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Stop The Spending?

By Ken Kraska

In 2003 the Kings Park CSD proposed and passed a $25.6 million capital improvement plan. The plan formulated by school officials and a citizens advisory committee included a $2.4 million project to renovate the front entrance, driveway and parking lot of the Kings Park high school.
Now, almost two years later a group of concerned citizens are questioning whether the project is really necessary, especially in light of the direction of our economy.

Kings Park Online would like to know your thoughts.
Click here to see opinions.
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09/14/2005

Your Opinions...

The opinions expressed here are those of our subscribers and not necessarily the views of KingsParkOnline. All opinions are posted as received. Submissions which are not germane to the topic will be deleted. Some submissions may be edited for publishing.

As far as the budget is concerned, it was passed, and the work that it relates to should be completed. If so many people feel that the repairs are unnecessary, then the bond should not have passed. To quibble about it now is wasted energy. I understand that there are many other issues facing our schools, and they should be addressed accordingly. My feeling is that we should scrutinize more over the board positions in the future. For those of us with kids in the elementary schools, we know that there were many changes this past year. Why was Mrs. S, the principal of Park View, switched to the �No Child Left Behind� position. Most agree that she was one of the most talented administrators they had ever encountered. As far as the board is concerned, I am a member of one of the civic groups in the area. Last year, we allowed Superintendent DeRose to come in and speak about the budget for over an hour, and tell us all of her selling points. In return, she made several promises to our group, and reassured us that she would work with us toward achieving certain goals. As of today, MRS. DEROSE HAS NOT KEPT A SINGLE ONE OF HER PROMISES. I would encourage all who read this board to take a careful look at who we are putting in key positions. There are many issues facing our community, and those who represent us should be speaking with the same voice that we are.

Reality Double Check -- I believe the person beginning, "Let's take this one step..." in my opinion, made the point that the "district" voted for the bond and felt it was necessary to do the outlined work. If we now feel it's not necessary, wouldn't that require us addressing the board at a meeting?

I don't think that anyone suggested that not attending a board meeting would strip your rights, but merely suggested that your voice be heard, not just on this website but to the people who can make a difference. I also don't feel that any reference that you, or anyone else ,isn't doing the best for their children is just your frustration about this matter, I sympathize with you. I think we are all doing the best we can for our children and regardless whether we work outside the home, or inside, it is our responsibity to be the voice for our children. Send a letter, make a phone call if you can't get out at night if you feel your fight is worth the fight. It's difficult for everyone, including myself and I am a stay at home mom.

As far as "some parents" voting on Mel Levine at a PTA meeting is innaccurate information. As a Class Mom last year, the emergency phone chain was put into place and we were instructed to call each and EVERY parent to inform them of this vote, what it was about and why and strongly encouraged everyone to attend to vote, hardly anyone showed up.

And while a school district on austerity wouldn't directly correlate to lower house sales right now, ask me after five years what you think. I can tell you that I wouldn't want to buy a house in any town that was on austerity with no programs for my children. Remember, late buses were originally taken away last year and thankfully eventually put back. I don't remember voting on that.

And while myself, and I'm sure many, many others would totally agree with your salary chart, this is the exact reason we need to do something about it. But isn't the only way to do this is to address the board, let your voice, and everyone else's be heard, which I belive was the earlier point.

Whatever your position on the bond issue or any other educational issue, it is the Kings Park Board of Education that has the last word on how our tax dollars are spent. These individuals are in an elected position. There main job is to see that the children in KP receive an outstanding education and that our tax dollars are well spent. As our representatives they need to find out if anyway legally this bond issue can be revisited. Community interest is definitely there. Often the BOE is led by the head administrator in our district. Many times this doesn't benefit our children. I agree that sometimes loyalty plays a bigger part in filling administrative positions than actual experience. This practice is detrimental to our children. BUT there is good news! In the spring two BOE education positions are up for re-election. It is time for two new highly motivated, well educated people to step up to the plate and help Kings Park become a serious and competitive district for our children. On a last note, whatever this website has produced at least it has gotten people talking and change is in the wind.

