The Mineola Board of Education approved changes to the school district calendar at last Thursday night’s board meeting to make up for six days lost at elementary and middle schools and seven days in the high school due to Hurricane Sandy.
The decision was made on a recommendation by Mineola Superintendent of Schools Michael Nagler to shorten the February break by opening school on Feb. 21 and 22, as well as May 24. Snow makeup days will be Feb. 19 and 20, with schools in session if snow days occur before those dates.
The district is required to hold school for 180 days in order to receive state aid. Should their vacation days be exhausted and the district falls below 180 days, they can apply for a waiver of up to five days of state aid from the Commissioner of Education.
“Myself, and the rest of the board, sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience this will cause anyone,” Nagler said.
To make up the days, the board had to choose to cut either the February or March break short. Board members agreed that more people are likely to make vacation plans during the March break. Their decision also includes shortening the Mineola Marching Band’s Disney World trip to Florida in February from five nights to four nights.
The district has 182 instructional days, and one superintendent conference day for a total of 183 days. With six days lost to the hurricane and Nor’easter and assuming there are no snow days for the rest of the year, the district will be able to meet their 180-day requirement
The 2012-13 school year began on Aug. 29 to allow for a snow day and give extended breaks. However, the state education department is currently not acknowledging Aug. 29 and 30 as part of the 180 days.
“There is legislation going on now trying to change that, and I am hopeful it will work out,” Nagler said.
Nagler said the most pressing issue for the district was losing internet and phone service. He said he used power from a Starbucks in Garden City to send out the first notices following the storm.
“The following day, all of Garden City was at that Starbucks trying to get internet connection,” Nagler said.
Nagler recommended acquiring a generator for the network operation center, which houses all servers and internet connections for the district; a POT (plain old telephone) service; and a backup Internet connection. The district’s Internet service is connected through BOCES, which lost power during the hurricane.
“We’re dependent on them, and if one of their wires gets cut, we’re effected,” Nagler said.
Nagler also suggested evaluating how the district fuels its buses.
“Right now, we go all the way down to Brush Hollow Road and Jericho Turnpike to fuel up…they are one of the few stations big enough to hold buses and accept the credit card we use,” Nagler said
Nagler has reached out to Village of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss for a possible partnership with the village on fueling their buses.
“This is a preliminary discussion that will go into the next few weeks,” Nagler said.
In other developments:
• The school board awarded a generation construction contract, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical and fire alarm work for the Meadow Drive School library project to J. Cole Construction Inc., for $939,000. Nagler said concrete is ready to be poured for the job and the contractor will work through the cold weather.
• The Jackson Avenue School bus lane project was set to have begun on Monday. The contractor, Stasi Brothers, said construction of the bus lane on Saville Road will take one week.
Updated on November 16 – The Mineola School District shortened the Marching Band’s trip to Disney in February from five nights to four nights.
