Bethpage-Tribune_1972-03-16

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Island Trees Serving Bethpage - Plainview - Island Trees - Plainedge - Seaford Old Bethpage
VOL. 6 NO. 19 Thursday, March 16, 1972 10c per copy
Island Trees Selects
New Superintendent
V. F. W.'s 25TH! Stuart Levine, representing
Assemblyman Martin Ginsberg, congratulates Tex
Henrie, Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars of
Bethpage on the Post's 25th anniversary. Levine
congratulated the Post for its support of veteran
prebfg.iiw.wttiqw-a, i,„, , .«..; . ^ «m« ' m™s
Plainedge Board Promises
Hearing On School Shut-down
_ . u . . . : _ cnkMl tho hnarrl tr
Despite some public protest, the
majority on the Island Trees
Board of Education named a new
superintendent for the district at
a meeting March 11 in the M.F.
Stokes school.
The new administrator is Dr.
Edwin Klotz, formerly chief
Deputy Superintendent in the
California State Education Dept.
Dr. Klotz will start work May 1,-
with a four-year contract starting
at $30,000, with raises of $1,000 a
year. This is almost the same
salary as the district's last
superintendent.
The Board voted 4 to 1. The lone
opponent of the nomination was
Robert Evans, who argued that
the Board should spend more
time investigating the
by Richard Wood
At the conclusion of an
otherwise routine, regularly
scheduled meeting of the
Plainedge School Board held
March 9, School Board President,
Mrs. Theresa Bahnken, revealed
that a final public hearing on the
closing of Baldwin Drive School
would be held on March 23.
The hearing, the second to be
held on the district's proposal to
close one of its six elementary
schools, will commence at 8:30
p.m. in the Plainedge High School
auditorium. 1-^L, , e /1
Mrs Bahnken also told the 150
parents and taxpayers who at­tended
the March 9 meeting that
following the March 23 hearing
the board will vote on the
proposal.
Responding to criticism over
the board's presentation of its
facts and figures at the initial
hearing, the board indicated that
additional information would be
available for the final hearing.
Complaints were registered at
the first public hearing and again
at last Thursday's regular
meeting over the board's
•sometimes hard-to-follow,
rapidly moving slide presen­tation
of its proposal. The board
promised to have sufficient
printed information available for
the final hearing.
Faced with additional
questions on the future of
Boy Scouts Seek New
Anti-Drug Approach
• t _ . . . MM • difklMOC New and positive approaches to
drug abuse prevention are
promised to the youth of this area
by the Boy Scouts of America as
Operation Reach is launched.
The project was developed
nationally to supplement the
traditional physical and mental
fitness program of the national
youth organization and will in­volve
locally the 31,000 Scouts
and Explorers of the Nassau
County Council.'
Dr Robert Rudolph ol New
Hyde Park, a member of the
Executive Board of the Nassau
County Councir, is the leader of
the program in Nassau County.
Local District Committee
Chairman is Henry Rockhill, 9
Lincoln Rd., Bethpage, who is
also president of the Bethpage
Kiwanis.
. The new approach:
Encourages young people to
take a stand against drugs, help
each other find wholesome
alternatives.
use scare stories
scare youth doesn't
Doesn't
trying to
work. . „
Presents facts without arguing
or preaching, and lets youth draw
its own conclusions.
Based on this advice: Just be
Honest, youth can make in­telligent
decisions, youth doesn t
want to be pushed, it just wants
facts".
HEARING POSTPONED
A day-night hearing scheduled
for March 14th at Oyster Bay
Town Hall to consider an ap­plication
for rezoning of 22 acres
of vacant land in Plainview wiU
be postponed.
Town Supervisor Jonn w.
Burke said the Town has received
word from the attorneys for the
applicants Milton Levine &
Maurice Gruber, that they will
ask for a postponement and seek
a new hearing date after the
Town adopts a master plan.
Baldwin School, the board tried
to reassure a number ot parents
specifically concerned about the
future utilization of the school;
that is, of course, should the
board's vote be in favor of the
closing. The board revealed that
the building, if leased or rented at
all, would only be leased or
rented to educational and or
municipal agencies.
