The McGrath, Parrino Plan
I was quite surprised to read the letter to the editor in today’s Mineola American from John McGrath and Irene Parrino. I find it full of inaccuracies and embellishments that I find it hard to believe school Board members would get wrong. At tomorrows Board meeting I will address the issues surrounding closing one school and using reserve monies. Below are some comments that were printed that simply are not true.
“A failed budget due to voters rejection of the Hampton Street School construction project funding within it might result in necessitating severe reductions in school district programs including pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, fine arts and sports”
This year’s budget will be at or close to a 2.5% levy without affecting ANY program regardless of the Hampton Project. If the budget fails we would go to a contingent budget at 1.96%. The 2 million dollars earmarked for the project would then be placed in the Capital reserve fund to be voted on at a later date. The voters DID vote to approve a reserve for reconfiguration purposes, so why wouldn’t we fund it? We are trying to accelerate the project and save money on yet another vote by placing in the budget vote. The only person that has mentioned reducing PreK and Kindergarten is Mrs. Parrino.
“additionally we’re told that the superintendent has already personally informed 7th grade students this past week that they would be attending school at Mineola High School in the fall, upsetting those students and alienating their parents.”
Both board members are well aware that I left for vacation on Thursday and returned yesterday morning. I have not spoken to any student, although I plan to speak with them when we have more details of the move. To suggest that I purposely upset children and alienated parents is divisive and unwarranted
“Teachers have been given excess notices”
No teacher has been given an excess notice. At this time I do not know who is being excessed. According to their contract they must be notified by April 1st.
“All of this is being done without knowing whether the voters will approve the Board’s construction plan for the Hampton Street School without which the Board’s default option cannot be implemented.”
This is untrue. If for some reason the Hampton Street project is rejected we would simply use Willis Avenue instead and close Hampton. The modifications necessary for using Willis can be handled in house at a low cost. The Board members are confusing the Willis projects. The $1.7 million figure from the bond was to build 14 classrooms and a rooftop playground. That is NOT necessary to use Willis as a PreK-2 building. If you recall we need to reconfigure 5 classrooms and add ovens to the lunchroom and repurpose part of the parking lot for a play area. All of this can be achieved with the 500,000 facilities upgrade budget that currently is still in the budget for 2011-12.
“we also propose, as the Roslyn School District is doing that the Board designate $2 million from the undesignated reserve to offset the tax levy for 2011-12”
Roslyn has millions of dollars in reserve funds that they can allocate. Mineola does not. Instead of funding reserves we have diligently paid down the 10million dollar bond saving the taxpayer of 5 million in interest payments.
NO Joe Grilo perhaps Mr. Mcgrath should stay where he is and YOU should go
I’d like to clarify my prior blog which was unintentionally misleading, I used the word “announcement” was made to 7th graders, rather I should have stated discussions in group settings occurred with personnel involved.
Joe, I graduated with your daughter in 1994. I have always thought very highly of the Mineola Schools (or else I wouldn’t have returned to them) and would hate that my children miss out on the opportunity of attending these schools. I am not saying I am moving tomorrow, but I am thinking about the future. I want to stay but I also don’t want to deal with what feels like “high school teenage drama” that has been encompassing our lives the last few months. I don’t want to have to deal with this drama year to year. If there is a reasonable solution for the future of our district, which appears to be the plan that Dr. Nagler has laid out, then lets get this district on tract. I want to know that next year we won’t be facing the same issues, arguments, and pardon my French, crap, like this year. As a parent, when my children are constantly bickering and fighting, I have to step in and settle the situation. As a community, now more than ever, we need to come together and settle things, or else it will only get worse. And the students are the ones that are going to suffer in the end.
I find it even more concerning after reading these blogs that the announcement was made to the current 7th graders in the MS that they will be going to HS was not planned. This definitively occurred. They were called into the cafeteria and the announcement was made. After reading this blog, I understand this not a well coordinated message to our children and not a planned message, our kids are directly involved in this, and apparently we are losing sight of this.
I beg the parents who stated that moving their children out of the Mineola school disrict as a possibility to reconsider. Mineola is a good distict and will remain so. A better solution would be for John McGrath and Irene Parrino to leave. Problem solved!
These comments are all thoughtful and instructive, especially Mary Ellen’s. No matter what one’s school reconfiguration dream is or was or might be, and no matter how one might plan to achieve that, please, please, please think about a way to advocate for your position without implicating our children’s programs. They are not “extra”curricular. They are co-curricular, especially in the Middle and High Schools. Programs are how teenagers find their way.
