By Linda Delmonico-Prussen
Dorothy Court is a narrow street with a gate leading to
Levy-Lakeside Elementary School. It is not a thoroughfare, though as of late, residents say it's being treated as one.
Barbara Rudy, of Dorothy Court, spoke out regarding the traffic and parking problems caused by construction now under way at Lakeside-Levy, as well as by both Little League and soccer parents. Resident Mitchell Cohen said the parents are "using a construction site for parking."
Rudy said parents are also tying the street up with parking, even parking illegally, blocking residents' driveways and often trapping residents in their homes for hours at a time.
Residents reported damage to the street caused by the recent, constant use of heavy construction vehicles. A visit to the street did show the road having more signs of wear and tear than other streets in the surrounding area.
Safety was addressed as well. As mentioned before,
Dorothy Court is narrow. Rather than trying to turn around, many
drivers exit the street by backing up, often at speeds that are
unsafe, homeowners said. Rudy said there are at least eight or nine young children who live on the block, and she fears for their safety.
Residents reported that construction traffic begins on that block as early as 7 a.m. One resident said trucks containing sand often spill sand onto the street, making an already unsafe situation worse when parents looking to bring their children to events at the school speed through Dorothy Court.
Merrick Board Trustee John Davis agreed and sympathized with the residents' complaints.
Superintendent Dr. Ronald Smith said he would look into making
sure the gate was locked at the end of the work day to discourage parents from using that area to park.
Little League request
Dorothy Court residents weren't the only group present at the meeting who believed there was strength in numbers. About a dozen Little League parents also attended.
Parent Jan Safford spoke on their behalf. "Children need to be recognized for the good that they do," she said. Safford, along with the other parents, is requesting a three-foot by three-foot plaque be installed on the fence of the Little League field at the Levy-Lakeside School recognizing the Merrick team that recently won the Long Island
Championship.
Smith spoke of security issues in placing each child's name on the
plaque.
Board President Diane Seaman said, "What we do for one child we want to do for all children." Seaman said that while the board was not ready to make a decision, "We're happy to listen to comments tonight, stressing, "We want to recognize all children equally."
In other news...
Another item discussed at the meeting was Merrick's grade-four math tests scores. The scores are broken into Levels 1-4, with Levels 3 and 4 considered "proficient." Ninety-two percent of the total Merrick student body, including special-education children, scored in Levels 3 and 4 on the recent tests.
Pediatrician Dr. Daniel Miner discussed the move away from
traditional penmanship for children toward a simpler form of cursive
handwriting. Miner plans to attend a seminar that teaches this new type of writing that is supposedly easier for children to learn. Miner said he would not wish to see a shift toward this new form of writing until he's examined studies proving its merit.
Smith also said he considering night security at the school buildings.
