School Board Meetings - My Journey Begins

Does anyone attend school board meetings? I didn't. There was no need (or so I thought). These are the people in charge, they know what they're doing, plus who has the time or the energy to leave the house. I get home from work at around 7 p.m., have dinner with my family and try to squeeze in some TV time. The thought of walking out of the house again is not the most appealing. Plus, my district's () meetings are sometimes on Tuesdays and Glee is on.

This all changed when my daughter, an eighth grader at Floral Park Memorial High School, became interested in the BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts program. She doesn't play sports and takes art classes in the city on Saturdays and in the summer. This would be perfect for her.

I went to the open house and saw an incredible school filled with artists, musicians, dancers and performers. Kids in 9th through 12th grades from all over Nassau County audition and interview to get into this program. It's an incredible opportunity for kids seeking a specialized arts education, just like the one offered in the city at Laguardia High School.

However, not all districts participate. That's how BOCES works. District school boards vote each year on which BOCES programs they will participate in. Each district has to pay BOCES a share of the cost of services for the programs and New York State gives school districts aid money to partially reimburse them as an incentive. When a district feels that there is not enough money, programs get cut, and is often is the case, the arts suffer first.

This is what brought me to my first Sewanhaka Central High School board meeting. Why haven't we participated in this program for the past five years when so many districts do? How much would it cost? What do you do at a board meeting?

My husband, daughter and I all went. After hearing some numbers thrown around back and forth amongst the board members, the floor was open to questions from the audience. There were not many in attendance. Just a handful of people -- a few local reporters and four or five parents. I let a few people go ahead of me. Then it was my turn to approach the microphone. I asked my questions. The board answered that unfortunately there's not enough money and they have to cut even the good programs. How much would it cost? I asked. They weren't sure. (What? You make the decisions. You are in charge of the money. How can you not be sure?) $10,000 for the half day program they thought.

Well, my next stop was the budget hearing the following week. If there's not enough money, I needed to know where the money was going. The three of us showed up again. This meeting was even emptier than the first. How can that be? This is when everyone complains about the budget having an impact on our taxes. This is the opportunity to ask specific questions about money being spent. This district represents five high schools. There were only three families in attendance, including mine. School groups like the PTA always urge us to vote yes on the school budget. Where were the PTA board members? Don't they always send a representative?

A flier from the district came home the weekend before the meeting, outlining the proposed budget and urging people to pass it. The date of the budget vote was on the flier, but not the date of the hearing. I asked why. The answer was that the board didn't want to get accused of sending these out late on purpose in case the mail was late and the fliers got delivered after the date of the hearing. "You're in charge of millions of dollars and my child's education!" I wanted to yell. "You're afraid of some criticism and don't know how to put something into the mail stream so that it get's delivered on time!"

My frustration was rising. I asked about the proposed removal of tennis courts at my daughter's school. They told me that they were old and that as a safety issue the athletic fields would be expanded into that space. This would cost about $138,000. Does anyone else know about this? My daughter told me that she didn't even know that they had tennis courts. So apparently we have the money to remove tennis courts, but can't allocate $30,000 to send three students to an arts program.

I also wanted to point out that printed in flier on the list of items in jeopardy of being cut if the budget didn't pass was the "Marching Band." However, in the PowerPoint presentation at the hearing, the list said "Marching Band Festival." Well, those seem like two different things to me. But the board seemed to be getting annoyed with me as it was and I decided to keep that one to myself. There's always the Parent Teacher Student Association meeting next week and the Superintendent will be in attendance. I'll be sure to point that out to him and everyone else in attendance then. Another Tuesday night meeting, but we'll just have to set the DVR and watch Glee later.