Thursday, October 1, 2026
Boys’ varsity swim team?
At the regular Board of Education meeting on Nov. 15, school board trustees were asked to consider forming a boys’ swim team at South Side High School. The district currently has a girls’ swim team, but no boys’ team.
More than 30 prospective swimmers, many of whom came to the meeting, have expressed interest in being on such a team. A number of the boys already swim for St. Agnes Cathedral School and their coach, Peter Gannon, addressed the board, saying there is a tremendous interest and that the St. Agnes CYO team can function as a pipeline for future South Side High School swimmers.
Carol Roseto, the district’s athletic director, said that it would cost between $25,000 and $30,000 to field a team. She said that despite an aggressive search, she is having difficulty finding an open pool slot for a new team to practice. Gannon and parents at the meeting offered to assist her. The subject will be revisited at an upcoming school board meeting.
South Side High School’s grass field
Assistant Superintendent for Business Robert Bartels updated school board trustees on the condition of the grass field at South Side High School, saying that all practical recommendations, made by a turf expert from SUNY Farmingdale, are already being implemented. They include more aeration and adding sand to bring up its nitrogen content to grow seed, improve drainage, and “bring a greener field and better playing surface.”
After analysis, Bartels said it was determined that the field’s main problem is “compaction,” which limits drainage and root growth. Rest, a perennial problem in the space-starved district, and aeration, are the greatest field-quality issues. The district currently aerates the field two-to-three times a year with a machine it rents at a cost of a few hundred dollars per use. Eight aerations were recommended, and an aeration machine would cost $15,000 — more than is currently in the budget. All other measures, Bartels said, should be within the current budget.
The tax cap