STEP UP AND MAKE YOUR MOVE!

I agree with the person who started by saying," let's take this one step at a time."
   Do you people also realize that when the bond vote passed it was legally binding , to whatever was presented . In other words you can't change it now. to use that money any other way would put us in breach of contract. In other words if the Bond was voted on to put in purple flowers and it's used to put in yellow flowers , it is a misapropriation of funds, and the state could take over the school.
   This bond was voted on and if you didn't attend the well published meetings and vote on it , for or against, you should not be complaining now. the bond is going for alot of much neede things, such as: new roofs (five years past when they should have been done), etc. I am not going to give you the whole list you'll have to get that yourself. It is for much more than the front of the high school. You should really do your homework , and find out what this bond issue is all about.
   I have children in this school district and I voted for it.
This is "for our kids", they do "need" this.
Do you want to see a lot of legal trouble for our district . Learn what the bond is about and then share your opinion.
So far alot of these opinions seem , to be from individuals who are not taking time to find out the real deal.

Reality Check,
First of all, my house is over 40 years old, and there are things that should be done, but can�t because of money. I will have to deal with a cracked driveway and some shingles down because there are bills to pay. Cosmetics sometimes have to wait.
The fact that one does not choose to attend a board meeting does not strip one of the right to have an opinion on an issue. Many of the board�s decisions are covered in the local papers, board agendas and minutes are posted. KingsParkonline often covers information about the meetings, and at PTA meetings, a summary is given. People that do not go to the meetings can still be educated enough to form and voice an opinion. To say, go to the Board of Ed meetings, your children need you, is condescending. Children also need to see their parents who have been at work all day. Dinners need to be prepared, homework done, and children put to bed. Your inference, that if one chooses to stay home from these pre scripted displays, they are not doing the best for their children, is ridiculous.
Same goes for the citizen advisory board. Not being a chamber of commerce president/member, board of ed spouse, or education foundation trustee, does not preclude a person from re -evaluating the bond terms.
Now for Mel Levine, the whole community did not vote to give the district money for the training, some parents at a PTA meeting did. The school district is responsible for training their teachers, not the PTAs. As a matter of fact, the NYS PTA frowns on giving funds to schools for teacher training. The school should never have asked for this money.
It is never helpful to scare people. The fact that a district is on austerity does not directly correlate to lower house values. What it simply says is �Hey school district, we don�t like how you are spending the money we give you!� Smithtown is surviving, as is Harborfields. By the way, don�t scare people about losing buses either. That was voted on by the community and can�t be taken away without another vote.
I don�t hear anyone complaining about teacher salaries, but I do hear complaints about administrative salaries. But while we are at it, how is it that the school continues to fill administrative positions with people that do not have a formal background or training in those specific areas. The only criteria seem to be loyalty to the administration.
Let�s talk money. Maybe the bond money can�t be touched, guess the lawyers would know, but there is also that recently found $400,000, but maybe that can�t be touched yet either, another question for the lawyers. How about salaries? Get rid of the no child left behind position (seems to be a courtesy), and trim the following:

Superintendent of Schools $175,000

Asst. Superintendent for Personnel $152,000

Asst. to the Superintendent for Curriculum $140,000

Administrator for Pupil Personnel $123,188

Transportation Supervisor $ 94,099

Executive Asst. to the Superintendent $ 80,000

Secretary to the Asst. Supt. for Personnel $ 70,000

Senior Guard $ 53,560

Website Manager $ 50,619

District Clerk $ 21,000

Community Liaison $ 21,000

The Board and the District need to reevaluate what they should spend money on and what they should not.

