Editor's Note: This article was written and submitted by Chris Boyle.
Bellmore Board of Education President Brian Desmond opened Tuesday’s meeting with a moment of silence for the victims of Friday's Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
Superintendent Joseph Famularo also addressed the tragic incident, and took the opportunity to assure parents in attendance that the safety of the children under his watch was of paramount importance.
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“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families in Connecticut,” Famularo said. “Our kids are always our number one concern. When the children came back to school on Monday, we offered mental health support, and our principals were prepared in case children needed support. We’re also reaching out to parents. If any parent needs support, they can speak to us.”
Famularo outlined some of the guidelines that the Bellmore district adheres to ensure that students are kept safe each and every day.
“We have to follow state regulations, such as Project SAVE,” he said. “We have safety procedures in place that we practice throughout the year. But not only do we practice, but we do it in the presence of law enforcement, we follow all state laws and regulations, and we continually look for ways to improve. It’s an ongoing process.”
During his legislative report, Trustee Jay L.T. Breakstone also addressed the matter of the Sandy Hook shootings, the impact of Hurricane Sandy, and their combined effect on current safety protocols in the Bellmore School District.
“There has been a lot of talk about how we, as schools, react to disasters...one natural, and one unnatural,” Breakstone said. “These discussions will go on. One of the nice things about New York is that we have something called Project SAVE, which is a state requirement. It goes through disaster plans, including things like what just happened in Newtown, Connecticut. But we will obviously be examining those plans for quite some time.”
The next meeting of the Bellmore Board of Education is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2013 at 8 p.m.
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