School Board Notes

Public participation on anything other than agenda items at Monday's Board of Education meeting was suspended until Oct.25  so that board members could convene an executive session to discuss contract negotiations with the United Teachers of Northport. But before the session convened, several topics were covered, including:

• The board unanimously approved extra pay for co-extracurricular, community services, intramurals and interscholastic assignments for the 2010-2011 school year.
• Northport High School Principal Irene McLaughlin mentioned that the upcoming Drug and Alcohol Task Force Forum will feature neuroscientist Stephen Dewey who will present research and brain scans showing the effects of alcohol and drugs on the teenage brain. The meeting will take place Wednesday in the high school auditorium.
• The board unanimously approved requests for students to travel on school trips to countries outside of the United States during the 2010-2011 school year, including Nicaragua, Spain and England.
• Izzet Mergen, director of music, presented the musical instrument lease-purchase program. He explained that 10 years ago, $45,000-$55,000 had been spent on purchasing new instruments but in recent years, that number had dropped to $8,000-$12,000. He noted that rentals have gone up each year, and that often the quality of the instruments is not the best.  He also pointed out that for the first time, the summer music program had more than 1,000 enrolled students. The board unanimously approved spending just under $10,000 with vendors Sam Ash Music Corporation, Cornet Music, and Strings & Bows, Inc to lease and purchase various instruments for schools throughout the district.
• The board approved the resolution to accept a donation of $19,600 from the Classes of 2009 and 2010 to purchase a large LED sign to be placed on the corner of Elwood Road and Laurel Hill Road, and to increase the 2010-2011 budget by $19,600 for this purpose.

The next Board of Education meeting will take place Oct.25  at 7:30 PM at the William J. Brosnan Building on Laurel Avenue. The meeting will include recognition of the English Department Student of the Month, a report on summer programs, and instructional initiatives for English. Complete minutes of School Board meetings as well as agendas can be found at Board of Education.