Let's take this one step at a time. One person bascially hit the nail on the head, "the high school has been okay for 40 years", wouldn't your own home need some renovation and/or updating after 40 years before things started falling apart? Anyone who wanted to be on the Citizens Advisory Committee could have, where were you? The main purpose of the front high school renovation isn't to "make it look pretty" and if that is your understanding, you really need to attend meetings. You cannot legally use borrowed money from the bond for non-capital projects (i.e, Intramural), that would need to come from the districts budget, which voters continue to show an unwillingness to pass but yet complain about programs being cut. And this is with a passed budget. Imagine whats going to happen if it fails.

Where has the money gone? There is a complete list of projects, ongoing and upcoming that you can receive from the District Office detailing the information you are seeking and the high school is just one of many updates for our schools. Our school district has never borrowed money in all these years until now and with buildings that are 30 to 40 years old of course work needs to be done, and it's expensive. We are required to take the lowest qualified bidder with certain State regulated restrictions. But if you feel it's pointless, attend the BOE meetings, the $$ will still not be able to be used for Intramurals.

To suggest that students at the H.S. park on the streets seems a bit outrageous. Would you want them parking in front of your home and all over your block? I'm sure the people on Rumford and Primrose would love that.

While I'm not suggesting I agree, should be really blame the PTA for schools losing the Intramurals, the communities "no" vote on the school budget did that and the community did vote "yes" to use the money for the Mel Levine program. And while I completely sympathize with working parents complaints that they have no one to get their kids off the bus after school because scouts can't meet, who does it the other 4 days per week. If you feel strongly about this and have suggestions that might help scouts, go to the Board of Ed meetings and let your voice be heard. Your children need you.

This has raised many issues across the board and threatening on your next yes or no vote for the school budget has nothing to do with the Bond that was passed in 2003, and voting no will absolutely hurt All the kids, as well as yourself. Who wants to live in a school district that's on Austerity? Do you think people will still be willing to pay top dollar for homes in this area? But your taxes will still increase, that is a fact. Kids could lose all programs, sports and educational & possibly busses too. School is about learing and getting the best trained teachers we can find and with that comes a price as much as we may not like it. You get what you pay for. If your child needed heart surgery wouldn't you want the 'best' Doctor you could find who specialized in that field? I want the same teachers for my children. And while I absolutely agree that Intramurals and all the other programs are needed for our children, as I stated above, the bond $$ cannot be used to pay for it. Maybe ALL the parents who are concerned about this should attend the Board Meetings to really find out what's going on,ask the questions that need to be asked and stop listening to the "opinions" and partial truths that spread like wild fire through this community. Attend the meetings, get copies of the Budget & Bond, look at the numbers and make your OWN decision. You may, or may not, be surprised.

My opinion on the Kings Park HS project is that - it is not needed. Save the money and lessen our school taxes with it.

why is everyone forgetting about monies for the sports programs? The kids need a safe and healthy environment in the locker rooms, lets update there. We can always find a place to park, walk a little , its good for you.

When is Parkview getting a principal? Isn't this more important that a high school facelift? What exactly is the "no child left behind" coordinator doing for us?

Why don't you print the names of the residents who submit the comments??

Wake up Kings Park!
A proper citizens committee should have been picked when the project was started.
Ok we need new doors and windows in the high school and maybe a little paint, the need for a new lobby for the 4 time a year use is totally uncalled for! I guess someone in the Admin. sold the committee a bill-of-goods and told them it was needed.
As for the parking lot... put all the cars from the front lot into the rear lot. Only change, NO STUDENT park on school grounds. We pay PLENTY for our busses let them ride them!!! You want to drive your car park on a side street and walk to the school. We then would have plenty of room in the rear lot. Install a swing gate in the front and its only for busses. A visitor lot can be made on the side next to the cafe.
If we are looking at saving monies what about the new truck provided to the transportation manager. A big V8 which he takes home (way out east) at the tax payers expense. Why shouldn't he not have to use his own car back and forth? His old truck which is still in service as the mail truck would have had a much longer life had it not had to make the long trip every day.
Where did the monies come from for the 2 new asst. principals at the high school and middle school and the new Asst Superintendent for Biz. Didn't see that in the last budget we voted on!
What about the asst. principal at RJO? 2 grades, 4 and 5th gee can't the principal handle 2 grade? in the old days they handled 12 grades in that building!
Before we rebuild our buildings the Board of Ed needs to rebuild our schools from the top down!

