{ title: 'The leader. (Freeport, N.Y.) 1941-1987, August 27, 1981, Page 7, Image 7', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn95071064/1981-08-27/ed-1/seq-7/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn95071064/1981-08-27/ed-1/seq-7.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn95071064/1981-08-27/ed-1/seq-7/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn95071064/1981-08-27/ed-1/seq-7/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: Freeport Memorial Library
B A r f I 5J A Cornmunffy Is. ntlghbon sharing common /nfcrosfs and goals An Updote Of The Baldwin School District * tyJoan Delaney ->tThc following is the beginning b{ a two-part series. This personal report by LEADER- reporter Joan Delaney is a status update on the Baldwin School District. It is based on an exclusive two-hour interview with Baldwin Superintendent Dr. Rolland Jones, as well as on back- grt'und information developed over Mrs. Delaney's five years’ ex perience reporting on the Baldwin communiiv. tional experience. He was di- Hlstoty Is like a mosaic made up of many small pieces which form a whole* and like a mosaic with vibrant reds, greens and blues, some parts ofl&tory, even as they occur, are obviously rec ognized as important. Others, like the whites,'tans and grays of a aupennienoenx lor ousmca». a mosaic, at firsit may seem insigni-' depth of business experience and ficanl. With the passage o riim e . awareness of compVkated finan- however, they often seem to be- cial procedures were added to t ^ come more important and may in district staff. Dr. Phyllis A lm e n ^ fact, turn out to be the events or was appointed district adminis- people which ehhet initiated trator fw personnel bnoging her changed held things together. practical knowledge as a teac^ r and supervisor to her role as the The last five years in the Bald* district’s contact with individual —win-School-Dlstrict have-been, r ■ mosaic of people and events beli together in a framework of time. The importance of each piece might have varied, but with lus* torical perspective, each has af* fected and brought about the enti ty which is the Baldwin School District of today. The first piece in the mosaic is the people. In 1978, Dr. Frederick The Energy Bond Issue - A Short History reeled to guide the district through a comprehensive reor ganization and to consider many con^rns which had either been postponed or ignored over the years. With the appointment of Richard Dopsovic as Assistant Superintendent for business. \ by Joan Delaney BALDWIN - In fcccnl >e»rs, the detcrioriation o f the grounds ar.d buildings oflhc Baldwin School District, as well as repairs and renova tions which are necessary to combat energy waste, have become appar- e n t. During last winter, a breakdown of the heating system in Shubert School created a ncar^crisis condition and unexpectedly funds had to be appropriated for repairs. Prompted-by that, as well as standards. He said that in the . complaints by residents of un- opinion of his staff n»ring and siehtly maintenance conditions, heating are the most critical areas the Baldwin School Briard and but that fortunately they also Administration began an in-house have the slkrtest pay back oenod investigation.to determine long- in terms of energy savings. Win- terro buUding and maintenance' low 5 ^ 1 PTA de^t wift its regular con- ^ great that it coold not be cems including bike safety, c^^fccted by funds in a yearly fire safety, general legislation, budget, the concept of an energy Amblyopia screening and numerr evolved, ous other items. In additioD, two during the winter, the School Baldwin units co-sponsored - an g ^ r d developed a preliminary emergency resolution, which was bond issue of approximately S4 passed unanimously at State Con- million. However, it became evi- vention and subsequently sent to (hat the existing administra PTA Plans New Year By Cathy Cunningham. President, Baldwin PTA Council Regarding the oatsWe of budd ings. Mignone said tbat .be has “ never seen a district with masonry in worse repair.” T h e , coodhioo of H u b e r Junior nfgh^ School was particularly noted. A video-tape of Harbor School showed numerous roofing prob-^ lems which Mignofie said exist in many of the district’s schools. Parttctilar gmphr*** *•'** given to selves, ueciming enrunmem, which was gradual, suddenly seemed to become obvious. The :hange in the ethnic nature of the community • became significant and a concern to some residents. With runaway inflation it sudden ly became almost impossible to* the people. In 19/d, u r. rrcoenca project costs like utUities^^els. Shore-retired as Superintendent paper and transpor^oon.^em* of Schools. His method of tunning Buenceof the unions •Jie district was based on a vast stronger and telaoons became knowledge and control of fi- strained as contract talks became nances. Board meetings were antagonisdc. Federal and Slate quality programs, to the educa tion of the lundicapped and to the traditional values which the Baldwin community expected from its schools. With tus retireraent also came the retirement of District Clerk Marguerite Engels, a person whose job functions exceeded her job description. Clerical, business and transportation responsibil ities were all within her realm. Monon Thau, director of pemon- nel and .