We are finally wrapping it up as far as reconfiguration goes. It’s been a long hard road for all parties concerned. The final outcome will not suit everyone perfectly , but things have been done in a fair and considerate manner. This plan has a lot of positive attributes for every student , and every resident. Why some individuals that have power resist change when problems are glaring at them , and need their attention is beyond my comprehension. I am thankful for those individuals that see change as our only option.
It was gratifying to see such a large turnout at last night’s school board meeting. I think a very positive message was sent last night to all parties; we want real progress not constant bickering. But as we move forward we can’t lose sight of the true underlying problem.The money. It’s not that there is not enough but how it’s spent. We are still spending $ 30,000 per student and are still spending 80% of our 82 million dollar budget on salaries and benefits when the average is 70%. I don’t think it is much to ask all parties involved to at least work to get us to that 70% average. That will save us an enormous amount of money.
Is it okay that John McGrath discusses board matters through facebook and now the Mineola American?
The board informs the public about everything, but this public is so stubborn and set in their ways they don’t hear them out. The board wants what is best for the students, but people of Mineola just want to keep things as they were. As times change, our education system must change as well. Before people spread lies about the district, they need to re-examine the facts the board presents.
Sending out flyers telling voters to vote “no” on the bond was appalling to hear about. Must we stoop to immature levels?
Even some teachers had it set in their minds that things wouldn’t change, that they would stay where they are, when Dr. Nagler stated from the beginning that nothing would be the same. It seems as though information goes in one ear and out the other.
The board does not keep any secrets from the public.
I graduated Mineola High in 2008. I’m so disappointed in the actions of our public because I am a proud alumni of this district. I wish people would realize that the board is making changes to benefit the students as much as possible as it is their duty and mission. They would never dream of making any decision to harm the students. One board member’s childish actions should not change anyone’s views on the board as a whole.
While there were many voters who voted against the bond because it involved spending money or they were okay with moving 5th and 8th, I wonder how many of the 1,000 voters who voted against the last bond to keep the 5th and 8th in place but actually supported the concept, did so following some misguided advice to risk everything on the hope of defeating the budget in May and electing new Board members who would reverse the entire process?
I wonder if they are having second thoughts after reading the rambling Mineola American letter and “plan” from the Board minority?
In this economy, we as a community must move forward reduce our school costs, provide educational equity and preserve our programs. We must support the Board majority and pass the Budget. If you have any doubts about supporting the Board majority just keep a copy of the Board minority’s letter and recommendations and re-read it before entering the voting booth. After re-reading it, any reasonable person couldn’t possibly follow their lead!
I wish I had something insightful and wise to say about this matter, but after reading said letter in the paper and everyone’s comments, I honestly have no words. No wait I’m sorry I have questions! I just can’t comprehend this at all. Could someone just spell it out for me, is this truly all about politics and not the children at all? If this is all politics then like Ms. Coelho I’d be reluctant to let my children continue in this school district as well. The bottom line is, if this truly is politics and the elite and all that nonsense; then my kids don’t belong here. I’m not one of those radical conservative Christians, but I now understand why they homeschool. It really is about having choice with your kids and it being your choice.
The board should communicate with the public as a unit in its public meetings. But individual members don’t give up their right to free speech, and 2 members communicating a plan to the public together outside of a public meeting while not ideal is allowed. What I believe would be a problem would be for a majority of the board to discuss public business privately and then to communicate their decisions or opinions to the public–it wouldn’t be the communication that was the problem, it would be the fact that they conducted business outside of the public’s view.
Unfortunately, it seems like we are past the point where the board can speak as a unit. It seems like we are even past the point when board members speak to each other. But I think it is even more unfortunate that the minority plan seems poorly thought out and short sighted, and as presented in the Mineola American, adds very little to the process of planning to meet the
financial challenges all districts in NYS are facing.
The majority plan addresses those challenges and positions this district to maintain programs in the face of serious financial constraints.
Initially I was against the closing of any schools, some part of me still is. I see that as a community, we are not as willing as I am to pay for the cost of operating with all the schools open. But one thing I said from the beginning and I believe is still valid today. We may have put the cart before the horse by voting to close 2 schools before a plan was in place. I think this helped the current instability and dissention we are facing.
That being said I did vote yes on the last bond and I will be voting yes on the budget vote. I see that many people here are ready to storm the castle over the comments by Mr. McGrath and Mrs. Perrino in the Mineola American. Although I don’t agree with everything they said, I do think they raised some valid points. The default option is problematic and I am concerned that it will cause people to push for changes in the future. I think that many parents are disturbed about the 5th and 8th grades moving up and I know people who have said that they will look for different educational options for their children. I don’t know if we will have the mass exodus John predicted but it does cause people to consider other choices. Unlike what John thought I think the last bond vote was close, only 300 vote difference with a low voter turnout.
