In response to two recent articles by Robert Pelaez, “Cuomo set to rule on school openings” and “School district submits reopening plan to state” on the front page of the Aug. 7 edition of the Great Neck News, it is important to note that Great Neck School District is experiencing an absolute failure to communicate and our children are going to pay the price for this hapless approach.
I share this observation as a longtime supporter of our school system, someone who spent two years serving on the Board of Education’s Citizen Advisory Committee, and as someone who has long been involved in the community as the former president of the Gold Coast Arts Center.
Parents are begging for information about what the district has planned for the fall, and yet, each communication from the superintendent and the Board of Education offers nothing more than a graciously defiant “we know better than you” approach.
As Gov. Cuomo notes, “he trusts parents more than any other affected stakeholder,” so why doesn’t the Great Neck School District?
As a parent of three children who attended two different schools in the district last year, I can attest that Great Neck’s approach to remote learning was dreadful at best (at worst, outright malpractice.).
By failing to address the foundational problems of the last school year and by failing to engage those affected in the community – and regardless of whether or not our school buildings reopen – the Great Neck School District, and those empowered to lead it, will fail our children.
My frustration is not about schools opening in person; rather, it is entirely based on what level of education our children (not just mine) will receive going forward.
Though the circumstances (COVID-19) of the current moment remain out of our control, as parents we are well justified to petition the district to do better, to do more, and to communicate about contingency plans that should have been in place long ago.
Given the facts that the school board serves at the pleasure of the community and the district is in the business of educating our children, as a parent I must ask why are we allowing a small few to squander the educational opportunities we sought for our children when we chose to live here?
In deciding parent voices don’t need to be heard as part of the reopening process, the Board of Education has signified to the community that this moment is like all others – that the business of the school district is the business of the Board of Education and they always know best.
That leaves me to wonder if Great Neck Schools will miraculously deliver a best-in-class approach in the fall? Or will they falter again if a full remote only option is forced upon this community, just as it was in the spring? Only time will tell. Nonetheless, one thing is certain. Parent apathy must wane and the board and superintendent must be held accountable.
I understand the level of responsibility that rests on Superintendent Prendergast and the administration, as well as the members of the Board of Education. However, each of them also has a responsibility to do better by our children.
I implore Superintendent Prendergast and members of the Board of Education not to waste this moment. If they do, I am certain the community will remember the burden of dysfunctional governance and ineffectual management that has been placed on us and our children.
Superintendent Prendergast and members of the Board of Education: please communicate your intentions, share your concerns, encourage parent engagement, and stop acting as if this situation is only yours to address.
Tell us what you’ve done to ready our schools for the various learning scenarios that remain possible. Tell us what resources and professional development training you have provided over the summer to better equip our educators for remote learning.
And please, tell us how you plan to improve student monitoring to ensure their needs are met and their successes are ensured.
Michael S. Glickman
Great Neck
