Board votes against summer program cut
With concerns over why the extended school year program was running for a shorter number of days this year versus 2008, the Board of Education voted May 18 against a motion to approve the program from June 29 through July 31, as was recommended by the district’s child study team.
Board of Education members Heidi Alles, Jeanne Lombardino and Cathy Wiedwald voted against the motion, while Ned Panfile abstained from the vote. Board President Andrew Zangara and member Lou Petzinger voted in favor of the motion.
”Why is the extended school year being shortened by five days?” Ms. Wiedwald asked.
According to Superintendent Donald Burkhardt, the change was made on the recommendation of the child study team members. He assured the board that the teachers would not be paid for those five days they are not working.
”The team felt the 24 days was enough,” he said.
The program was designed for disabled children in preschool, students ages 5 to 8 and additional students ages 10 to 12.
NCLB grant approved
The Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved a motion to accept a No Child Left Behind Act grant for fiscal year 2009.
The grant is for an amount not to exceed $324,989.
Student-paid transportation for field trips
After approving an amendment to the motion concerning transportation, the Board of Education May 18 unanimously approved art and history students at Manville High School taking a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Initially, the motion established that the teachers would drive the students to the museum with a mileage reimbursement of 31 cents per mile, but several Board of Education members expressed concern about insurance issues.
”If there is an accident, we can get sued for so much money,” member Ned Panfile said.
According to Superintendent Donald Burkhardt, the district was not planning to provide a bus for the trip because of cost issues. He said the district cannot afford a bus for the approximately 20 students on the trip, and, if a bus were to be offered for them, it would have to be offered for all future trips as well.
”If we do that for this trip, the board would be required to pay for buses for all trips,” he said. “The board does not have that kind of money.”
Although she said she thinks it’s “great that the teachers and parents want to drive,” board member Heidi Alles made a motion to amend the resolution to say the trip will only be approved if the students and teachers are transported by bus or train at the participants’ own expense.
The board unanimously approved the amendment.