Having lived in East Williston for almost four decades, I can testify to the constructive use that the beautiful, grassy knoll behind our North Side School provides members of our community.
To place a fence around our North Side School’s backyard-lawn is to put a blight on East Williston and make our beautiful school and its immediate environs resemble schools in the boroughs of New York City.
At present, mini-stanchions prevent vehicles from riding onto our school’s beautiful lawn.
Having been an educator for almost 40 years in the capacities of teacher, supervisor, and administrator, I fully embrace ensuring the safety of our students.
However, if students are allowed onto our school’s back lawn during school hours, they should be kept closer to the school’s building for safety’s sake and, not near the adjacent street areas.
If this approach doesn’t suffice for safety, then students should not be allowed onto the lawn.
Judicious use of our schools’ facilities must take into consideration the well-being of the neighborhood in which a school is located, as well as the well-being of its students.
Our East Williston School Board would do well to remember that students attend North Side School for only a few years.
Many residents in East Williston may live here and, have lived here for a lifetime.
Parents enjoy taking their children to North Side School’s back-lawn in the evenings for various games, for walking, and/or for simply enjoying its beautiful ambiance.
Making North Side School look like one of the fenced-in schools in New York City, surrounded by family residences, would diminish the quality of life for everyone living in the East Williston community and, for its students.
In addition, making North Side School’s students see a fence around the school’s property as they gaze through our school’s windows or play in the playground, is akin to making our students feel like they are attending one of the city’s schools.
Is this why our East Williston Union Free School District’s parents pay the high taxes that residents pay?
I think not.
Note to the East Williston School Board: Don’t fence North Side School’s students in and, don’t fence our neighborhood’s residents out.
Kathy Rittel
East Williston
