Babylon School Board Notes: 4/22 Meeting

The Babylon School District Board of Education held a work-study meeting and budget meeting on April 22 at Babylon Junior-Senior High School. The board was presented several measures, which were voted upon during the meeting:

1. The board unanimously adopted the 2013-2014 budget presented earlier in the evening. The budget will be voted upon by district residents on May 21.
2. The board unanimously approved an overnight student trip for the Babylon High School's Music Department and students to make an overnight trip to Boston, MA on April 26 to 28.
3. The board unanimously approved a leave of absence for elementary school teacher Kim Monahan for unpaid childcare leave effective April 22 to June 30.
4. The board unanimously approved Lisa Necroto as a leave replacement elementary school teacher, effected April 22 to June 30.
5. The board unanimously approved contracts with South Bay Sports and Physical Therapy for athletic trainer services, with Matei Manu replacing Darwin Tavarez as trainer for sports teams effective April 22. (Tavarez is reportedly headed to a major league sports team as a trainer.)
6. The board unanimously approved the creation of a committee to examine the impact of the state mandated transportation limit.

• A parent proposed the reduction of staff within the district's administration, noting it had been an idea the past few years at budget meetings but little had come of it. Superintendent Richard Rozakis said he felt the district's administration was small to begin with. Board members, including Roger Katz and Dominic Bencivenga, said the board would continue to look into further changes to help reduce costs throughout the district.
• Questions concerning several cost cuts in the long-form budget were asked, including one concerning a complete cut to Special Education in the Afternoon. Board President Dominic Bencivenga noted those funds were simply moved to a new area of the budget, but services would continue as normal.