The online version of this week's news is available to Post's subscribers only. To subscribe, click here.

MSD sets up Prekindergarten advisory board

Members mulling full-day Kg. program for district

by Monica Wiener

The Massapequa Board of Education discussed and approved a state mandated Prekindergarten Policy Advisory Board, charged with recommending to the Board of Education, through the Superintendent, whether the District should implement a Prekindergarten program. The Advisory Board will be composed of members of the Board of Education, District administrators, teachers, parents, childcare and early education specialists, as well as community leaders.

The Policy Board must make its recommendations to the Board of Education by May 18, 2001. The District is entitled to receive $1.2 million in funding for this program for the school year 2001-02; if the District does not run its own program, it can disburse some or all of these monies to other pre-K providers in the area. Members of the community who wish to serve on the Advisory Board should contact Dr. Robert Aloise, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at 797-6165.

In his report to the Board, Superintendent Dr. Lawrence Pereira said that in addition to establishing the state mandated advisory board on the Prekindergarten issue, the District will evaluate the feasibility and need for full day Kindergarten. To that end, District officials are compiling census information first, with the assistance of Western Suffolk BOCES. In addition to formulating its projections regarding future enrollment, the District must also study the impact of a full day Kindergarten program on the curriculum taught in the primary grades.

Administrative Assistant Bob Schilling said the District "must weigh the pros and cons" of the program, not losing sight of the fact that full day Kindergarten is an expensive, "big ticket item." An additional concern is the space needed to house the program. Should the District decide to provide a full day program, it would definitely not yet be operational this fall.

In other actions taken at the school district’s March 8 meeting:

•plans were discussed to improve the interior of the Central Administration Building. The District has hired an architectural firm, which is conducting a study to determine the best way to renovate the building and maximize its efficiency. The report should be completed in May, and construction may begin as early as this fall. Plans are being considered to improve the Superintendent’s side of the building and a reception area for the rear entrance. These improvements do not entail any new expenditures in the ‘01-’02 budget.

•administrative Assistant Bob Schilling reported to the Board on various managerial models that might serve the District’s public information needs. He explained that the District could keep its current model, which utilizes 50 percent of an administrator’s time, a part-time media assistant, and a clerical assistant. Three other proposals Schilling discussed include: retaining the services of a pubic relations firm, retaining the services of BOCES, or creating a full-time, twelve month position of Coordinator of Public Affairs.

Schilling recommends the last proposal, stating that the District’s needs justify such a position and that it will "give us room to grow."

A Public Affairs Coordinator would manage the entire public information program; namely, he or she would manage press releases and media contacts; research, write, and develop district publications; assist in managing and posting information on the District’s web site and Info Line (an automated telephone information system).

The benefit of this model would be "more in-depth coverage regarding curriculum" and "more of a presence in the community," said Schilling. However, he sees the proposal as only "one piece of a larger puzzle," that is, it must fit in to any potential reorganization of Central Office personnel. If a new program is adopted, it would be put into effect by the end of this calendar year or in early 2002.