One of the reasons that I supported the need for change was Dr. Nagler saying that we have to compromise in order to achieve an effective and productive school district. If Gov. Cuomo gets his 2% property tax cap passed it becomes even more important. So I am not willing to support the plan posted by Mr. McGrath in the Mineola American unless it comes with much more solid information on costs and future tax savings. I agree with some of the posters that spending 2 million to lower the tax burden for 1 year is wasteful. I don’t agree with them that the things he wrote shouldn’t be said, we should always be looking for ways to improve our district. Even if you don’t agree with them it doesn’t hurt to explore new ideas.
Now we need to work on getting this next budget passed and paying off the Willis Ave school so we can have the ability to sell or rent it. Maybe we could offset contruction on Jackson with that money and enable us in the future keep the 5th and 8th grades where they belong.
“The Roslyn rules of financial management”
Those guys didn’t even see $6M missing from their district and he wants to follow their lead?
John Mcgrath strikes again. To all those who have championed his agenda you should have heeded that old saying…be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. Well, we’re getting it now. John is deep into the hunt to block any kind of constructive long term fiscal solution to our school districts problems. In reading his ,and Ms. Perrino’s, rambling essay in The Mineola American I was struck as too how similiar it was to a Fidel Castro speech from his heyday. Castro would talk for hours but say nothing.In film from those speeches you could begin to see the faces of the victims glaze over and a painful look would appear. John, all you’re missing is the beard and the fatigues ! This essay would have us believe that a mass exodus of students will stream from our schools to St. Aidans as a result of our proposed changes. Why ? Because the 5th and 8th grades will advance sooner to different schools ? A poor scare tactic. Also, they would have us follow the example of the Roslyn school district and use our reserve fund to fix our budget for next year. They do not address the structural financial issues that will occur in the following years. But who cares ? We’ll drive off that bridge when we come it , right ? Welcome to the Alfred E. Newman world of school district management that these two folks would have for us. ” What, me worry.” Good Lord, first the Herricks school district merger and now the Roslyn rules of financial management. What next ? How about a focus on saving the outstanding programs that we have in this district without gimmicks and one shot fixes. How about putting this district on the road to a continuous run of balanced budgets as far as the eye can see. These goals cannot be reached with these constant narcissistic distractions. Time to go John.
I have to begin by saying that I am writing this as a concerned parent of 2 elementary school children. I am very upset, to say the least, at the things that have been going on within the Board of Education and the discord amongst the board members. I am not blaming anyone specifically, but I am very disturbed at the statements and actions by people that state they have taken into consideration the interests of the entire Mineola school district and its students when in reality they have their own agenda. I feel that there are people that are only looking out for themselves and not the interests of all of our students. The mission of our school district is “to inspire each student to be a life-long learner, pursue excellence, exhibit strength of character and contribute positively to a global society.” That is a wonderful inspiration for our children and students, but what kind of message are they receiving when some people feel that certain students deserve more than others? When I look at a child, no matter what their age, I see someone who can do anything they choose to do, without limitations, no matter where they live in the district, what their socioeconomic status is, or where they come from. They are students with dreams just like any of us, and deserve to receive the best support and education to try and achieve those dreams. I am not looking through rose-colored glasses – I am seeing the potential that any of our students have. I know there are divisions between people within the district, but it disgusts me when I hear people state that certain groups deserve more than others due to their income, race or status. Since when does education in the Mineola Schools differ because of where you come from or how much money your family has?
I remember growing up in Mineola and graduating in 1994 with a great sense of accomplishment. This wasn’t due to my grades per say, but due to the caring teachers I interacted with, the classes I enjoyed, and the sense of a family and community that I felt amongst everyone. Why else would I return to Mineola to teach? Or to live in? Or to raise my children in and have them attend the very schools I was so proud of? I believed, and yes, I am speaking in the past tense right now, that this was the place that I wanted my children to receive an education that I felt would help them to become well-rounded individuals. Unfortunately, due to some board members and their actions, I no longer feel this way. I am doubting whether it is worth staying here in the district that I loved, with the teachers and values that I admired. The sad part is that I don’t know if this is where I want my children to grow and receive an education. Do I want them to deal with all the changes that are still unknown? The next school year is one plan, but what about the next? How much change is too much for our students? And in the end, how is it fair that a certain few rule over the fate of the rest? I am disappointed in how things have developed the last few weeks. I know everyone has their own agenda but in the end, there is only one truly important thing – the children of OUR district deserve the best, period! The one thing we need to teach our children is how to come together for the better of everyone, not just the elite few!
