Northport Schools Notebook

Potential Tax Benefits from Iroquois Pipeline

The Northport BOE voted unanimously to spend $10,000 to explore the possibility of extending the district’s boundaries into Long Island Sound to include a portion of the Iroquois Pipeline, a 416-mile natural pipeline that runs from Canada through New York State into Western Suffolk waters. Neil Block, an attorney from Ingerman Smith, said the pipeline is a taxable entity. Northport will join a consortium including Cold Spring Harbor, Port Washington, Locust Valley, Glen Cove, and Oyster Bay to conduct a land survey. A marine survey by the other districts has already been done.

Block was unable to say at this point exactly how much tax benefits the district might realize. In the early 1990s, Kings Park and Smithtown altered their borders to take advantage of the tax benefits, and have not been challenged by the Iroquois Pipeline Operating company, which is headquartered in Shelton, CT.

Why Chocolate Milk Makes the Grade, but Soy Milk Doesn’t

In response to a question from a parent about the food choices available on the school lunch menu, Food Services Director Andrew Bromm said he’s instituted many changes to the offerings in the past few years. Gone are empty calorie snacks like Rice Krispy bars, which have been replaced with vegetable sticks. Whole grain rolls are now paired with hot dogs and hamburgers, along with brown rice and Barilla whole wheat pasta. Gluten-free products such as pizza and chicken nuggets are also available.

Items containing dyes such as strawberry milk are off the menu, but chocolate milk remains because of the importance of adding milk to a child’s diet. Bromm said a study showed that only one out of ten teenage girls get the calcium they need. However, for children who are allergic to dairy, Bromm said soy milk is not considered an acceptable substitute for milk by the state.

One parent said her pediatrician had recommended soy milk, and Trustee Donna McNaughton asked if water was substituted in a meal for a child who can’t have milk. Bromm said juice is the substitute, since water has no nutritional value.

Success in Buffalo

Trustee Lori McCue and Vice President McNaughton were successful in their trip to the New York State School Boards Association’s annual meeting at the end of October. The for an amendment to Suffolk County Tax Bill A03911 regarding the schedule for the collection of school taxes within the county was approved. Only Suffolk County is required to send such tax bills in December, which results in the need for extensive short-term borrowing by school districts in the form of tax anticipation notes (TANs). Although they are usually short-term notes, the interest can be substantial.

After the meeting, McCue said the next steps include lobbying local legislators and working with BOCES to get members on board. If the schedule can be changed, the district could potentially save up to $150,000 a year.

Student/Staff Achievements

Connor Murphy was recognized as Business Department Student of the Month.

Emma Gozelski was recognized as Family and Consumer Science Department Student of the Month.

Ms. Julia Lang-Shapiro, Chairperson of Art Education, is the recipient of the following three awards from The Council for Art Education: Youth Art Month Award of Merit, Youth Art Month Special Recognition, and Special Recognition for Outstanding New Promotion of Youth Art Month.