The Oct. 1 Massapequa Board of Education meeting began with Superintendent Lucille F. Iconis reporting on her meeting with the NYS Education Commissioner, MaryEllen Elia, during a summit she recently attended. Elia discussed the high number of students who opted out of taking the state assessments by parents. She reported the 2016 exams would be shortened in response to their concerns regarding excessive testing and acknowledged that the exams are especially rigorous for special education students and are under review.
Iconis also discussed the planned workshops based on her recommendation to re-configure Berner Middle School to include the sixth grade. The board, during its last meeting, voted 4-1 to allow the superintendent to continue research and data collection regarding this proposal. Iconis stated that this re-configuration is part of a much larger plan that keeps the end goal in mind, which is to focus on what is best for all children and to graduate the strongest students for the global stage. The superintendent’s vision includes: exploring the International Baccalaureate program, expansion of accelerated humanities courses, the re-configuration of the middle school, the introduction of foreign language and the fortification of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) instruction at the elementary level and investigating a pre-kindergarten program.
Iconis shared that many of these points are not new and have been discussed over a number of years.
“This is a much bigger plan than just moving our sixth grade and many components of this vision will be planned simultaneously,” she said, promising that every member of the community would be invited to be involved in these discussions.
Lori Verdone, a parent in the district, is willing to listen, but is very nervous.
“There are significant unknowns, and Mrs. Iconis has to present a really good argument to get parents behind her,” she said.
Three work sessions are planned with the board for the community to attend. The first is scheduled for Oct. 29 at 7 p.m., and will focus on academics, the main reason Iconis is recommending this move. Data will be given, advantages discussed, typical schedules shared and long term benefits disclosed. The second and third workshop, which are not yet scheduled, will focus on the emotional/social concerns and finances/resources needed.
Also to be scheduled, are evening meetings for parents and community members at each elementary building, as well as visits to successful 6-8 middle schools on Long Island by teachers, administrators and parents.
“All I am asking of everyone is to just listen and keep an open mind,” Iconis concluded.
Robert Schilling, executive director, for Assessment, Student Data & Technology Services, presented the State Assessment Overview of 2014-15. State assessments are given in grades 3-8 in both ELA and Math, grades 4 and 8 in science and regents exams in high school, a graduation requirement. Performance on these exams has a bearing on district, school, teacher and principal accountability.
The grades 3-8 Math and ELA exams achieving level 3 and 4 (proficiency and mastery) have been stagnant for the past two years. For the past six years, results of Massapequa versus Nassau County versus New York State are maintaining the gap in achievement, but on district by district comparisons, Massapequa is moving more towards the middle where in past years it was closer to the top.
However, results of these assessments are skewed due to the large numbers of students opting out of taking these assessments in the past two years.
Students continue to outperform county and state results on Regents exams. The only dip was in the new Common Core Geometry exam where only 59 percent passed because the state allowed districts to administer the old standards exam in addition to the new exam. The curriculum varies considerably, therefore teachers taught more towards the content of the old exam. Students passed the old standards exam by a margin of 95 percent and were allowed to show this result on their transcripts. This year, all curriculum will be tailored to the new mandated Common Core exam.
Alan Adcock, deputy superintendent, discussed the proposed sale of the Carman Road School building to Nassau BOCES, which has rented the property since 1976 and is interested in purchasing the building from the district. The district is currently negotiating with BOCES for the sale of the building, but will be keeping the athletic fields. An appraisal, conducted in 2012, estimates its value at $9 million. Proceeds from the sale will be put in a tax reduction reserve to lower taxes over the next eight to 10 years.
Details on the agreement will be presented at the next meeting, scheduled for Oct. 22. The new anticipated public vote is Dec. 9, due to the late approval by the Nassau County Planning Commission on the approval of the sub-division of the property. Adcock also reported that the district had to file a government efficiency plan to demonstrate a 10 percent savings of its tax levy for the NYS Tax Freeze Initiative. He proudly reported that the district demonstrated they saved $3.4 million, $1.6 million more than what the state required.
