B-BP School Board Meeting Notebook: Benefits, Courses, Calendar

The Bayport-Blue Point School District’s Board of Education discussed a variety of topics at its most recent meeting, including contracts and benefits, additional high school courses and a school calendar revision.

Superintendent Anthony Annunziato said as many as six district employees could come forward requesting health benefits from the school as a result of a recent revision to the language in their contracts. The “new language” allows an employee to choose to participate in the district health plan even if they are “afforded” (offered) insurance through a spouse, according to the superintendent.

“Based on current calculations six teachers qualify, and so far we’ve had two out of six come forward,” Annunziato said. “The cost to the district is between $180,000 and $20,000 per person, so if six come forward, that’s $120,000.”

Bayport-Blue Point High School Principal Timothy Hearney gave the board a preview of what’s on tap for the school come fall. Hearney said they are looking to encourage more students to participate in AP science courses, with a goal of starting students in chemistry earlier in their academic careers.

Hearney said certain students would begin their high school science curriculum with chemistry, rather than taking living environment as they have in the past. From there, students will move on to AP biology in tenth grade, and so on.

In addition, Hearney is seeking to implement more electives in 2012-13 as a means of exposing students to newly popular courses of study and to keep the number of kids with downtime during the school day as low as possible.

“We’d like to offer a half-year elective course in environmental science,” he said. “The number of kids who have study hall now at the high school is minimal.”

In addition, the high school will offer an course in 2012-13, most likely on a topic relative to continuing education.

“It will be a college readiness course, we’ll offer it as an elective for seniors,” Hearney said. “There will probably just be one (online blended) course in one section.”

Board trustee Andrea O’Neill brought a calendar change to the public’s attention. The district calendar had read that schools were open Jan. 2, 2012. Annunziato pointed out that schools are required to be closed by law on Jan. 2. Currently, the calendar on the district website is up-to-date with all revisions.

According to Annunziato, the district has two snow days available for the remainder of the school year. If a third is needed, he said they will use the Superintendent’s Conference Day in March.

Board of Education President Jim March said numerous residents have recently approached him, expressing an interest in learning what being a board member encompasses. March said he is considering holding an informal quorum or workshop.

“I’m willing to do a presentation for those aspiring to sit on this side of the table,” he said. “I would basically give them an idea of some of things required.”

O’Neill suggested that the district invite a board member from a neighboring district to provide another perspective for potential board members. The rest of the board noted their agreement.

Board trustee Jane Burgess asked March what the process would be to replace the two seats on the board that were omitted by referendum in 2010 for the current school year. The referendum called for the decrease of the board from nine to seven members; Burgess said the change has increased the workload for the existing board.

“I feel like it’s a lot more responsibility on us,” she said. Burgess added that she thinks a board of nine better represents the community than seven, “We’re missing a cross-section of the community now.”

March said a petition with a certain number of signatures would be required to bring the board back up to nine.

Stay tuned for more updates on the news reported in this article.