Two issues - Eastplain & Packard

[Go Plainedge!]

There are two separate issues we will face in the coming months

1. The overflow of Eastplain and the thought of expanding the school. The expansion would be funded with the extra Bond money. However, this would need to be voted upon as it was never on the original Bond proposal.

2. The sale/trade of Packard and Pickins. We keep hearing conflicting stories about Packard, it's safety, the amount of money it costs to refurbish and maintain. The new Middle school was built because we were told Packard was unsafe to be in. Then we were told that it would cost too much money to fix.

These two issues relate to one another because if Eastplain is not added onto, we would have to use one of the two "leftover" schools. Richman seems to be pushing to claim Pickins and have the TOB create a new state of the art sports complex on the Packard land. OR the administration would re-district the homes and kids would be sent to different schools.

On the other hand he has YET to provide ANYONE with a valid estimate of costs to refurbish Packard. He only says "in the long run it will be too expensive to maintain." OK fine, maybe it is. BUT SHOW ME THE COSTS and DEFINE LONG RUN!"

It seems wasteful to add onto Eastplain for $1.2 million when we have a vacant building collecting dust.

Personally, I think this guy and his ego want to see his name on either a building or a sports field.

Take a look at Bellmore schools. The kids there attend 4 different schools in their 12 years. Perhaps thats an idea....


All Kinder., 1st, 2nd grade attend West and Eastplain and Schwarting

All 3rd, 4th & 5th attend Packard

All 6th, 7th & 8th attend the Middle school

All 9th, 10th, 11th 12th attend the high school.

Number wise, I don't know if this would work.....but it's a thought.

Anyone else???

[momma3]

Rocky Point and Commack school districts both attend school this way. I am sure there are many others. K-2 they call primary, then 3-5 intermediate,followed by Middle School and High School. I heard only good things about this! Good thought!!!!!

[themom]

This question has been burning in me ever since Mr. RICHman came to our district. When the Superintendant of Rockville Ctr. left and he was the Assistant, why wasn't he asked to take over?

[techie]

themom

Have you seen some of the articles on the Willim Floyd District?
It's very unfortunate what has been going on with the supposed thefts and mis-spending. On the other hand their BOE has done one thing right. Their Superintendent Mr. Richard Hawkins oversees a budget of $164 million, ( about 3 times that of Plainedge) for a salary of $187,409. For one of the largest school districts on the Island they have been pretty good all along.

Have you thought to contact any of the old BOE members from RC to answer your question?

[Go Plainedge!]

themom said:

This question has been burning in me ever since Mr. RICHman came to our district. When the Superintendant of Rockville Ctr. left and he was the Assistant, why wasn't he asked to take over?

MOM - I've wondered the same thing. I'll take a guess at that and say RVC offered him a REALISTIC salary and Plainedge offered him....well....unfortunately for us.....too much.

But I'll take this one step further....lets say that Mr. Richman's contract is NOT renewed. Has the BOE now set a precedent with the current salary so that the person assuming the roll would then expect that large of a salary?

Let me also be clear about this...I don't fault Mr. Richman for the salary he has. Anyone would have taken that salary/package if offered to them. The BOE is to blame.

[techie]

GoPlainedge

Very nice perspective.

I should think if Mr. Richman's contract was not renewed, that the BOE would hunt for worthy candidate and offer a salary based on what the job is currently worth. I don't think the job would be declined by the proper prospect because they aren't getting what the person before had been paid. If it was declined for that reason, then that person was not the correct choice.

I am in agreement with you for not faulting Mr. Richman for taking the salary that was offered to him. It is normal to do so. The BOE let us down by offering this salary, AND giving an increase while we were facing a Contingency Budget.
I would like to think that if I were in that position that I would decline the increase. I would like to think that,...but,....

[gopybl]

I thought that the School District was supposed to have an outside, independent agency perform an analysis optimizing the use of the Packard Building. I thought that this was one of the selling points for the Bond Issue passing and building the new Middle School. This agency was supposed to determine the most ideal utilization for this property....Whether it be commercial, Residential, light industrial....etc. etc....

I don't recall the results of these studies ever being published. If so, I think if we had an independent NON- BIASED agency, provide us with some logical suggestions....At least we would have some starting point. Presently, it seems that we are having knee jerk reactions to the Packard Building because of our budgetary situations. One week we are selling Packard, the next week we are swapping Packard for Pitken. Lets find out what is the best utilization of this property and then have the community ratify that utilization and make it happen.