During the meeting the board
also took the following actions:
- Granted a leave of absence to
Leonard Di Giovanni, Principal
of the Baldwin Drive School, and
accepted his subsequent
resignation, effective June 30.
- Approved the appointment ot
Dr Andrew Shildhaus as
psychologist for the after-school
program at Maria Regina and St.
James Parochial Schools.
- Approved the appointment of
Mr. Robert Beer as Head Track
Coach for the Spring of 1972.
- Approved the appointment of
two regular substitute teachers,
one for the Packard School and
one for the John H. West School,
and four additional instructors
for the 1971-72 Adult and Con­tinuing
Educatidn'Program.
- Approved awards for
miscellaneous equipment and
supplies. ,
During a brief question and
answer period following the
board's vote on the above items,
the School Board's attorney, Van
Nostrarid, in response to a
question from the audience,
stated that it would not be proper
nor ethical for the board, at the
present time, to discuss the
reasons for Di Giovanni s
resignation. m„mm NEW LIBRARY TRUSTEE
The Island Trees Library
Board of Trustees at a special
meeting called to order at 10:45
P.M., Wednesday, March 9 ap­pointed
Mr. Hanoch Bordan to fill
the seat vacated by Carolyn
Stowe.
backgrounds of candidates.
Other trustees felt that time was
running out if the new ad­ministrator
was to "get his feet
wet" before the start of school
next year.
Also expressing opposition to
the decision was Mrs. Lillian
Rosa, Board vice-president, who
missed the vote. She stated later
that she would have abstained on
Dr. Klotz's nomination, and
would have voted no on the choice
of Wolf Oglesby, also from
California, as director of
educational services. His salary
will be $26,000, but his ap­pointment
is subject to the results
of an interview.
The Board vote took ten
minutes, indicating that positions
had been reached during the
executive session that preceded
the public meeting. The quick
action drew criticism from some
of the 200 people in the audience,
but Board president Anthony
Lancellotti contended they were
a small minority trying to create
an election issue
Trustee Mrs. Florence Cullein
also defended the Board's use of
executive session. She noted that
confidential personnel reports
were discussed, whose
publication might jeopardize the
present jobs" of some of the
candidates.
In this month's district
newsletter, Mrs. Cullem outlined
the steps taken to find a suitable
superintendent. These included
advertisements two months ago
in several key newspapers across
the country, and selection of five
candidates from among 24
respondents.
"All candidates recommended,
by board members were in­terviewed,"
she wrote. "Tape
recordings were made of each
interview to afford every board
member the opportunity of each
i n t e r v i e w . " Candidate
backgrounds were investigated
by the. District Clerk, and by
trustees.
Mrs. Cullem also reported that
the district spent less than $400
for all these steps, which included
flying Klotz in for an interview.
She attributed the savings to the
volunteer time given by board
members, and estimated the cost
of a professional service, for the
same job, as from $4,000 to $8,000.
Dr. Klotz holds a Ph.D. from
the University of Madrid, and has
been cited for his studies of
Spanish culture la Califoraim* «e
has taught English, History,
Spanish and German in grades 6-
12, and has been an administrator
since 1963. He is 48.
While serving under Califor­nia's
controversial ex-commissioner
of education, Max
Rafferty, Dr. Klotz was criticized
by some for his stand on sex
education, which he reportedly
believes should be taught only in
hygiene classes.
Oglesby, a school superin­tendent
for 10 years, has served
as a teacher and administrator
on primary, secondary and
college levels. Also associated
with the California State
Education Dept., his choice was
hailed by majority board
members as means to give Dr.
Klotz his "own team' for what
they hope will be a major
restructuring of education in the
district.
EASTER SEAL BUNNY will be on hand amid fun-fare
ft frolic at Mid-Island Shopping Plaza Hicksyille.
March 20th through April 8th. featuring thrill-a-minute
idddie rides, clowns, and raffles. All proceeds will
benefit the handicapped through P™»»™ * * !
Nassau (Easter Seal) Society for Crippled Children &
Adults. Getting ready for the fun are four children who
benefit by local Easter Seal programs, (from left):
Roland Fitzgerald, of Bethpage, Justin Kelly, of
Hicksville. Liz Newman, of Massapequa Park, and
Eric Leefe. of Massapequa.