Grossane, Ward Begin Official Service
The Levittown Board of Education convened Tuesday, July 5 at the Memorial Education Center and proposed a slight increase in the school lunch prices for the upcoming school year.
Schools lunches were previously $2.10 for kindergarten through fifth grade and $2.35 for sixth through 12th grade students, but the new proposal calls for prices to rise by 15 cents at each level for the 2011-12 school year.
The board and community also had a chance to welcome Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Grossane and Trustee Frank Ward to the district, as both men signed the final required paperwork to officially commence their duties.
“Dr. Grossane’s educational background and his rising up through the ranks career made him our candidate,” said Board of Education President Michael Pappas. “Add to that his curriculum skills and special education background and his people skills, he is truly the ideal candidate for this position. Times are tough economically, but I can tell you with certainty that this board, administration, faculty, staff, parents and students are all looking forward to working with him, and the beginning of a new and brighter era for education in Levittown.”
“I look forward to being a superintendent that will be out and about and in the schools,” added Dr. Grossane. “That has been a hallmark of my administration.”
The board of education opened the meeting by recognizing several outstanding athletes from the Levittown School District, including Kristen Brown, Jesse Tuozzo, Kristen Stuart and the Division Blue Dragons baseball squad.
Kristen Brown, a pitcher and power hitter for the Lady Generals, earned All-Long Island honors for her work on the softball field this year. Jesse Tuozzo, also from MacArthur High School, earned the coveted Diamond Award and helped the Generals’ baseball team make a deep run into the playoffs in their 2011 campaign. Kristen Stuart, a class of 2011 graduate of Division, set six Track and Field records at the school and earned All-State honors. Additionally, the Division Blue Dragons baseball team won the Long Island Class A Championship this year with a victory over Shoreham-Wading River.
In the Public Be Heard segment of the evening, residents expressed concerns over increased class sizes, budget cuts at the elementary school level, garbage cleanup at MacArthur High School’s track, and several other crucial issues.
“My three sons in the district this year had class sizes of 20 students each,” said Wantagh resident Colleen Napoli. “Next year, they are going into classes of 27 or 28 students. I think that’s a big jump and big adjustment for small children to make.”
“School is out, but the board is not,” responded Trustee Ed Powers, regarding the constant watch by the board over increased class sizes at the elementary school level. “Final decisions haven’t come down yet. We are constantly watching that.”
Wantagh resident Jane Finkelstein asked the board what policy would be implemented to collect the $12,000 still owed to the district for student lunches that were never paid for.
The board responded to the lunch collections issue by offering several suggestions, including the possibility of holding the official school transcripts of the seniors who still owe for past lunches, as well as a weekly phone call reminder to parents. Board of Education President Mike Pappas seemed to favor a system where students and parents could automatically replenish their card balances at their convenience, while Vice President Peter Porrazzo suggested a yearly meal ticket at a discounted rate as an alternative option.
In other matters, the board approved a gift of 34 gently used hardcover and paperback books for the Lee Road Elementary School classroom libraries, as well as checks given by the Stop & Shop A+ Rewards Program to several of the district’s elementary schools.
Furthermore, the board extended their contract with the MSG Varsity Network for Division and MacArthur High School, with the understanding that the $2,000 grant received by each school may be spent and utilized at the discretion of the Levittown Board of Education.
Levittown School District Buildings and Ground Director Michael Hahn also announced that the district could potentially save over $168,000 by setting up a plan with National Grid to convert some of the schools in the district from fuel oil to natural gas, under a fixed rate plan.
The next regular Levittown School District Board of Education meeting will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Levittown Memorial Education Center at 150 Abbey Lane.