^.Uiii P“P)' h a r a p p w e d 't h e theory of ele- also b r o ^ h t a „,eitu ^ school closings, resulted K n c c .p r t r f e s s i o r i ^ k n ^ - h ^ d establishment of a rest- sheer insunrt to the district _ ^ militant When he died. snbrequent B ^ d P ■ uie cWl dreu involved an enormous amount of teacher time and spe cial services. Open meetings laws had an impact on the awareness by the community of the dealings of the district. Lay-offs of younger teachers, because of declining en rollment and seniority rules, caused concern. A proposed reor ganization. which would close some elementary schools and es tablish two grade centers and which was loosely based on a qucstionaire in which residents the vandalism of lead^atcd rop- lu •• — _ ___ P^*“ ducts, drains and flsshings M l ir e p r o b iiZ 7 u h x r |» i'n L t which h»ve resulted in water energy bond question was tablfd damage. Delenoration of roof with assurances that it would be surfaces was especially apparent considered sgiin in the not too with newly repaired a \ \ . “ distant future ® , . . , the older sections. After a penod or m t e ^ ^ g vandalirm. Mig- consnltants. the Boud „one slated that beer bottles hive Mignone and Associates as ««hi- dUcoveted in roof areas tects to develop an which were difficnlt for profea- survey. They were barged with Udders and assist- nncovering all of ‘h ' anceluclimb. . . - ^ needs in the xfcxs of ^ f i n g . question of the method of heating and boilers, electrical and t(,e repairs was dis- obseroed the lighting, windows, doors, mason- „ „ her 21. We urge all parenu to repairs, site work and fire and approved in have theu children P ^ c 'P * ^ Occident safety. It was i ^ d prepsHtion and and M learn the rules of safe bi- ,,,ould be identified d e V work for al- evenifit would not be possible for - . j — the Board to tndodc all of the items in an energy bond refer- endum. On August 12. after three months of work. Mignone and of drug paraphernalia through mail order catalogues. There was much follow up on this resolution and another paired at convention concerning some suggestive jean commercials. Council and the individual units urged members to write and express their con cern. This year Baldwin PTA Council will continue to be involved with ___ several annual events, including the areas of roofing. Bike Safety Week, which will be boilers, electrical and observed the week of Seplcm- windows, doors, mason cycling as this is becoming an increasing FTA concern with the apparent increase in bicycle accidents. We will also observe Fire Pre vention Week and disseminate materials provided by the Bald win Fire Department- We will again attend conven tion and inform our members of FTA concerns throughout the state. In early February, Council will host our annual Lcgislattns’ —^ p p e r .at-«hich.time local and. meetings were often filled with references to him... Well, Mortie -how did Mortie do it?” In 1978, Superintendent Rm- land Jones came to the district with 29 years of previous cduca- and effective in changing the composition of the Board of Edu cation. Finally after a period of divi- sivencss. things began to fail into place. The Board of Education (Cor!, on Pagefl) state legislators graciously answer questions of concern posed by representatives of mem ber units. ,, In particular. Council ax well « the three units involved will watch with interest the expected closing of the Baldwin Junior High in June of 1982 and the tCont. on Pace 61 most a year from that date. Work would then begin on schools to which the Board gives first prior ity and would continue over approximately three years. months OI * -me question of the financing ©I A s s ^ t e s presented therrsuree^ the bond issue was delaUed and to the Biard ‘ f ** * * complicated. According to Dopso- Purmg those three \non“ » vie, it is expected that 8S^i of the p e r s ^ y ^ ^ d Ac 50% sUte aidable. tnet-s «hrol ^ n d s met ^ financing, includ- wrth A^m uU^tion s * ^ d consideration of interest principals A w i s ^ t S u ^ r a - ^ * ^ ^ ”vic ^ id ”h T “ ’ Mignnnr energy saring pay back prevem- T )opw e ^ H S -«»r rnr mrgnimc estimating Ibe staff had uncovered twice as many needs ax the District bad discovered. Mignone stressed that the sur vey priorities were hems reUting to energy, pngil safety and toe protection of pupHc safe^. He noted that once work of toia type bepns. toe Sute wiB requite that all tfema be brought up to code ^ a a > ,ifq j r - j a ___ td Dopsovic frofiT cstirnatmg^b^ cost to taxpayers at this point. In addition, since the 7 5 millwn dollar survey figure uu* be thejinal figure (that is expected to be significantly krwer). it is nof possible to determine precise figures DOW. It appears, bawrrer, that the bond issiie wffl extend (Coni, on Page 9)
