UPDATE: Laria Named Glen Cove Superintendent

cc March 1, 2011 at 11:52 am

What about the money spent of a search firm looking for the new superintendent? Do we get a refund? More money flushed down the toilet?

JL March 1, 2011 at 01:01 pm

Interesting perspective cc, perhaps it would have been better to rush in and choose any joe from the block to lead our schools without a search? Or maybe the fact that there are over 10 open superintendent positions on LI makes the pool of perspectives who will do well for us less competetive. it looks to me that we've found a good thing and he's aggreed to stay for the long haul.
Bob yes! let's hold the children and quality of education hostage over teacher contract negotiations, if they don't "cooperate" we'll all vote no, regardless! Sounds like a GREAT plan.

Zefy Christopoulos March 1, 2011 at 07:55 pm

Just a note....we have yet to hear from the GCTA regarding what they are willing to sacrifice to save jobs...most of which are positions held by the freshly-minted men and women who decided to pursue this most honorable profession. The media is full of stories detailing how teachers' unions in school districts throughout Long Island are stepping up to the plate and "giving back." Keeping our teachers ensures the sustainability of the district's myriad educational programs while keeping class sizes to a number that will increase our students' opportunities for achievement.

JL March 3, 2011 at 12:50 pm

As a family that went from working in a LI school district and only paying $25 a month for full family health benfits to becoming small business owners paying $2200/month with a $5000 deductable I can understand your frustration regarding benefits. BUT, there are many more factors to working out the budget and I don't believe its success or failure should be based soley on the teacher's contract negotiations. Do you have any idea of the impact of voting down the budget will be, what being on a contingency budget would look like? Because of other factors, inlcluding but not limited to, loss of aid and higher benfits in order to keep a 3% tax levy increase means cuts in excess of 3M. Being on contingency would mean cuts in excess of 4M and the extreme loss of jobs, sports, fine arts, not to mention the restrictions on capital improvements which have been ignored over the years and are finally being paid attention to. Voting no on the budget means elementary class size increase and pay to play sports. The sucess of the schools is not only important to the kids and the future but is also vital to the sucess of the community, it is why new families choose a district and that impacts home values. This effects all, regardless of whether you have children in the public schools. Attending the upcoming BOE budget meetings would be a good start for the community to hear the facts from all parties regarding the workings of the budget and the outlook for programs in out schools.

Martin Carmody March 4, 2011 at 09:15 pm

What have been the "give backs" contributed by other school disctrict unions. Please be specific. It's nice to have new teachers, but why are the veteren teachers who have dedicated their lives to the profession the bad guys? Is it because the experienced teachers make more money than the newly hired?
Bob, you said: "In other words, it's (GCSD) going to have to provide the very best education it can with the limited resources it's going to have. I believe that there will be a period of adjustment to this new reality...." - I do not like the idea of a lesser, inexpensive education for public educated children.

Martin Carmody March 6, 2011 at 05:38 pm

Sorry, Bob. The GCTA did approach the GC School Board last year with ideas and the school board told them that school board would not discuss them. It is nice of the school board to marginalize the involvement of the teachers and then allow you to blame the teachers for not cooperating.
Glen Cove teachers already contribute to their health care and to their pension plan. The wages of employees are the biggest expense in every corporation; why is it a surprise that it is also the largest expensive in a school district. Glen Cove teachers are among the lowest paid on Long Island. The average spending per child in Nassau public schools is $16,950. Glen Cove spends $17,000 per child, right in the middle.

Rob Germino March 6, 2011 at 06:26 pm

Martin, according to the New York State Department of Education's data, Glen Cove School District currently spends $23,031 per pupil. This is lower than Roosevelt and Hempstead school districts that spend $29,421 and $26,243 respectively (just don't tell Elaine Gross of ERASE Racism that--it punches holes in her "structural racism" theory).

An tUasal Airgead March 6, 2011 at 11:55 pm

Other School District salary news
http://syosset.patch.com/articles/syosset-teachers-agree-to-freeze-salaries http://wantagh.patch.com/articles/seaford-school-administrators-sacrifice-pay-increase-for-next-year School contracts http://www.seethroughny.net/Contracts/TeacherSuperintendentContracts/tabid/54/Default.aspx School salaries http://www.seethroughny.net/PayrollsPensions/tabid/55/Default.aspx Glen Cove District report card https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/District.do?year=2010&county=NASSAU&district=280100010000

Tess March 7, 2011 at 04:33 pm

I havent read the comments yet (above) ...........but I do have one thing to say to the school board and to the superintendent........ In your adult education classes -- will you please finally add a class to teach people who want to learn Spanish! ............You seem to have classes for the spanish to learn English, but you don't have it for us non-speaking spanish people - to learn Spanish..........which is kinda ridiculous since we have such a huge community of spanish speaking people...... wouldnt you think that we would like to learn how to speak their language too?.... Please add this class in every future adult education classes.

Martin Carmody March 7, 2011 at 04:42 pm

Robert, would you please send me the New York State goverment link with the spending per child data.
Bob, it is nice to hear you say that you do not demonize teachers. Today’s political rhetoric is directed at teachers as the problem with schools and taxes. I question what amount of this rhetoric is misogynistic. Last time, the school board did not even sit down to discuss the issues with the teachers. Will they work with the teachers this time around?

Martin Carmody March 7, 2011 at 04:53 pm

This is the site I refferenced for the spending per child:
http://www.longislandschools.com/districts/glen-cove-city.html

jd March 31, 2012 at 02:54 am

fyi, unless you retained a search firm, most are contingent and are only paid upon hiring someone. :)