BOE Roundup: Physical Ed Grant, E-Portal Update

The Rockville Centre school district will receive $1.3 million in federal funding over the next three years to upgrade its district-wide physical education programs with the goal of keeping students healthy and fit during their tenure in the district.

According to district officials, The Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant creates additional opportunities to help students make progress toward meeting the state standards for physical education and become healthier and more active. It will also increase community wellness resources through the purchase of technology based fitness equipment for the RVC Rec Center, MLK Center and Hispanic Brotherhood Center.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools manages the PEP grants and supports efforts to create safe schools, ensure the health and well being of students, teach students good citizenship and character, respond to crises, and prevent drug and alcohol abuse.

During the first year, about $607,000 will be used to teach district teachers new fitness curriculums, purchase state-of-the art fitness equipment at the middle and high school, as well as buy “Dance-Dance Revolution” systems for the RVC Rec Center, MLK Center, and Hispanic Brotherhood Center.

Year two — while using $384,000 of the grant — would entail integrating technology into physical education curriculums and teacher development training. In year three with the remaining funds, the district will purchase supplemental equipment if needed, as well as additional top-of-the-line technology based fitness equipment for the high school.

In other news, Chris Pellettieri, assistant superintendent of curriculum, updated the board on the school's new website and the Earth Science portal. Pellettieri said "a lot of the wrinkles were ironed out" of the portal. It has become more streamlined, he explained, and issues with students having trouble accessing it outside of the district have been solved.

"The busyness and cumbersome aspect of the portal has gone away," he said.

Pellettieri added that almost all of the district's teachers have been trained to use Edline, the district's new site. He said that some may catch on quicker than others, and it is an ongoing process.

Check back at 3 p.m. for an update on the proposed installation of new lights at the high school football field.