The crowd assembled for the June 16th meeting of the Garden City Board of Education began as standing-room-only at 8:15 p.m. and then slowly dwindled as the meeting moved into its third hour.

The last meeting of the school year has traditionally been the time when the school board invites successful athletic teams and participants in the Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged to the meeting to be applauded. Tuesday night was no exception, as several teams and Empire State athletes gathered with their families and guests.

Tina Halvatzis, president of the Special Education Parent-Teacher Association (SEPTA), presented the annual Nancy Maher-Maxwell Award to Middle School Principal Dr. Peter Osroff. The award recognizes those “unsung heroes” who are not directly involved in special education but have made meaningful contributions to the special education population in Garden City schools.

“While many professionals in our district go beyond what they are asked to do for special education students, Dr. Peter Osroff takes his commitment to the special education population one step further,” she said.

The school board also presented certificates of appreciation to Dr. Thomas Demaria and departing school board trustee Laurence Quinn. Dr. Demaria, a recognized expert in traumatic stress counseling, has helped students and parents who have experienced traumatic events. Laurence Quinn served on the school board for six years and is now currently a trustee on the Village’s Board of Trustees.

After the applause and camera flashes subsided, the school board got down to its regular business.

Architect Roger P. Smith from Burton, Behrendt and Smith, whose firm has been preparing plans and schedules for a bond to fund capital improvements in the district, presented revised parking lot options for the Middle School. The school board has not yet decided to move forward with the bond, but did approve the negative SEQRA declaration at Tuesday’s meeting, which brings the process one step closer to a public vote.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Feirsen explained that the declaration essentially means that the consultant has declared that there are no environmental impediments that would block the project. Smith tentatively set August 18th as the date the Board should, if they choose to do so, adopt a bond resolution and set a referendum date.

Smith presented two options for the parking lot configuration. School Board President Colleen Foley asked the district’s ad hoc facilities committee to review the proposals and make a recommendation to the Board.

Fino M. Celano, assistant superintendent for personnel, gave a presentation on the district’s professional development plan. The plan’s goal is to help staff members “engage in meaningful and sustained professional development in their respective discipline, resulting in improved student achievement.”

Dr. Feirsen announced that the district has placed 192nd in Newsweek’s annual list of the top 1,000 high schools in the United States. The district ranked 233 last year. He explained that the list was based on the number of students who took Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

Dr. Teresa Prendergast, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, announced that BOCES will be offering an online regents review course for those who have failed an exam or wish to improve their grade and take the exam again in August. The 15-hour online course will run from July 20 through Aug. 7. The cost is $85 and enrollment in each course will be limited to 15 students. Those interested can register during regular summer school registration, or during the first week of summer school, which is being held at West Hempstead High School.

Garden City High School students will receive a notice from the Guidance Dept. with more information. However, interested students who live in Garden City but attend private or parochial schools should contact the Garden City High School’s Guidance Dept. at 478-2012.