The Coalition for Glen Cove is an association of residents of Glen Cove New York who are advocates for public education.
Coalition Speakers Explain New 2% Property Tax Cap
New York State Assembly Member Charles Lavine, Landing School Principal Michael Israel, Glen Cove Superintendent of Schools Joseph Laria, Glen Cove School Board Member Gail Nedbor-Gross, Coalition President Helen Kotzky, and Coalition members Donald Scarl and Leslie Wanzorkle at the 21 November 2011 Coalition meeting.
On November 21st, the Coalition for Glen Cove presented a meeting about the new 2% tax cap legislation that will effect upcoming school budget preparations and the school budget vote this spring. Guest speakers were State Assemblyman Charles Lavine and Dr. Joseph Laria, Superintendent of the Glen Cove Schools.
The property tax cap places a 2% cap on the levy increase. Local residents can override the cap as long as there is a 60% supermajority approving the levy above the 2% limit. This past spring, the average tax levy for Long Island school districts was 3.4 %. Most of these budgets were approved by the 60% majority, including in Glen Cove. This is an indication that communities understand the value of public education as well as appreciate the good faith efforts that school districts took to contain costs.
In order to achieve these modest increases, districts made difficult choices and cut administration, teachers, and support staff across the board. Dr. Laria, explained that in Glen Cove, “Our backs are to the wall.” We are now entering the unchartered waters of a budget process where we have already made extensive cuts, including the $4.3 million from last years budget. Dr. Laria could not say yet where this year’s cuts will come from, but did indicate that our expenses already exceed the 2% limit, taking into account all the unfunded state mandates, employee benefits and contractual agreements.
Assemblyman Lavine told the coalition that $800 million of additional state aid has been set aside for New York school districts, though it is not known yet how much of that aid will go to Glen Cove. Lavine talked about the inherent unfairness of the way schools are funded and said that we are likely to see consolidation of districts and services in the coming decades. This is a very unpopular reform and is unlikely to happen anytime soon, though it has worked successfully in other parts of the country. Currently, Nassau County has 56 districts and Suffolk has 68.
The meeting was well attended and the participants included 2 school board members, 2 school principals, and several teachers as well as concerned parents and community members. All those present felt the need to reconvene in January and find ways to reach out to the community to encourage their support for our schools in these difficult times ahead and to help maintain the quality of public education for the students of Glen Cove.
The Coalition
Purpose and goals An introduction to the Coalition
Officers The president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer of the Coalition
Meetings Dates, agendas, and minutes of Coalition meetings
Join the Coalition Become a member of the Coalition for Glen Cove
Public Events Guest speakers at Coalition meetings and other events
Contact the Coalition Our address and phone number
The Schools
Board of Education members Glen Cove Board of Education trustees
Board of Education meetings Glen Cove Board of Education meeting dates and agendas
School administration Central administration, curriculum supervisors, and building principals
School district statistics Number of students, number of teachers, average class size, total school budget, expenditures per student.
The school buildings and programs Glen Cove High School, the Robert M. Finley Middle School, the Connolly School, the Deasy School, the Gribbin School, and the Landing School
In the news Newspaper quotes about Glen Cove students, graduates, and teachers
Slide show of the Glen Cove schools Pictures of the activities available to students and graphs of how Glen Cove compares with other Nassau County school districts
Project STRIVE Provides math, science, English, and social studies awards to Middle School students who have shown extraordinary improvement .
Bookmark contest 36 Great Things About the Glen Cove Schools
Students and Parents speak Writings by Glen Cove students and their parents
School budget How the budget is created, what the budget pays for, and budget summaries.
The schools and the community The importance of the schools to Glen Cove, to Long Island, and to the nation
How Glen Cove compares with other Nassau County school districts Graphical comparison of Glen Coves needs, resources, and costs
State aid issues Why state aid formulas need to be changed to be fair to Glen Cove and similar communities
School Board Elections
School board candidates Some of the qualities of effective school board candidates
Register to vote If you are a United States citizen, are over 18, and have resided in Glen Cove for at least 30 days, you are eligible to register to vote.
Absentee ballot request form If you will be out of town on election day, you can send in this absentee ballot request at least two weeks before election day. Mail the request to:
District Clerk
Glen Cove School District
Glen Cove NY 11542.
The district clerk will send you an absentee ballot which must be returned to her by election day.
Voting places A list of the places at which the residents of each street in Glen Cove vote. (This list of over 400 streets may take 60 seconds to load.)
Election results School budget and proposition votes and the vote for school board members
Organizations That Support the Schools
Boosters Club
Community Scholarship Committee
Glen Cove Education Foundation
Music Performing Arts Parents Association
Parent-Teacher-Student Associations
National, State, County, and Glen Cove Government
Elected representatives Senate and House, New York State Senate and Assembly, Nassau County Legislature, Glen Cove City Council
New York State STAR Tax Relief Program
STAR information New York State school tax relief
Education Links
Articles
Early childhood education Education of parents and children from the time a child is born can improve that child's life and educational success
What it Takes to Make a Student
Rauch Foundation The Rauch Foundation, started in 1961 by Louis Rauch and Philip Rauch, Jr. , the owners of a major auto parts company, then in Brooklyn, is a major force in education and in the environment on Long Island. Nancy Rauch Douzinas is now president of the Foundation
Rauch Long Island Index 2009 The Index, together with the Interactive Map, give information about land use, family income, school districts, property taxes, educational background, and poverty on Long Island
Rauch Long Island Interactive Demographic Map
International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate is a school curriculum used all over the world, including several districts on Long Island
IB, A Test Worth Teaching To
Free Education in Ireland Until the recent financial crisis, free school and college education helped Ireland prosper
Finley Middle School recognized in Principal Leadership magazine