School Board Sets Goals
By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

At the June 16 meeting of the Garden City Board of Education, the Board approved the appointment of two new curriculum coordinators: Nina Prasso, Music and the Arts (left), and Bernadette Arnone, English.

As the school year draws to a close, the Garden City Board of Education and administration took some moments at the June 16th school board meeting to reflect and prepare for the year ahead.

"Every year brings its challenges," said Superintendent Dr. Robert Feirsen. "This one is no exception. It's often these little bumps in the road that we remember, but I would like to draw everybody's attention to the wonderful things that have gone on this year...many student achievements, lots of recognition for our school district both in terms of overall programs, specific accomplishments and much faculty recognition as well. This doesn't happen by mistake or by chance. It happens because of the hard work of every member of our school community, the extraordinary cooperation we get from the PTA and SEPTA, all of the families in our school district and the community at large."

While applauding how far the school district has come, outgoing School Board President Kenneth J. Monaghan noted that the school board and superintendent are constantly evaluating and setting new goals for the future. Monaghan said that even though the details of Dr. Feirsen's annual review by the school board are confidential, he revealed that the board and superintendent discussed and agreed that the following should be priorities:

* Curriculum coordinators are showing promise, but the district wants more. They have asked Dr. Feirsen to identify more goals and objectives, specifically with the idea of increasing achievement.

* Benchmarking: The district should exert more effort in gathering data from other districts to gain a better understanding of where they lie.

* The concept of "going beyond": curriculum coordinators and administrators should identify two school systems, locally or in other parts of the country, that are doing something cutting-edge to increase student achievement.

In other news, the school board authorized the expenditure of up to $15,000 for staff training sessions for the International Baccalaureate program. "It's just the next step in the investigation process," explained Dr. Feirsen. He emphasized that it does not commit the Board or the district to any specific course of action.

The school board approved a memorandum of agreement with the Civil Service Employees' Association. Most of the provisions in the four-year contract will remain the same. Dr. Feirsen said employees will be required to increase their contribution for health care. A different evaluation system will also be used to provide the district with better feedback.

The School Board approved a salary increase just under six percent for Dr. Feirsen and a four-and-a-half percent salary increase for the assistant superintendents. The Board appraises and decides on salary increases for the superintendent and assistant superintendents at the end of every school year. Dr. Feirsen and the assistant superintendents are not governed by an administrative union contract, which called for a three-and-a-half percent salary increase this year.

Dr. Feirsen will now earn $247,500. Albert Chase, assistant superintendent for business and finance, will now earn an annual salary of $190,600; Fino Celano, assistant superintendent for personnel, will earn $185,655; and Dr. Teresa Prendergast, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, will earn $180,130.

The Board approved the appointment of two new curriculum coordinators: Nina Prasso, Music and the Arts, and Bernadette Arnone, English.

The last meeting of the school year traditionally has been the time when the board invites successful athletic teams and participants in the Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged to the meeting to be applauded. "It's one of the board's favorite evenings of the year," Monaghan explained.

This year, however, that portion of the meeting was abandoned due to the late starting time. The school board meeting began at 9 p.m. due to a reception held prior to the meeting to honor those leaving the district: Veronica Agostinelli, school board and superintendent secretary; Kenneth J. Monaghan, school board president; and Dr. Francis Banta, Garden City High School interim principal.