Perspective The 21st century is calling for the BOE

The Three Village Central School District Board of Education held a meeting on April 12. One of the primary items on the agenda was the vote to determine what if any changes were to be made to the configuration of the district.

This vote was based on the recent survey completed by parents, students, staff and community members and contained four viable options, three of which would bring this district into the 21st century. Unfortunately, rather than convene the vote, two board members opted to consider a tabling of this longawaited decision in order to prioritize the “start time” discussion. As someone who has been eager for Three Village to put 1966 behind us, it was very disconcerting that the district will continue to drag its feet on this very important move forward.

the mother of a teenager, an extra 2030 minutes will not have a significant impact on our children’s sleep patterns and/or academic performance. Contrarily, though, a reconfiguration of our schools at the secondary level will have a definitively positive effect on our 6th through 12th graders.

and it is time. Yes, it will cost money. Yes, it will be an adjustment, albeit a small one. And, yes, it is the time for this change.

By Stefanie Werner

These changes will primarily support our 9th graders who will finally have the opportunity to reap the benefits that Ward Melville has to offer in regard to courses, clubs, athletics, music/ arts, etc. Is there really anyone in the Three Village community who wishes to deny our students these opportunities? Is it not time to join every district in New York and move our students to a high school environment when they are high school students?

My graduating class was 752 students. This year’s graduating class is just over 400 students. The incoming kindergarten class, at this point, is a mere 324 students. The district enrollment is in steep decline. We are wasting $450,000 busing our 9th grade junior varsity athletes to the high school. The district has two elementary schools within 1.2 miles of each other, neither of which is close to capacity, a fact calling for the closing/repurposing of one of the buildings.

I am a proud alumnus of Three Village. When I attended Ward Melville High School the morning start time was approximately 7:30-7:35. Presently the start time is 7:05, a difference of 2530 minutes. All school districts in New York state have start times between 6:45 and 7:40. I have read the research regarding early start times for teenagers and while I respect it, particularly as

And our 6th graders, don’t they deserve the middle school opportunities that will be afforded to them as well?

We had an option offered to us on the survey, Option B, which proved to be the most popular among every voting subset. This option called for the district to switch to a middle school model and move our 6th graders out of the elementary schools and our 9th graders up to the high school. It is a change that is decades in the making

Letter to the Editor

National Minority Health Month

April is National Minority Health Month, and we are urging that people of all skin tones protect themselves against skin cancer. Despite the common misconception that people of color cannot get skin cancer, it does affect people of all skin tones. Harmful ultraviolet rays can penetrate all skin types, regardless of your ethnicity, so even for people with dark skin, sun protection is necessary every day.

According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma rates have risen by 20% among Hispanics in the past two decades. The annual incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is currently 1 in 167 for

Hispanics and 1 in 1,000 for African Americans —compared to 1 in 38 for white people.

Although people of color are diagnosed with skin cancer at lower rates than Caucasians, prognoses are typically poorer and survival rates are lower. Black patients with melanoma have an estimated five-year survival rate of 71 percent, versus 93 percent for white patients.

You can reduce your skin cancer risk by practicing sun safe strategies when outdoors. Applying sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, UV protective sunglasses and longsleeved clothing, and seeking shade whenever possible, can help prevent skin cancer.

Monetarily and academically the only choice is for our board to do their due diligence and vote to make Option B the future of our district. If this resolution is not reached soon, we are at risk of not being able to make this change for the 2024-25 school year. At this point, my child will not be impacted by the transition as she will already be at the high school, but as a lifelong member of this district I want this opportunity for every other student who will benefit from this model.

Our children deserve the academic and social benefits of Option B. The time has come for change. The 21st century is calling, it’s time for the board to stop blocking the number.

Stefanie Werner is a school social worker and a lifelong resident of Three Village who attended Arrowhead Elementary School, Gelinas Junior High School and Ward Melville High School.

The Cancer Prevention in Action program at Stony Brook Cancer Center works to increase awareness about the dangers of UV radiation and promote sun safety to reduce skin cancer rates on Long Island. To learn more about Cancer Prevention in Action, visit the website takeactionagainstcancer.com or contact us at 631-444-4263 or email COE@stonybrookmedicine.edu.\ This program is supported with funds from Health Research Inc. and New York State.

Annalea Trask Program Coordinator, Cancer Prevention In Action Stony Brook Cancer Center