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Merrick Life • Bellmore Life • Freeport-Baldwin Leader • Wantagh-Seaford Citizen

At least one athletic field in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District will spend the winter under a comfortable “blanket” – the district’s latest attempt to address the problem of keeping the athletic fields in good condition.

John Scalisi, director of school facilities and operations, gave board members an update of this new initiative at their monthly meeting last week.

Trustees also honored numerous students from the three high schools of recent academic and athletic successes and received a positive audit report for the 2009-10 school year.

Mr. Scalisi said the use of blankets was discussed by several experts at a recent turf seminar he attended.

Mr. Scalisi said his hope is “the blankets will aid grass growth.”

Once grass seed is planted, the application of the blanket “acts as a greenhouse effect” by raising the temperature of the field surface during the winter.

As of this writing, Kennedy High School has placed the blanket on its main athletic field and Mr. Scalisi plans to discuss the idea with the principals of Calhoun and Mepham  High Schools.

The blanket consists of several sections of Tyvek, a material made by DuPont, that covers the 22,500 square feet of the playing surface that is stapled to the ground. Close up it appears similar to muslin cloth or gauze bandage material.

The cost to do a field is less that $2,000, and there is a five-year warranty.

 

Students honored

Superintendent Dr. Henry Kiernan announced the following academic and athletic winners:

Jenny Wu, Calhoun High School, Seimens Westinghouse Science Competition semifinalist; Alexandra Giorgos, Mepham, National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Award in writing; Sebastian Garcia, Kennedy, 2010-11 National Hispanic Recognition Scholar; Melissa Dileo, Calhoun, Innovative Conceptual Engineering Design High School Summer Challenge; Safi and Sali Ayinde and Jillian Picinich, Mepham, New York All-State Girls Soccer; and James Panetta, Calhoun, New York All-State Boys Cross Country.

Also recognized were the members of the Kennedy High School Boys Volleyball Nassau County champions, the Calhoun Boys Cross Country Nassau County champions.

Budget vote

The board set May 17 for the annual budget vote for the 2011-12 school year. The hearing date will be May 4. The BOCES budget vote and trustee election will be April 27.

 

Audit

Alan Yu, of Coughlin, Foundotos, Cullen and Danowski, LLP, discussed the audit report covering the previous school year and said it was “free of material misinformation with no weaknesses,” a positive statement of the district’s finances.

However, he cautioned about the continuing spending the district faces for retirement costs, health insurance and tax certiori cases, coupled with a drop in state and federal aid.

Other business

Trustees accepted a $1,500 donation from the  Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores for the Calhoun High School On-Tour Program, and two $50 donations from Joanne Czarnowski for both a female and a male physical education student at Grand Avenue Middle School in memory of Patricia Goodnough, a physical education teacher at Brookside and Grand Avenue schools and athletic coordinator at Grand Avenue.

The trustees also accepted a $1,600 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation for a new general organization club at Kennedy High School, “One World,” and a $4,986 grant from the State Education Department/University of the State of New York for the purchase of a 64-inch SMART Board.

The board also approved the following

• Use of Jerusalem Avenue School by the Bellmore Lions and Kiwanis for their annual Strawberry Festival May 31-June 6.

• Waived the custodial fees for the Senior Pops Orchestra of Long Island for its December 19 concert at Brookside School, for the Mepham Alumni Association’s Class of ’70 30-year reunion, and for Merrick Kiwanis’ annual Pancake Breakfast.

• A consultant from Nassau BOCES to give a presentation on Emergency Preparedness Day.

• A consultant from Big Picture Small World Inc. to give a presentation on the “Climate Change Game” at a cost of $1,192.

• A consultant from Solochair Inc. for online services and scheduling for the NYSSMA (state music association) Festival for $1,000.

• Temporary secretarial services with Randstad Staffing for $13,250.

• Establishment of a new club account for the Kennedy girls’ volleyball team.

• An agreement with Long Island Jewish  Medical Center, Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center to provide echocardiogram services.

• An agreement with Joey D’s Entertainment Plus to provide one entertainer, basic party lighting and a DJ booth for the December 21 Family Project Holiday Party at Grand Avenue School.