By Karenlyn Barone
As outlined by Superintendent Dr. Arnie Dodge, the goal of the school district is to lower the class size at the elementary level, better separate the younger and older students in the Jr./Sr. High School and to make overall improvements and necessary repairs to the district's three buildings.
The bond the district is proposing, at a cost of $28 million dollars, would include the construction of a 40,000-square-foot structure to be added to the existing high school building. This addition would house grades six through eight and create a middle school. The sixth-grade classes would be taken out of both Centre Avenue and Rhame Avenue Elementary Schools and would make more instructional space available in those two schools. More space will allow for smaller class size, said Dodge.
"I believe that middle school students need a special kind of attention," said Dodge. "I believe no matter what, the staff will continue to take care of the needs of our children, but the board asked for an optimal environmental plan and this is it."
According to the evening's Power Point presentation, a June 2003 state report documented that East Rockaway was listed as having the highest class size average in kindergarten for all of Nassau County. The same report says that the district was the second highest in class-size average in Nassau County for grades one through six in 2003.
Dodge stressed that smaller classes allow for improved identification of special needs, allowing for earlier intervention and less need for remediation, greater parent/teacher contact and greater individual attention to students.
A major focus of the bond would be improvements and repairs to the infrastructure of all three school buildings. Centre Avenue was built in 1926 and the high school was built in 1936.
"We cannot continue to use a band-aid approach," said Dodge.
Over time, basic building systems age and wear beyond repair, to a point where it is no longer cost effective for the district to make small, piece-meal repairs. Some of the repairs the bond would cover are bulkhead restoration to the property line abutting the Mill River, parking lot modifications, roof replacements, bathroom renovations, fire-alarm system replacement, upgrading handicap accessibility, and fencing and flooring replacements. An approved bond would also provide for physical education facilities such as bleachers, a new track, a fitness center and both a girls' and boys' locker room.
Broken down, $12.5 million would address the physical infrastructure and $15.9 million would be allocated to construct building additions and improvements and establish a middle school. To village taxpayers, that would mean an approximately $8.35 per month in additional taxes on an average home assessed at $275,000 for the first year. The highest increase would come the second year at $21.54 per month for the same home value. These estimates do not take into account STAR exemptions.
Dr. Dodge was open and candid when fielding questions from the floor after the presentation. Most residents who spoke expressed their concern over the cost and the inevitable increase to their taxes.
Perhaps one resident summed up general audience sentiment best. "Conceptually, I love it," said Vicky Cordova. "Financially, I don't think so."
Dodge and the board conceded that this may not be the best time to present such a proposal, considering the new tax assessments, but said that there are some major infrastructure repairs that must take place.
"Either way, the infrastructure repairs must be done," said Vicky Comer, a resident and mother of four children. "I wish people would know that floating a bond means the state will pay half the cost. If we add the cost of repairs to our school budget then the taxpayers pay for it all."
Some residents felt that a separate middle school was not necessary, even though East Rockaway is only one of only six school districts in Nassau County not to have one.
Dodge and the school board members did extensive, year-long research and enlisted the services of a professional architect. They will also follow up with a phone survey, randomly canvassing homeowners in the village and asking pertinent questions regarding the proposed bond.
"Your concerns are not lost on us," said Dodge. "We pay taxes, too. As a fiduciary, this may be painful to look at, but as an educator, it is the best plan for the children."
Aspasia Lonergan did not agree. "I'm not willing to spend that kind of money," said the 1988 ERHS graduate. "I think this school district is unique because we were all together. I don't see why it's now an issue having younger and older students together in the high school. When I was a student I liked it."
Dr. Dodge and Marie Girace, the school board president, were quick to remind residents that the presentation was merely a bond proposal. "This is only a plan," said Dodge. "We have not put any official stamp on it."
East Rockaway High School graduate and a mother of four children in the district, Paula Cerasoli, said, "I like the plan, but can I afford it?"
Should the board decide to proceed, the bond would be put to a vote in March 2004, with a proposed construction start date of September 2006.
