Parents Question Merit Of Princeton Plan Idea [POLL]

A proposal to reconfigure Bayport-Blue Point School District’s elementary schools by grade level was unfavorably received by many parents at Tuesday night’s board of education meeting, despite the possible cost savings outlined by administrators.

Superintendent Anthony Annunziato said the possible implementation of the Princeton Plan, where elementary schools house two grade levels, would allow the school district to save $700,000 annually by reducing the elementary teaching staff from 49 to 41.

Administrators proposed using Blue Point Elementary for Kindergarten and first grade, Academy St. for grades two and three, and Sylvan Ave. for grades four and five. Currently, each elementary school houses grades Kindergarten through fifth grade.

“If we don’t switch to the Princeton Plan program cuts are probable, and we will have to explore a redistricting option,” Annunziato said.

He noted that closing an elementary school is not an option now because student population remains steady.

In addition, the superintendent at the meeting did not offer any specifics on the “redistricting option,” the mention of which caught the attention of many in the audience.

Residents cited the lack of information on redistricting and requested the district provide more facts on that option at the next meeting.

“If the redistricting plan is really a possibility we need the numbers,” resident Kim Paton said. “We need more numbers to better determine how do we take this and what the next step is.”

Despite the superintendent’s assertion that the school district needs to look for ways to save money as it faces New York State’s new property tax cap, parents at the meeting expressed a number of concerns about the Princeton Plan.

Those with multiple elementary-age children would face the possibility of having to pick up and drop off their children at different schools at the same time. In addition, some parents noted how switching schools several times throughout elementary grade levels and not having upperclassmen as role models could impact the children psychologically.

Blue Point resident Michelle Clune said she moved to the Bayport-Blue Point School District from Bay Shore after that school district switched to the Princeton Plan.

“My daughter’s favorite day in kindergarten was when the third graders came and read to her class,” she said. “They won’t have that anymore.”

Parents also asked administrators how switching to the Princeton Plan would solve the school district’s issue of reducing the budget to hold the line on property taxes and meet the state’s tax cap.

Annunziato noted that the Princeton Plan alone would not solve this problem and that other cuts would likely be needed.

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