l would like nothing better than to live here, have my children educated here and be PROUD that my children graduate from the same school I did. But the way things are going right now, I’m not sure that it is in their best interest. I am very sad and upset that I am even considering moving, but it is a possibility. My children come first and if I feel that they are going to be engulfed in politics and stuck in the middle of those who are only looking out for themselves, then I have to reconsider where I choose to school my children. This is not an easy statement, but it is one I am considering. A parent wants the best for their child and the craziness that is going on within this district right now is scary to me. I hope that people begin to open their eyes to what is going on and to stand up for what is best for the children of the Mineola School District. Please go out and get as much information as possible. That is all I ask.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, it seems John and Irene feel they are entitled to their own facts. Without sorting through the ramblings of this letter I will get straight to their “plan”:
Spending $2,000,000 from our reserves to lower the tax levy for one year. The following year we will be in the same boat as we are now but the States 2% cap will likely be in place. We will have three elementary schools and no way to fund them and no reserves left to close the gap.
The majority plan uses those funds to create cost cutting improvements to the current configuration which will be in place for decades to come and the savings will be realized every year.
Besides the fact that this has become some individual crusade by one person and his shill to derail a plan that has been researched by countless committees, administrators, researchers, and paid consultants, now they suggest flushing $2,000,000 down the proverbial toilet for a one year reprieve from the inevitable. The arrogance of somebody to feel he alone holds the answer to a global economic reality is staggering. School districts throughout the country are scrambling to consolidate and reconfigure in a frenzy to meet the new fiscal realities. Mineola has been proactive and the plan was well underway to meet this challenge before it arrived. But for a lone voice, that spews misinformation, the process could move ahead and be the envy of most districts. It’s time to stifle that voice and keep moving ahead.
It is my personal opinion that John McGrath has lost touch with his role in this community and his position on the Board of Education. I suggest the board take action to put an end to his disseminating false and misleading information to us, the residents and voters of the district. It is in the boards best interest to put an end to letters signed, and I quote: “Mineola Board of Education Trustees”….unless they have agreed, in the majority, to publish such letters.
Two questions:
1. Is it legit for any two members of the BOE to break off from the rest and communicate as a unit? We elect five for a reason.
2. Protocol? If there isn’t any, perhaps some should be established. With hope, it would include a statute of limitations on time-sensitive discussions such as this. At what point is a discussion concluded?
At no time did either Mr. McGrath or Mrs. Parrino ever speak to the three other board members to discuss their “plan”. When I asked Mr. McGrath at a public board meeting what his idea was for reconfiguration, his response was, “I will let you know.” He didn’t. The first time he let us know about his idea of merging with Herricks was through the local newspapers. He did not find it necessary to speak with his fellow BOE members or our own taxpayers first. I found his latest plan outlined on Facebook this morning and read his and Mrs. Parrino’s other thoughts and comments for the first time this afternoon in the Mineola American, many of which are untrue, as stated by Dr. Nagler.
Have any of their “facts” been verified by anyone outside of themselves? We know they have never spoken to the board or Dr. Nagler regarding their plans. Mr. Waters? The Finance Committee? Are they saying they have better insight as to the lay-out of our buildings or the number of classrooms our buildings can hold than Dr. Nagler and his staff? Do they know all the intricate and complicated details of what they are proposing? Personnel, transportation, resources, etc.? Dr. Nagler has spent countless hours planning and consulting, first with the CCC, who went down the road of countless reconfiguration plans, each of which was looked at in great detail by many eyes and ears. He has also met with his administrative and financial team and consulted with them. Has Mrs. Parrino or Mr. McGrath presented any more than what they “think”? Sorry, taxpayers, but we know you are much smarter than that and our children certainly deserve better than that.
We all know what a difficult process this has been for the entire school community but Mr. McGrath and Mrs. Parrino’s unwillingness or lack of ability to have an open and honest discussion at a PUBLIC meeting where facts and fallacies can be discussed with those who have those facts, is completely mystifying and incredibly disappointing to me, as it should be to the entire community.
It’s a shame that Dr. Nagler has to waste his time debunking falsehoods spread by our Board members, the very people who should be the most informed. Anyone who has been listening understands by now why we have to close two schools and how we are moving forward to achieve that.