Serving New Hyde Park, North New Hyde Park, Herricks, Garden City Park, Manhasset Hills, North Hills, Floral Park
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Friday, April 3, 2015
vol. 64, no. 14
N E W H Y D E PA R K GUIDE TO ing Spring Din
ions or publicat media / litm a blank slate
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5 april 3, 201 section •
2015 GUIde To SPRING dINING
SUBdIVISIoN IN BeRNSTeIN New Hyde PaRK oN waTeRGaTe
PAGES S1-S28
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Budget now in voter hands for Herricks
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ART HONORS
Board adopts $108.2M proposal, capital reserve ballot measure By Ja m eS G a l l o w ay The Herricks Board of Education last week unanimously voted to adopt a $108.2 million budget proposal that would stay below the tax cap and puts an emphasis on adding teachers to reduce class sizes and reinstate class-size caps. The district also approved a ballot measure to create a capital reserve. The $108.2 million proposal marks a $646,081 or 0.6 percent increase from the $107.6 million budget in 2014-15. Both the budget proposal and the capital reserve will go before voters on May 19. Superintendent John Bierwirth said the 2015-16 budget proposal would to continue to restore programs and positions the district was forced to cut in the past several years. The district cut about 100 jobs between the 201112 and 2013-14 fiscal years. “It was really nice to be able to
restore at least some of the things we’ve had to cut over the last four years,” Bierwirth said. “First and foremost [we wanted to] get class sizes back down.” The budget calls for adding 12 teaching positions spread between the schools and would reinstate the elementary school class size caps - 22 students for kindergarten, 25 students for grades one to three, and 27 students for grades four and five — that the district suspended four years ago. “Suspending the class-size guidelines four years ago was deeply painful,” Bierwirth said in a memo of budget recommendations to the board. “Despite the best efforts of staff, this had a detrimental impact. Restoring the guidelines is at the top of the list.” The budget proposal also adds two English-as-a-Second-Language staff members, one special education staff member, at least one facilities employee and one assistant principal, who will work at Continued on Page 41
Manor Oaks third grader Veronica Fulgieri showcases her one-point perspective painting at the 11th annual All County Art Exhibit at Adelphi University. Nine students from New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District displayed their artwork at the exhibit.
G.N. names superintendent successor from Garden City By a da m l I d G e T T Teresa Prendergast, the current assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for Garden City Public Schools, will succeed Tom Dolan as the superintendent of the Great Neck School District
following a vote by the Board of Education at its meeting Monday. “She has been in this business for a long time and is highly qualified,” board Vice President Larry Gross said. “Equally important is her educational philosophy in insuring
that each child gets the education that they need.” Prendergast will officially become the 11th superintendent of the Great Neck School District on July 15. Dolan, who announced his retirement in November, will end his tenure Continued on Page 22
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