Rosemary Kallas, James Poccia, Cathy Rust honored for emergency response
According to architects from Lucchesi Engineering, several sections of buildings throughout the Levittown School District are in dire condition, with several millions of dollars needed in repairs ranging from masonry upgrades to roofing replacements.
The company, which has serviced notable clients like the Rockville Centre and Sewanhaka Central High School districts, said the areas in need of immediate attention are the chimney at Summit Lane Elementary School, brickwork cracks at the Levittown Memorial Education Center (LMEC) and masonry upgrades at Salk Middle School, including sections that are currently used as walkways.
Additionally, Division Avenue High School’s library roof needs to be replaced, and the school also needs masonry repairs, asphalt and concrete site restoration and sidewalk upgrades by the school tennis court. At the May 23 Levittown Board of Education public planning session at the LMEC, representatives from Lucchesi Engineering presented photographic evidence to the board of the areas in need of repairs, and said the project can ideally be completed over a five-year period.
Other items mentioned for inclusion in the plan are energy-saving occupancy light sensors, new fire alarms and windows. No items have been approved or finalized by the board, as it will continue to engage in discussions with Lucchesi to determine which repairs are absolutely necessary.
In other matters, the board recognized three members of Levittown’s transportation staff for going above and beyond the call of duty in their response to a bus accident that occurred on May 1. The students who were on the bus were from the Lexington School for the Deaf, as well as the School For Language & Communication Development in Richmond Hill, both of which are schools that host students with language disorders.
“The driver, James Poccia, and the attendant, Rosemary Kallas, on their own accord, took sign language classes,” said Mark Flower, Levittown’s assistant superintendent of business and finance. “They were actually able to act as interpreters to rely information from the fire department and emergency personnel. They are being recognized tonight for going above the call of duty by learning sign language to communicate with the students.”
Cathy Rust, Levittown school safety coordinator, was also recognized by the board for laying out $495 for the towing and storage fees to get the bus back that same day. The bus was towed away to an impound lot in Brooklyn because the Levittown schools’ tow truck wasn’t allowed to go onto the New York City highway to get the bus back. “Cathy Rust found out the only way to get the bus from the impound lot was to pay for it by a credit card,” Flower added. “The district does not have a credit card. We do everything through purchase orders. Cathy put the charge on her own credit card. We have since reimbursed her, but we wouldn’t have been able to get the bus back that day if it weren’t for her stepping up to the plate.”
The board also honored over two dozen members of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee, PTA budget committee and food service committee, for their hard work in assisting in the recent budget planning process. Additionally, second-graders from Abbey Lane Elementary School were given rousing applause for a presentation of “The Seven Continents.” The board meets again on June 13 at 7:30 p.m., for a regular meeting at the Levittown Memorial Education Center.
