Parents Express Concerns About School Closings at Housing Committee Meeting

Although parents and residents in attendance weren't able to speak during the course of Thursday nights Housing Committee meeting, numerous discussions took place in the New York Building auditorium after the meeting members of the board. With the information provided, new questions and concerns from those with children in the elementary schools were raised.

Valerie Knee, who has a daughter in Nesconset Elementary, said she is pleased to see the approach the committee is taking with their decision, being "cautious" with their decision, but feels they have a long way to go before a decision can be made.

"I was hoping I would have more definitive information and answers although I am pleased to hear they're taking a cautious approach to this," Knee said. "Based on the three hypothetical's that they gave it sounds very overwhelming that one is the most logical, one is completely illogical.

"I had no idea it was going to impact kids that were already in the schools that were going to remain that some of their students were going to have to move out. I think it's a lot more complicated that I originally thought it was going to be."

Pam Farino, who no longer has children in elementary school but still has children in the district, said she thinks closing a building may not be the answer to the districts financial problems.

"I thought we would have seen a bigger number in closing a school in reduction to the budget, I thought there would have been more savings we would have incurred with closing a school," she said.

Stacy Berman, who has a daughter in Nesconset Elementary, agreed with Farino's statement.

"I don't believe that this move is going to get the $1.1 million that they need I really don't want to see this kind of move occur when they may not get the $1.1 million and then we're going to have to figure something else out," she said.

Even with three scenarios presented in PowerPoint form with explanations from members of the committee as well as questions asked for further information by the school board, Berman doesn't feel any scenario is worth pursuing.

"Some of them look good on paper but you can't sit there and say just moving to this school and adding 75 in and putting them here and there is worth it," she said.

Board member Gladys Waldron said the Housing Committee has made progress but has a long way to go before a decision is made. Waldron also has questions of her own she said she wants answered.

"They answered some questions but there are more serious questions to be answered – capacity of the buildings, class size, special education needs, the enrollment coming in for kindergarten, and then all the other ancillary things – occupational therapy, physical therapy, where do they put those kids if we have a school of 700, where do you put them, in the closets?" she said.