KP High School entrance DOES NOT NEED a facelift. It has been OK for the past 40 years, why change now? Just to make a good impression? In addition, there are too many chiefs and too few braves on staff. Where does all the money come from for all these administrators while support staff is cut left and right? Who is left to do the real work? Spend the money on the children, that is what we, the hard working taxpayers deserve for our hard earned dollars.

way to waste money school officials!!

against - simply no, no no...........Spend it elsewhere - spend it wisely - or you won't have it to spend again.

I have lived in Kings Park all my life, the front of the high school looked fine when I went there, and looks fine now LEAVE IT ALONE....
How about this...

Last school year we were encouraged to support the budget. I voted YES.
Last school year we were encouraged to support our teachers by having our PTA contribute $5,000 for that Levine program. I was unable to attend the meeting to vote yes, but I thought that it was a good idea so I supported it.

NOW, the new year starts, and my son's intramural program was cut. We could have used that money to help pay for the intramural program! We raised that money for the kids, now look SHAME ON YOU KINGS PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT!

NOW, I am told that our scouts can't use the school to meet right after school, we would have to make our children go home then come back after 5 o'clock to have their scout meeting. First of all, I work and can not arrange have someone pickup child at the bus stop take him home and then wait to take him back for a meeting, wait and then drop him off at home. My scout leader said that many of the kids are having similar problems with the new arrangements and that many have to drop out of scouts. SHAME ON YOU AGAIN!

THANK YOU KINGS PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT for caring about our children I will make sure that I think twice before I believe you and I will certainly remember how to vote the next time that's for sure!

Stop the spending on such things as cosmetics. Many clubs have been cut from the elementary through middle school. The cafeterias and gyms are so hot, the children are stifling, but the administrative offices have air conditioning. The school should work harder to keep the kids comfortable, never mind the administration and secretaries. They are being paid to be there. The children are expected to not only behave well under extremely hot conditions, they are also expected to learn. It can't be healthy, physically or mentally. The amount of time the school remains hot is increasing each year and this needs to be addressed.

Spend our money on our kids.

I never understood why money dhould be spent on the HS entrance, so I am in favor of cancelling this renovation.

I feel that this part of the capital improvement plan is low priority since it is more cosmetic than it is necessary. As the economy worsens and taxes continue to rise, my fear is that at some point people may feel they have to vote "NO" on the school budget. If the district were to decrease the amount originally planned on the bond, I think it would send a message to the taxpayers in the district - a sort of "we feel your pain". As long as the district and the taxpayers maintain an open dialogue, I think we will be able to accomplish the improvements that really have to be done and continue the excellent education standards that make Kings Park so special.

You hit the nail right on the head - the Bond was passed , yet it even seemed in the last budget - were items that were originally supposed to be covered by the Bond !!!

Where has the money gone ?????

Where is the ACCOUNTING !!!!!!!

I did not vote in favor of the bond issue...the cost was outrageous. It was my understanding that roofs on various buildings were mentioned to be taken care of years ago. I saw other flaws in the bond issue...
Isn't it a done deal...the people in Kings Park Voted...First the bond issue then the high budget.

I recall many moons ago when the windows were done in front of the old R.J.O. building pella windows were put in.ones which had the blinds in between the glass...I had never seen such windows before..these were done in the administrative part of the building...I found that to be horrrific since the classroom windows in that building had no screens...so that classroom windows could not be opened is someone in the room had bee allergies...Teachers most times brought in their own fans the rooms were so hot. having screens in the school buildings to me is more important than a cosmetic facade for the high School.

where did the money come from to get a NEW administrative position at the administrative building??? Music and art...Where did this money come from ???

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