At the beginning of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District Board of Education meeting on Feb. 6, a moment of silence was held for an alumnus who had died due to a drug overdose the previous weekend. Bringing awareness of the risk of drugs was one of many issues discussed at the meeting at the 7:45 p.m. public meeting at Mattlin Middle School.
The district is now making sure every student is aware of the dangers of drugs and will bring awareness to elementary schools and alert parents and guardians that if a child is acting differently, they should contact the school for help. In the coming weeks, the district will bring in guest speakers to talk about the dangers of drugs.
On a lighter note, the attendees at the meeting celebrated the retirement of Janet Rutkowski, clerical secretary at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School. James Murray, the principal, gave a short speech, followed by warm embraces. Rutkowski, he remarked is “Evidence to me that we can all make a difference in the lives of others. Janet has surely done that.”
In other honors, the Plainview- Old Bethpage Middle School students presented its latest play, Annie last week. The members of the board of education were stunned by the number of students involved in the play. Debbie Bernstein, the president of the board of education, called the play “unbelievable.”
In other district news, the proposal to buy the Nassau BOCES Carman Road School was voted on publicly on Feb. 8. The building was leased from the Massapequa Union Free School District for decades. All Nassau County residents were eligible to vote.
Meanwhile, there is a proposal to transform the shuttered Stratford Road Kindergarten Center into an administrative annex.
Proposed departments for the annex included: art, music, athletics, technology, transportation, health and safety, child care office, mail room, registration and private school book room. The renovations require the removal of asbestos, HVAC/AC repairs; electric upgrades will begin in March. The renovations are expected to continue until fall 2017.
The next board of education meeting will be on Monday, Feb. 27 at Mattlin Middle School. Residents are able to attend the meeting.
