By Howard Goldstein
Four candidates are running for school board in North Bellmore. Incumbents Irma Wilk and Charles Reinhardt are running unopposed. However, the death of James Rooney opened up a seat, for which former Martin Avenue PTA President Nina Lanci was appointed recently, and resident Maureen Bruning is challenging her for the post.
Elizabeth Brodie of the League of Women Voters served as non-partisan mediator for last week's forum.
With proposed Albany education aid cuts currently squeezing the North Bellmore district financially, many questions were directed toward state politics and the quality of the upcoming year's educational programs.
One concern is unfunded mandates that the state Education Department hands down to districts, but with no additional financial aid.
A recent example is the mandate for defibrillators in every school.
Lanci said the defibrillator policy "is great, but where does the money come from? The taxpayers. Sometimes the state comes down with mandates with no regard for the local monetary problems, though what is actually mandated is usually a good idea."
Reinhardt stressed the need for more lead time to implement required programs, and Wilk said people need to lobby Albany more to get additional state aid.
Bruning took the question in another direction, saying, "Pataki might be right about too many administrators" in the schools.
Despite a rise in costs from all contractual obligations, the school board has promised that it's "worst-case scenario" budget will maintain all educational programs.
The major change will be that new programs will be put on hold until next fiscal year.
"We have made great improvements over the past five years," said Lanci, "great curriculum, programs, and teachers. Due to the situation [the lack of state aid], there won't be much room for changes this year."
Reinhardt said, "Because of the fiscal crisis, we had to put on hold two cherished ideas, foreign language in the elementary schools and a nine-period day in the high school district."
Other questions were raised over Regents and fourth-grade testing, as well as keeping teachers in light of the fiscal crisis.
Reinhardt noted that standards for excellence had to be maintained, particularly with math and reading. "We must keep those programs upgraded," he said.
Bruning said that many parents from Newbridge Road School were displeased by the fourth-grade aptitude test results. She noted that her own son, who has a learning disability, was not diagnosed properly and that the school district needs to do more for children who perform poorly on tests.
Lanci said, "Education and philosophy have changed since Mrs. Bruning's child was in school. We have early intervention and numerous programs, including summer tutoring and extra education to keep children from falling through the cracks."
Wilk said that teachers will be kept. Reinhardt added that no faculty cuts will be made to the elementary schools.
Lanci, speaking of any possible loss of teachers, said," I will fight to the bitter end if that ever happened. I'd go up to Albany and knock on senators' front doors if I had to, if funds for teachers were ever cut."
Bruning also vowed that teachers would never be let go, saying, "We'd find the monies for teachers. It may be give and take on other levels, but teachers would stay."
This brought up the issue of where cuts would be made. According to the current budget, most of the cuts will be to maintenance and outside capital programs.
Bruning, however, wants to see another approach. She said that more money for the schools could be made available by reducing the number of administrative positions. Bruning has long been critical of the school board and has said that many of the board positions are superfluous and that administrators are overpaid.
Bruning, currently embroiled with the district over administrators' salaries, titles and contracts (public information under the Freedom and Information Act), has based much of her campaign upon receiving information she says she has been illegally denied. This information, she believes, could lead her to find a better use of taxpayer monies.
The district maintains that all public information has been disseminated to Bruning many times already, and that much of the district budget "pork" that Bruning complains about is contractually obligated with staff members.
At this junction in the meeting, Lanci said, "North Bellmore has one of the lowest student-to-administrative staff rates in the area. There are a lot of contractual obligations to New York State, which no school board has any control over. People should learn about this process before they comment on it."
Asked about qualifications for board and the ability to work with others, the candidates had the following to say.
Wilk passed, having spoken earlier about her 18 years on the school board .
Reinhardt said, "I've lived in the community since 1972, put my kids through the district, and have served on the North Bellmore School Board and Central High School District from 1975 to the present.
"I get along well with most people. I don't mind if people disagree with me. Everyone comes from a different perspective, and we must listen and evaluate to make decisions."
Bruning said, "I have worked with people my whole life...children, disabled people, the elderly. I'm not on the board, and I can offer better perspective as an outside parent. I'm sociable and easy going, but I want to know the truth about the board."
Lanci said," Since the reopening of the Martin Avenue [School], I've been working with great people. I get along very well with the board, parents, and PTA and have great people skills.
"As far as qualifications," said Lanci, "I have been a school board trustee, Martin Avenue PTA president, Community Parent Center vice president, on the Martin Avenue Site-based Parent Representative Committee, and numerous other positions. I have also worked in the community as a member of Lions and Kiwanis."
Concluded Wilk, "The North Bellmore School District is one of the best in the county. It got that way by having certain types of people on the board with the necessary values, education and ability to work with others. Please remember that when you vote in June."
