The Floral Park-Bellerose Board of Education opened its monthly meeting Thurs., Oct. 13, by unveiling a new strategy geared toward promoting active engagement and participation from community members. From this meeting onward, the board has decided to add a second time slot to the agenda dedicated to questions and comments from the public.
Each meeting will begin with a 15-minute period “providing community members with an opportunity to address the board regarding items listed on the meeting agenda before the board begins discussion or takes action.” Meetings will wrap up with a 30-minute window for parents, teachers, students, and community members to have the floor to address any school-related matter they wish to bring to the board’s attention.
By giving community members the opportunity to speak both at the start and at the end of each meeting, the board hopes to create an environment that encourages engagement, collaboration, and transparency.
The early public comment session drew out immediate concerns about a proposed contract with Spotlight Data Analytics, a firm hired by the district to design digital dashboards for teachers and administrators to be able to easily access students’ data.
A resident of the community identified as Maggie was particularly concerned about the handling of the matter– especially the potential implications of personal data being shared with a third-party contractor. While she can see the rationale behind giving permission for the data to be used, she doesn’t understand why this can’t be kept within the district.
“I’m wondering why we don’t have anybody in the district who is capable of aggregating this data, and why we have to outsource this.” she said, adding that “one of the items in their contract states that they’ll have access to all of our students’ information regarding enrollment, and there are some personal things that a lot of people would like to be kept [private]. It’s a little unsettling”
When the matter was revisited toward the end of the meeting, Superintendent Anthony Lubrano assured everyone that “this data will not leave our district.” He explained that because the data will be housed exclusively on their Microsoft platform, it’s actually “one of the most secure ways of sharing data internally… and accessible only to staff who need it.”
Lubrano said the district is contracting Spotlight Data Analytics to help design a dashboard for internal use only that will streamline the analysis of information into an accessible and user-friendly tool.
Ideally, its implementation could optimize efficiency and ultimately strengthen how teachers are able to interpret student performance data. With the dashboard in place, Lubrano added, “we can just pull up all that information on students very easily, and make determinations about the best course of action for a student.”
“All information will be secured strictly under state privacy law,” Lubrano emphasized, adding that “any data the district handles will be in compliance with Education Law 2-d.”
Data security aside, Lubrano announced that starting on Monday, Nov. 17, every building will use its main entrance as the single designated point of entry and exit. “All remaining exterior doors will be alarmed and will activate if opened from the inside or outside,” he said. “This enhancement will alert staff if a door is opened without authorization.”
Custodial staff will have the ability to temporarily deactivate alarms on specific doors during arrival, dismissal, and recess, ensuring that security measures don’t interfere with the rhythm of the school day.
The initiative, Lubrano said, is intended to add a layer of safety without compromising the “warm and welcoming” atmosphere the schools aim to create.
The next Floral Park-Bellerose Board of Education meeting will be held on Dec. 11 at John Lewis Childs School Auditorium– continuing, as Lubrano put it, “the ongoing work of keeping our schools safe, supportive, and connected to the community we serve.”
