but said he would defer to more experienced members of the board if elected.
Another pertinent question asked of the candidates was how they would help ease the burden on taxpayers. Rafalowitz said it was unfortunate that state aid falls short of the amount of money needed to fund state mandates. However, she suggested looking into "lower raises for administrators and teachers and things of that nature."
Lass suggested tapping neighboring school districts for ideas of how to improve the financial situation.
Hannon said that the district would be well served by pursuing means of getting the poverty index changed to allow for more free or reduced-price lunch programs. She explained that because the district does not have such a program, it is not entitled to funding that other districts receive. "We need to lobby our legislators to find a way, if we can't get free lunches into the school, to lower the poverty index so that Baldwin will be entitled to more state aid," Hannon said.
One of the final questions asked of the candidates was how they plan to address the "continued downward spiral of student test scores and morale of teachers, principals and staff."
Lass replied, "I'm more interested in the morale of the students. I'm more interested in forming a firmer partnership between the parents, teachers and the students. I think the students really need to be involved in the partnership ... what we expect of them, what their behavior should be."
Rafalowitz, responding to the same question, said, "I think that the morale of the students starts ... at home and with the morale of the teachers." She suggested incorporating programs to promote more interaction between students and faculty, allowing them to get to know one another better in order promote a better overall atmosphere.
Finally, Hannon, a mother of four, addressed the testing portion of the question. "I personally don't put much stock in my kids' testing scores," she said. "I look at them, it gives me an idea of where they are, but I check on my kids' report cards and their school work to know that they are learning. Sometimes kids just aren't good test takers."
As far as morale is concerned, Hannon said she doesn't "really see a major morale problem. The teachers are always willing to do things to give kids extra help, and if the students are willing, it's there. ... I think everyone seems to work well in the district, and everyone wants the best for our kids."
All three candidates echoed themes of their campaigns throughout the forum. Hannon said that she is a active parent with many affiliations. She has served as PTA president at Steele School for two years, as well as vice president of the middle school and high school PTAs. She is active in the Baldwin Educational Assembly and the District Attendance Committee, and a member of the District Facilities Study Committees. "If they're starting a committee, someone calls me," she joked.
"I have a vested interest in the community," Hannon said. "... I've showed I am dedicated through all the community involvement and all the committees I've been involved with, and as a board member I hope to be able to continue that service to the community."
Lass drove home his opinion that there is a lack of discipline in the schools. In addition, he repeatedly said there needs to be a better way to get parents of failing and troubled students more involved in the educational process. "A team effort is needed," he said. "Without it, the children are lost. Kids like to be told what to do. They can act all they want with rebellious attitudes, but they really need reinforcement, and we need it more in every area.
"I don't see hundreds of people here," Lass continued. "Those [who aren't here] are the people we have to reach out to for the sake of the children, and I don't think the administration is doing a good enough job of reaching out to those families where the children desperately need them involved with their education."
Rafolowitz, an advocate for improved special education and a critic of the district's special-ed. policies, said, "I think the most stressing issue in education is academics, as it should be. A lot of that has to do with special-education students not getting the services that they need. We need to focus on that and make sure those students are getting those services."
sub: Library candidates weigh in
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CAP: Christopher Villanti
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CAP: Louis Sandberg
Louis Sandberg and Christopher Villanti, the two candidates for the library board, also engaged in a passionate, yet cordial, question-and-answer session during the forum.
Sandberg was appointed to the Board of Trustees in March following the retirement of Tony Lalli.
The first question the candidates were asked was why the board hasn't given a contract to full-time employees. Villanti said, "Part of the problem was they were very involved with the construction project. But I think, even more than that, there is a lack of communication and lack of respect for the employees, as is evident by their disparity in the salaries when compared with other libraries in Nassau."
Staffers have been without a contract since June 30, 2004. Members of the library's union, the Civil Service Employees Association, said the reason for the stalemate is that employees in Baldwin want their salaries to be in line with their counterparts throughout the county.
Every year, the Nassau County Library Association publishes the salary schedules and personnel benefits for all 48 libraries in the county. According to the most current report, for 2003-04, Baldwin employees made significantly less than their peers. For example, a senior clerk in Baldwin makes $28,067, while the average salary in Nassau County libraries is $37,316. In the category of Librarian I, an entry-level librarian, Baldwin employees average $40,158, while the county average is $45,451.
"I think both sides have to try harder, and there has to be an open line of communication," Villanti said.
Sandberg explained that the contract negotiations are being handled by representatives of the two parties involved. "The unionized employees of the library are represented by a reputable and strong union," he said. "The library is represented by another couple of people who are experienced. They are working on coming to some kind of an agreement, but it's their job. They are both represented by professional people. I find it very surprising that everyone seems to be interested in when we are going to give them a contract. No one is being hurt at the moment."
As for the gap between Baldwin librarians and employees at other libraries, Sandberg said, "I'm not sure about any disparity in wages. There are tremendous differences among libraries. I'm not sure the contract is going to take into account these tremendous differences in libraries."
The candidates were asked their opinions of the communication at the library. Villanti said that was one of his major concerns. He criticized the lack of communication emanating from the board and proposed the establishment of an advisory board, composed of community members and resident staff members, who would serve as a bridge between the community and the board. He also said he would solicit input from employees as to how best to make use of the unfurnished space on the second floor of the new wing of the library.
Sandberg responded, "Communication is a two-way street. Communication doesn't involve me telling you something. It means you're acknowledging it and responding so I know you got the message.
"If there are methods for doing this, for making a communication system work better, we'll find what they are. There are many now which we didn't have just a few years ago. Now we have computers, we have e-mail, we have Web pages ...
"It would be good if we could say that this communication problem will go away," Sandberg added. "We can't. It may be there are things we can do differently. That's something we will look into."
Comments about this story? JScheer@liherald.com or (516)569-4000 ext. 282.
