Community Update

The Board of Regents’ Regionalization Initiative remains a topic of concern for many of our residents and we continue to respond to inquiries. I’ll keep updating the Regionalization page on our website (an FAQ is coming soon) and we’re going to launch a separate community update next week so that our focus on Albany developments doesn’t bog down the lighter fare in these Friday notes. But for now, I want to share a few points:

Syosset has clearly and completely opposed any aspect of Regionalization that could have led to the concerns that we have heard from our community. Specifically: we have resisted any infringement on local control or local resources. We will only participate in regional efforts that benefit Syosset students (like the All-County Music Festival highlighted below).

In response to the concerns raised by Syosset and others, NYSED has taken two significant steps that have rendered the regulation toothless:

1. They have taken the unusual step of announcing their intention to bring amendments to the regulation even before the 60-day comment period had ended, essentially rendering the current Regionalization language outdated.

2. They have made repeated assurances in writing that any initiative born from Regionalization will be voluntary and subject to local approval, presumably signaling the clarifications they intend to make in the updated regulation.

The comment period for the current regulation expires on 11/25/24. Rather than comment further on regulation language NYSED has already announced they aim to change, we intend to take full advantage of the opportunity to comment on any new regulations, which will likely be announced at the Regents’ December 9th meeting and which will trigger a new minimum 30-day comment period. No permanent regulations can be adopted until the Regents’ January 13, 2025 meeting, so there will be ample time to mount muscular opposition, if the new regulations prove unsatisfactory or the Regents fail to make necessary changes.

Here’s what’s important: if everything remains optional, then nothing presents a threat. Conversely, if participation in some regional initiative becomes compulsory, we must – and we will – resist vigorously

Foundation Aid

At the last Board of Education meeting, I expressed my hope that all the attention on Regionalization would not present a distraction from the larger Albany threat posed by potential changes to over $25 billion in state funding to schools known as "Foundation Aid." Last January, the Governor proposed a cut of $200,000 in support for Syosset while proposing increases for other school districts — essentially redirecting resources we were expecting. The Legislature and Governor eventually reversed those cuts, but they enacted a plan to have the Rockefeller Institute propose changes “fiscally sustainable for the state, local taxpayers, and school districts”. Even the State Education Department has interpreted this to mean potentially deep cuts in funding to many school districts, which formed part of their rationale for proposing Regionalization. Fighting the cuts forestalls the need to advance Regionalization as a solution. The Rockefeller Institute is supposed to release its plan on December 1 and we should be ready to respond.

As I hinted last week, Mr. Bonanno and I made brief cameo appearances in HBT’s production of Frozen. My performance wasn’t anything special, but my cast-mates sure were. Several HBT students checked up on me off-stage to see if I was nervous (“yes, a little”) and to give me words of encouragement (“don’t worry, you’ll be great!”). I should be used to it by now, but the spontaneous kindness of our kids still sometimes takes me by surprise – especially when I’m the recipient. 💛

They’re not the only cast-mates about to shine – South Woods Middle School’s Drama Club will be performing The Absolutely True Story of King Arthur, a more “kid friendly” version of the Arthurian legend. The show is tonight at 7:30pm and tomorrow at noon. You can buy tickets at the door.

And, our High School ACT Club’s comedic Fall show Noises Off gives a behind-the-scenes look at a theater troupe’s final rehearsal before an upcoming touring production… and nothing seems to be going right. You can catch that show tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at this link.

Taking a different stage, Rock Band class students took over the student lobby this week – performing hits during lunch periods. This program started during the 2019-2020 school year with only nine students and has grown rapidly to three sections and 40 students. This course is an extension of our performing music program for students who are currently in band, orchestra, or chorus. It provides an opportunity for students who play instruments like guitar or electric bass to take full advantage of our award-winning ensemble music program. Our students love discovering music that was current in my day… and now classic in theirs.

Also music to my ears: there are 335 students across our District who have been selected as NYSSMA All County Musicians. Spanning grades 5 through 12, they were nominated by their teachers and accepted into the All County program based on their performance at NYSSMA this Spring. Students will perform with All County ensembles from across Nassau this coming January at the Tilles Center. I can’t wait to check it out!

Shifting from performing arts to fine arts: thirty of our student artists were selected for the Nassau County Juried Exhibit at the Art Guild of Port Washington. This is Syosset’s third year submitting pieces to the competition – from 12 pieces the first year to 16 the second, we now have 30 pieces being exhibited! The Art Guild of Port Washington is a nonprofit organization which encourages local artists to embrace their craft through education and exhibition. Congratulations to these amazing students! You can check out their work at this link.