O’Side Board of Ed meets

The Oceanside Board of Education celebrated School Board Appreciation Month at their Oct. 19 meeting. Among the points of discussion were updates on the district’s capital improvement program and lead testing, recommendations of tenure, Oceanside High School’s Siemens Semifinalists, results of an external audit and more.

The meeting started off with a celebration of the board’s often thankless task. The members work for no salary and praise is rare. Oceanside’s PTA group presented them with a new cloth banner to place on their table, and the Oceanside High School’s Thespian Troup put on a dance routine.

The board announced that phase three of its capital improvement plan is drawing to a close. Air conditioning in the School No. 6 auditorium was working and the only remaining projects were renovations of the auditorium’s bathrooms.

Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Harrington also announced a smart bond plan that is currently in the works. The purpose of the bond is to modernize the district’s digital network infrastructure. The board will vote on the bond in the coming months after the financial and architectural specifics are worked out.

Harrington also gave an update on the district’s lead water testing results. The results were outlined in the Oct. 20 edition of the Herald and are available to view on the district’s website. The board was not sure if it would be reimbursed for the costs involved in testing and remediating water in the schools. According to Assistant Superintendent for Business and Treasurer Christopher Van Cott, the total money spent on testing and remediation was $17,800.

Harrington also announced her recommendations for tenure at the Oct. 19 meeting. Among the selectees were, High School Associate Principal Keith Mekeel, Associate Principal Joelle Mazun, Coordinator of Elementary Special Education Diana DeGiorgio, Executive Director of Special Education Debra Kienke.

Result’s of the district’s external audit were presented. Board President Kimberly Grim Garrity was happy to announce that this year was the first time she can remember that the district had no recommendations from the auditors. A representative from the external auditor announced that there were no outstanding problems with the district’s financials.

The board discussed Oceanside High School’s two Siemens semifinalists, Sarah Romanelli and Nathan Gershengorin, whose scientific research projects were recognized by the national scientific community.