At this month’s meeting of the Bellmore Board of Education, the district’s 2012-2013 Tax Levy was disclosed, as well as the news of comings and goings of both new and old personnel.
Assistant Superintendent for Business and Technology, Deirdre Gambino, revealed the upcoming 2012-2013 Tax Levy as clocking in at $22,575,140. The already approved overall operating budget for the Bellmore school district for 2012-2013 is in the amount of $31,943,890.
A new head custodian for the school district, Joseph Jaronczyk, was unanimously voted upon and approved by the board on the recommendation of Superintendent Joseph S. Famularo. Jaronczyk, who was present at the meeting, takes on the new position as of Aug. 20.
“This is a very important position in our district,” Famularo said. “The board and I wish you congratulations and good luck, Joe.”
In addition, the resignations of several members of the district, including school monitor Michelle Conli and teachers Craig Ferguson and Phyllis Chaskes, were accepted by the board for the purposes of retirement. Famularo expressed his appreciation to the departing staff members as the enter the next phase of their lives.
Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.
“These are long-time employees of the district,” he said. “They have shows us a great deal of dedication, and we wish them well.”
Trustee and former Board President Jay L.T. Breakstone gave a report on a recent special education bill that quietly made its way through the Legislature in Albany. The bill would have required school districts in New York State to consider the cultural and religious backgrounds of students when determining school placement.
“Here’s the most ridiculous example,” he said. “If there was a special ed student from Mars, we would have to place that student, at the cost of the district, in a special ed school for Martians.”
However, the bill was defeated by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who refrained from signing it into law. According to Breakstone, New York school districts and taxpayers narrowly dodged a financial bullet.
“This would have been a staggeringly expensive unfunded mandate,” he said.
The next meeting of the Bellmore Board of Education is scheduled to take place in the Winthrop Avenue School on Sept. 10 at 8 p.m.
