Observer_1983-10-19; East Rockaway/Lynbrook Observer

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INCORPORATED VILLAGE
East Rockaway
SCHOOL DISTRICT
INCORPORATED VILLAGE
Lynbrook
SCHOOL DISTRICT
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VOL. 31 NO. 49 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19,1983 25c PER COPY
East Rockaway School Board:
"T 'brrr-^^
RAZE RHAME AND CENTRE SCHOOLS The East Rockaway
Board of Education, in its
meeting on October 17,
unanimously passed a reso-lution
calling for a bond
issue referendum which
would authorize the Board
to tear down both Rhame
and Centre Avenue schools
and replace them with two
new buildings at a combined
cost of almost $7 million.
Renovations at the High
School would bring the total
bond price to well over $10
million.
The referendum, which
must be approved by the res-idents
of the school district,
will be held on Tuesday,
December 13 from 6 am
until 9 pm at the High
School.
The Board explained that
it was forced to take this
drastic step due to the
rapidly deteriorating condi-tions
at Rhame Avenue
school and the general dis-r
e p a i r of both Centre
Avenue and the High
School. Citing years of neg-lect,
the Board argued that
falling plaster and masonry
at Rhame Avenue school
has forced the closing of the
gymnasium, the auditorium
and the music room. Super-i
n t e n d e n t of Schools
Michael Maiden noted,
however, that there is struc-turally
no immediate prob-lem
at the schools and the
buildings are currently safe
for children to attend.
If approved by the voters,
the referendum would auth-orize
the Board to issue
bondslo finance the demoli-tion
of the old buildings and
the construction of the new.
Current projected costs for
replacement are $3,365,000
f o r C e n t r e A v e n u e,
$ 3 , 3 3 0 , 0 0 0 for Rhame
Avenue, and renovation
costs at the High School are
expected to be approxi-mately
$3,728,000. The total
amount raised by the bond
i s s u e would thus be
$10,423,000, payable at an
annual interest rate of 9%
over a 30 year period.
The Board stated that the
r e f e r e n d u m , if p a s s e d,
would bring about an
increase in the yearly school
tax of over $2 per hundred
of assessed valuation. Mr.
Maiden pointed out that this
would represent an increase
to the average East Rocka-way
homeowner of more
than $120 over and above
any increase that might be
passed by the Board in its
normal course of business. It
was noted by some that this
additional increase may be
c o n s i d e r a b l e , as teacher
contracts are up for renego-tiation
next year. The cur-rent
school tax rate is $25.97
per hundred of assessed
valuation, making the East
Rockaway school district
one of the most heavily
taxed in Nassau County.
The Board reported that it
considered costs-of reno-vation
of all three school
buildings, but rejected the
plan as similar to "putting a
band-aid on a person who
has just received a com-pound
fracture of the leg."
JOSEPH BREVEHI
J o s e p h Brevetti, a
long-time resident of
East Rockaway and
active member of many
civic organizations, died
on October 8, 1983.
In the 40 or so years
that Joe lived in East
Rockaway, his efforts
were always on the behalf
of the community. A
member of the East
Rockaway Fire Depart-ment,
for over 30 years,
Joe was the Trustee of the
Clark Street Firehouse.
He was instrumental in
helping the other com-panies
build and revamp
their firehouses. Joe was
recently honored by the
Elks Lodge of Lynbrook
as "Fireman of the Year."
Joe's efforts did not
s t o p with the Fire
Department. An active
member of the Kiwanis
Club for more than 30
years, he served as its
President. He was also a
Director of the East
Rockaway Action Party,
and gave much to the Vil-lage
of East Rockaway.
Joe represented the
essence of v/hatj is East
Rockaway: co/ncerned
neighbors helping each
other. He never hestiated
in giving himself for the
sake of others, Joe may
be gone, but he left a
name that will be
remembered by all who
knew him. He will be
The cost of renovation
would be $1,314,000 at Cen-t
r e A v e n u e S c h o o l,
$ 1 , 0 2 8 , 0 0 0 at Rhame
A v e n u e S c h o o l , and
$3,728,000 at the High
School.
The proposed bond issue
sparked an immediate storm
of protest from those
assembled. Most vocal in his
o p p o s i t i o n was former
Mayor Arnold White, who
was cheered by the audience
when he contended that the
additional tax burden could
not be expected to be
absorbed by the community-a
t - l a r g e , especially those
who are senior citizens and
on a fixed income, and that
the proposed rebuilding
would only serve to drive .
people from their homes.
The Board responded by
stating that property values
would likely increase in the
.future if the new schools
were built.
The Board acknowledged
that many problems remain
even if the referendum
passes. There is the very real
problem of where the child-ren
would go to school if,
while under construction,
the schools deteriorate so
rapidly that they are deemed
u n s a f e . Mr. M a i d en
explained that there were
several contingency plans to
be considered in that event,
including the busing of the
children . to another com-munity
in the area, not indi-vidually
but as a school. Mr.
