Jennifer Morrison, superintendent of the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park school district, confirmed a seemingly obvious but often overlooked precept: if you want insight into what needs to be improved in a school, talk to the students.
During Monday’s Board of Education meeting, Morrison said she met with all four student councils in the different schools within the span of a week to hear feedback from the students.
Overall, she said, the students feel safe and happy to be at school.
As for improvements, Morrison said, the students listed better school lunches, better water fountains – and, of course, longer recess.
The students also mentioned having more substitute teachers for noncore classes such as art and physical education, so these classes are not canceled when a teacher is out, Morrison said.
The limited number of substitute teachers in the district was also raised by a resident who attended Monday’s meeting, which began with a budget input session from the public.
“We have a serious shortage of subs and when we don’t have subs … kids are losing services because of that,” he said.
He said the board should consider incentives, such as higher pay, to encourage retired teachers to come back as substitutes.
According to the man, surrounding districts pay about $150 a day for substitute teachers. Monday night, the board voted to pay substitute teachers $125 a day.
“I think it’s something the board has to seriously look at,” he said. “I know there’s been some talk about hiring subs without certification and that has big concerns for us, especially having parents subbing.”
Morrison said the substitute shortage is an island-wide issue.
She added that the board has taken steps to alleviate the problem, including changing the policy to make it less difficult for substitutes to get hired and shortening the waiting period. For example, she said, physicals and tuberculosis tests are no longer mandatory for substitute candidates.
“If you send a substitute teacher, a qualified person, we are going to interview them on the spot,” Morrison said.
She said that while it is not ideal to have noncertified teachers in the classroom, it does help out.
As far as parents subbing, Morrison said it is up to the discretion of the principal.
Parents are not allowed to sub in classes with their own children, and will be asked not to return if they act unprofessionally, she said.
“We’re going to have to really have common sense,” Morrison said. “To me it doesn’t make any type of sense to exclude anyone when you need a substitute teacher when we can’t have art, music, reading or any of those activities and it’s not for a lack of trying.”
At the meeting, the board also honored Patricia Olive, who served as the board’s clerk for 10 years.
Trustee Ernest Gentile said Olive was a lovely lady and diligent worker.
On behalf of the board, Gentile said Olive will be greatly missed.
Olive could not attend the event as she was not feeling well, according to Gentile.
Leslie DiBernardo, Morrison’s secretary, will serve as district clerk until the position is filled.
