East Rockaway Schools hold reorganization meeting
Linda Schmidt president; two new members welcomed
A warm welcome awaited newly-elected East Rockaway Board of Education members Patti Nicoletti and Kristin Ochtera at the board’s reorganization meeting on Tuesday night at East Rockaway High School. The board also wasted no time diving into a new agenda of issues for the 2010-2011 school year to which the new board members joined the ranks.
The first order of business of the night was to swear in Nicoletti and Ochtera, who were thankful for their new roles. And other board members took on new responsibilities — Linda Schmidt, who was announced as the new president of the board for this upcoming year; Neil Schloth is this year’s vice president; and Michaelene Abbott-Cooper is the new secretary.
In addition, district officers were appointed and sworn in, including Deputy District Clerk Marcy Tannenbaum, who is also the Director of Finance and Operations; District Treasurer Vivian Zhang, District Clerk Denise Lobascio, and Deputy District Treasurer Linda Schmidt. The board approved the Lynbrook/East Rockaway Herald the Tribune for school to continue publishing school district legal notices.
For certain summer matters, the board extended summer transportation contracts with First Students, Inc., Veteran’s Transportation Company, Inc., and Suburban Bus Transportation, Inc. Members also approved summer school teaching appointments and the summer bridge program teaching appointments. The board adopted the proposed budget of $33,336,549 for 2010-11, which was approved after a revote in June. The board also accepted a donation for $4,000 from the East Rockaway Education Foundation to use for library resources.
Each of the board members expressed their sadness over Mayor Ed Sieban’s death on July 3. School Superintendent Roseanne Melucci said that district lost a true friend of education, while Schmidt said he was a “gentle giant” who was an advocate that made our community better. Abbott-Cooper also expressed her thoughts. “I am feeling the pain at the loss of our mayor,” Abbott-Cooper said. “He was an advocate for children. Our school system will somehow find a way to honor him.”