Maiden noted that this plan
E.R. Library
Hosts Authors
The East Rockaway Pub-lic
Library and the Cultural
Arts Council of East Rock-away
cordially invite the
people in our community to
the Autumn Tea, Monday
noon, October 24 in the
libary, 477 Atlantic Ave.
t e a sandwiches, coffee and
cake will be served.
Robet Kimmel Smith,
author of "Jane's House"
will be the guest speaker at
one o'clock. This event is
made possible with support
from Poets and Writers,
Inc., which is funded by the
Literature Program of the
New York State Council on
the Arts.
Mr. Smith is the author of
the "Sadie Shapiro" books.
could not be acted upon
until the' emergency arises
because the district cannot
contract for these future
possibilities.
The Board concluded its
argument in favor of the new
buildings by stating that
regardless of the passage of
the bond issue, something
must be done to repair our
schools. They offered the
fact that the State will sub^-
sidize 47.3% of the costs,
thus relieving some of the
burden to the taxpayer. In
addition, new construction
bonds take 30 years to
mature, while those used for
renovation purposes are of a
shorter maturity, usually
15 or 20 years. This would in
the short term reduce the
amount of an increase in
school taxes for the first year
or two. Lastly, it would take
a p p r o x i m a t e l y the same
ajnount of time to complete
renovation as it would to
rebuild the two structures.
Lynbrook Ready to Meet
Regents Improvements
Dr. Seklerman
Superintendent of Schools
Bern Seiderman says that
"Lynbrook will be ready," if
the New York State Regents
proposed action plan to
improve elementary and
secondary education is
approved. Dr. Seiderman,
who represented suburban
s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s at the
upstate conference, points
out that the quality of edu-c
a t i o n in Lynbrook is
always striving for excel-lence,
and that although he
questions some portions of
the outlined changes and
new requirements, he sup-ports
the raise in standards
and goals of the state.
The superintendent told
school trustees that passage
of the new curriculum will
bring greater control by the
state. "At present, the syllabi
that must be covered is
recommended," he explains,
"But if the Regents vote for
it, it will be mandated." A
decision is anticipated by
February^ 1984.
Included in the syllabi is
the requirements of a local
diploma which will demand
two years of mathematics,
where one is required now;
two years of science, where
one is required nOw; four
years of social studies, where
three are required now; and
one year of art or music,
where none is required now.
A Regents diploma will call
for three years of mathemat-ics,
one is required now;
three years of science; one is
required now; three years of
f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e , no
requirements now; four
years of social studies, three
required now; and one year
in art or music.
Also mandated is an
introduction to careers, a
one-half year course in both
seventh and eighth grades,
coupled with technology
courses to replace the cur-rent
practical arts require-ment..
A local or Regents
diploma with concentration
in occupational education
will need three to six sequen-tial
units in that area.
Changes in testing at the
elementary level will involve
new state examinations in
both science and social stu-dies
given in the sixth grade
and the inclusion of compu-ter
knowledge and skills as a
topic on the grades three and
six PEP tests. All students
will be required to develop
proficiency in a foreign lan-guage.
With emphasis on
speaking and listening, pro-ficiency
will be tested at the
end of the ninth grade.
Dr. Seiderman called pas-sage
of legislation to extend
the school year by 20 days,
"remote," suggesting that
the plan is opposed by Gov-ernor
Cuomo and that costs
would be " p r o h i b i t i v e ."
School board member, Ali-cemarie
Bresnihan, present
at the National Conference
for Excellence in Education,
reports that Secretary of
Education Bell praised the
learning processes in the
eastern part of the county.
Dr. Seiderman, who is
watching the progress of the
regional conferences sche-duled
across the state, cites
the larger number of Lyn-brook
High School students
who already partake in more
courses than required.
"We get spoiled," states
Board President Charles
Spector. "With the high
quality of education here in
this district, we sometimes
fail to realize that many
parts of the country fall well
below standards. We have
such fine programs and
teachers and we should be
very proud."
this year's very popular
"Jane's House," short sto-ries,
plays and children's
books.
Dr. Jane Porcino, author
of "Growing Older, Getting
Better: A Handbook for
Women in the Second Half
of Life" will be the guest
speaker in the East Rocka-way
Public Libary, Wed-n
e s d a y evening, 7:30,
October 26. Dr. Porcino
offers advice, support and
encouragement to women
over the age of 40.
A gerontologist, Jane
Porcino is the co-director of
the National Action Forum
for Older Women, assistant
professor in the School of
Allied Health Professions,
and director of the geron-tology
department at SUNY
at Stony Brook. After rais-ing
seven children she
returned to school to earn an
M.S.W. and then her Ph.D.
This occasion is co-sponsored
by the Cultural
Arts Council of East Rock-away.
Refreshments will be
served. The public is wel-come
to enjoy the evening.