Talking With: Babylon School Superintendent Dr. Ellen Best-Laimit

There are many issues and challenges for Long Island school districts, from new federal mandates related to the No Child Left Behind law, to budget decision making in light of potential state aid reductions.

Patch asked Babylon School Superintendent Dr. Ellen Best-Laimit for her insight on the top issues facing the district.

Patch: What is the toughest challenge for a school superintendent today?
Best-Laimit: We've been talking a lot recently about the testing and accountability movement that has been at the forefront of our nation's education system since the 1990's, most recognizable with the No Child Left Behind legislation.  It is now widely determined that the emphasis on testing may have actually had an undesirable effect and that children can answer test questions on mandated assessments but they are unable to critically analyze or problem-solve in ways that will help them in college and the workplace.  So much of what we do in education today is based on 20th century needs and we must utilize the research about education to bring about necessary changes to best prepare our students for the 21st century workplace where many of those jobs don't yet exist.

Patch: What is the toughest challenge the Babylon School District is facing?
Best-Laimit: The toughest challenge the district is facing is what all districts are facing, which is maintaining a high level of educational programs that are diverse enough to meet all of our students' needs: continuing our fine arts programs, reasonable class sizes, sound extra-curricular programs, healthy athletic programs, and encouraging a love of learning and good measures of success for all in the face of increasing costs and demands on the taxpayers of our communities.

Patch: What is the district view on the Race to the Top program and its mandates?
Best-Laimit: It appears that with very limited planning, the era of testing and accountability will continue with this program. Babylon is receiving a grand total of $10,054 over a four-year period.  The cost of implementing the mandates of RTTT will far exceed the grant. As with so many of these federal and state initiatives, the intent is to address issues that exist in high need districts where performance is low. Though some community members may in Babylon have been concerned about performance on our grades 3 through 8 English Language Arts and mathematics assessments, our graduation rates and percentage of students going on to two year and four year colleges are exceptionally high.

Patch: Do you have a five-year plan and what are your goals for the first year or two?
Best-Laimit: The board of education is working on long-term plans at this point in time. Much of what we will concentrate on are the mandates imposed on districts, such as Race to the Top.  This next year we will be hiring principals in both the grade school and high school.  Hiring experienced, forward thinking leaders is one of the most important jobs we have in the education of children.