Board of Ed Discusses January English Regents and Capital Projects

The elimination of the administering of the January English Regents, completion of two capital projects and a five-year state-mandated architect's report were among the items discussed at the Rockville Centre Board of Education meeting on Wednesday night at the high school.

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. William Johnson, said the district failed in its effort to have the English Regents — which was changed to Jan. 11 — moved back to Regents Week. He explained that the high school would have to be closed if they administered it on Jan. 11, and would have needed substitutes for every English teacher the following day, as they would be needed to grade the exams.

"We're not alone," Johnson said of not administering the January English Regents this school year. "Of the 20 or so school districts that I know who offer it to large number of students, they have decided to abandon it."

He called the move, "a shame" because district students had always faired well on the January English Regents, Johnson noted. He said he doesn't think it will impact the passing rate, but it may affect the amount of students who score in the top 85 percentile or better. Johnson added that International Baccalaureate students will now take two English exams — the Regents and the IB exam — in June.

The school will soon undergo a state-mandated, five-year Building Conditions Survey, which will review the useful shelf-lives of roofs, windows and other structural facets in the district's buildings. The architect, who was not named at the meeting, will conduct a presentation of the review plan at the next board meeting on Jan. 19.

The completion and nearing completion of two capital projects — a facade reconstruction at Wilson Elementary and the installation of security cameras at all district schools — were also discussed. Assistant superintendent for Business, Robert Bartels, explained that the Wilson school project should be done within the next few weeks, and that the installation of around 200 digital, high-definition cameras in and around district schools is complete. He added that the cameras run 24/7, but there are no cameras in bathrooms, classrooms or gyms.

Dr. Johnson also touched on the completion of the Avalon Bay Apartment Complex, which he said should be nearly done by next year. Children who will live in those apartments will attend Riverside Elementary School, Johnson said.