By Janine Logan

A discussion about parent-teacher e-mail access dominated the public comment period at the November 17, 2003 meeting of the Babylon Schools board of education. Parents wondered why they have been unable to communicate with all teachers via e-mail and asked when e-mail communications between parents and teachers would become standard practice. This issue, as well as discussion of a $1.1 million surplus in the district’s most recent audited financial statement, accounted for a longer than usual meeting.

According to Superintendent Dr. William Bernhard, every teacher in the district has an e-mail address. However, the district does not require its teachers to access their e-mail or share their address with parents. Some teachers, however, voluntarily choose to share their e-mail addresses with parents.

Requiring teachers to utilize e-mail technology would fall under a discussion of work rules during contract negotiations. The current teachers’ contract will expire next June.

Richard Vultaggio, president of the Babylon Teachers Association, was present at the meeting and added that "nothing replaces personal communication and e-mailing becomes a matter of time."

Vultaggio added that a teacher deluged with dozens of e-mails would have difficulty responding in a timely manner, and it becomes a matter of diminishing returns, as time runs out.

"We best serve our children through visual and verbal communication," said Vultaggio. "A handwritten note or call to the teacher gets a quick response."

There are also legal implications inherent in e-mailing, because it is written communication, advised Bernhard.

Resident Kathy Hoffman pressed the issue further and asked what was the purpose of supplying each teacher with an e-mail address, if the technology is not used to communicate with parents? "I don’t see it benefiting us as a community," said Hoffman. She asked that this issue be put on the table when the district engages in contract negotiations with teachers. Currently, the district utilizes teachers’ e-mails for internal purposes.

Former board of education member Roger Katz questioned the $1.1 million surplus appearing in the district’s June 30, 2003 audited financial report. The surplus resulted when interest costs dropped and less funds were needed for contingency purposes, explained the Superintendent.

State education law allows districts to maintain a surplus equivalent to no more than 2 percent of the prior year’s expenditures. Any excess is returned to the taxpayers.

"Last year, we returned $700,000 to the community," said Bernhard. "A surplus is a good thing, because it allows you to reduce taxes the following year."

Bernhard said it is difficult to budget for contingencies, but necessary. Expenses not planned for could include sick time accrual payments to retiring teachers.

Residents in attendance said surplus monies could be used to purchase the expensive graphic calculators required in high school and to offset the district’s health benefits costs.

Other Highlights:

•Resident Katz asked why Internet access wiring for Elementary School computers wasn’t part of capital construction plan. Superintendent Bernhard explained the plan was always to have the wiring done separately by the company with which the district has a contract. "I don’t believe it wasn’t in the project from the start," said Katz. "Someone missed it. Now we’re paying for it again."

•2003 Budget Exit Poll results showed that as age increased percentage of those who voted yes decreased. Conclusions: Voters in the 18 - 25 year age category more likely to vote yes, but represent smallest group of voters. A total of 2080 votes were cast; 837 residents completed the survey.

•Grade School: English Language Arts Program for those at risk for not meeting state standards was expanded. Grade School received national recognition for its Character Education Program.

•High School: Designated as Electronic Doorway Library on advanced Status by Western Suffolk BOCES due to the school’s Internet access.

•District’s Goals Progress Report: Transition of the Elementary School from a K-1 building to a K-2 learning center is complete. School’s Library Book Sponsorship Program underway. Residents can purchase books from a Wish List for the new library in their family’s name.

•Fiscal Equity: Superintendent Bernhard advised the board and community about the Campaign for Fiscal Equity that could affect the way state aid formulas are calculated. The New York City board of education recently brought suit against the state regarding how districts are funded. The district and resident need to keep an eye on this issue, advised Bernhard. The Babylon School District is a member of REFIT, a lobbying organization that works with local and state legislators to ensure fairness of formulas.

•The district recently received a $50,000 unrestricted grant from the state through the office of State Senator Owen Johnson. Resident Kathy Rende motioned that this grant be used toward the purchase of books for the new library in the elementary school.