Herman, Avidon Say Goodbye; Gershon Takes Seat on Board

In their last meeting as trustees on the Syosset Board of Education, Stephanie Avidon and Dr. Marc Herman sent well wishes to the future board.

"As I have said many times, my litmus test has always been, is it good for the children," said Herman. "It has been an interesting, challenging and rewarding job. I will continue to be available to the district and the children and of course to our Board members to give suggestions and help in whatever way I can."

In a nod to the way he used to end board meetings as president, he concluded with, "Together, we truly have made a difference."

"I wish the new board members and the existing members good luck next year and truly hope you will work together as a cohesive group," said Avidon, who was elected in 2010. Referencing public disagreements, she added, "It's okay to ask a lot of questions and to not always agree with each other, but when you disagree, please do it with respect."

"[Avidon] has never forgotten that children come first… Her contributions [on PTA and on the board] have made a difference in the lives of our students and will all have lasting effects," said Superintendent Carole Hankin.

"[Herman] has made a difference in the lives of many children. He is a fierce advocate, a true gentleman, and we will all miss him very much," said Hankin.

"I thank you both for your dedication," said Board President Michael Cohen.

"Stephanie is certainly unparalleled in the PTA…Marc, you always taught me about offering the community the very best…and what the kids can take away from school."

Trustee Robert Gershon, who sat in his first meeting as a board member, was welcomed to the board and will be followed by Susan Parker and Tracy Frankel in July.

Fostering Communication On and Off the Board

Trustee Alan Resnick motioned to give residents the option of submitting questions to the board via regular mail and email.

Calling it a "no brainer," Resnick said it was a logical step in the board's road to better communication with the public.

"It's all about involvement," he said. "This would be an extension of this meeting for those who can't attend, can't leave home, or have trouble with public speaking."

The board agreed to fine tune the process for submitting it, including creating a form that residents would fill out.

Rules they agreed should be enforced in the process are requiring full names and addresses on the form and submitting it three business days before a meeting. Trustees also agreed that a verification process would be required to make sure residents were not impersonating others.

On the topic of communication, Board President Michael Cohen commented on his pride for the work and progress the board had made in recent years.

"It's been quite a year…I think we've done fantastically," he said. "If you look at where we were last July and where we are now. This board does get along. We're in a great place."

Cohen also introduced the idea of a board retreat to improve communication.

"We'd be in the board room for a few hours. It's not a board meeting, but we'd be discussing how we function as a board," he said, adding it would be moderated by a member of the NYS School Board Association.

"We're not going to a golf resort. It's just in the board room," he joked.

The board agreed the session would be helpful, saying it could only be a positive experience, and approved the idea.

The retreat would be organized for the time after new members Tracy Frankel and Susan Parker take their seats on the board.

Board Approves Energy Benchmark Process

The board voted to allow resident Jimmy Carchietta, of the energy company, The Cotocon Group, to perform an Energy Star benchmarking of Syosset High School.

The evaluation, which will be performed free of charge, will document every bit of fuel and electricity used by the school. Using that information, the school can see where they waste energy and adjust to make the school more efficient.

Carchietta emphasized he would only be involved in the evaluation process, which at this time would only take place at the high school.

"We're spending $3 million on energy here. This can only help," he said.

The process would also pave the way for later rebates from LIPA.