The Rockville Centre school district learned last week that it has successfully challenged a lawsuit filed over the winter by Nassau County Legislator Roger Corbin to shift the payment of real estate tax refunds from Nassau County to school districts and other local entities. more

On the board more

As they have at recent Central District Board of Education sessions, roughly a half-dozen parents and members of a recently formed, ad hoc community group, Time for Turf, spoke again at the Oct. 7 board meeting, reiterating their desire to see artificial-turf football fields at Calhoun, Kennedy and Mepham high schools. And, they said, they're not going away. In two recent meetings at which Time for Turf members spoke, they were unchallenged in their calls for synthetic-turf fields, with Central District officials primarily listening to their concerns and, most recently, forming a district committee to examine ways to improve all of Central's 31 athletic fields at its three high schools and two middle schools. This time, the calls for artificial turf were met by vocal opposition from Fred Kleiman, a local resident. Repeatedly noting the per-field cost for synthetic turf of more than $1 million, Kleiman said it would be "fiscally irresponsible" of the Central District to consider such a proposal, given that it would likely mean a property-tax increase amid a deep recession. more

After the television show “Inside Edition” aired an episode last March underscoring the risks of students driving during school days, officials in the Valley Stream Central High School District began reevaluating its own student-driving policy. more

In an effort to encourage middle school students to strive for lifestyles that promote healthy bodies and minds, parents Cathy Lucas and Leticia Pickett organized an interactive Health and Safety Fair that was held at South Side Middle School on Sept. 30. more

Board of Education Public Work Session, Oct. 13, 8:30 p.m. in the Administration building. Board of Education Meeting, Oct. 20, 8:30 p.m. in the South Side High School auditorium. SEPTA … more

If the Rockville Centre school district has its way, residents will approve a bond financing major improvements to South Side High School — and possibly other district schools — that could mean an increase in taxes of $185 for the average homeowner when all the money is borrowed. The district’s plan is tentatively scheduled for a mid-December vote, so that proposed renovations to South Side High School can start as soon as school ends in June. more

Rockville Centre schools physician, Dr. Mark Sperber, was joined at the Sept. 22 school board meeting by the district’s nurse practitioner, Tara Algerio-Vento, to present a brief update on guidelines for dealing with the H1N1 flu. more

School districts will have more time to prepare students for this year’s state tests, but the schedule change caught some officials by surprise. more

Calhoun, Kennedy and Mepham high schools all celebrated Homecoming on Saturday, and students had a blast at the pre-game parades and at the big football games, despite all three home teams losing. Calhoun went down to Massapequa, 24-20. Kennedy lost a heartbreaker to Division, 21-20, after being up 20-0 at halftime. And Mepham was overpowered by No. 4 seed Wantagh, 30-7. more