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Port Jefferson School District

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Graphic from PJSD website
By Mallie Jane Kim

Port Jefferson School District residents will have another chance to vote on a capital bond to fund school improvement projects, this time for $15.9 million. 

This vote — scheduled for Tuesday, May 16 — comes just after the community rejected a pair of proposed bonds totaling $24.9 million last December. The district’s Board of Education approved putting the bond up for community approval at a meeting Tuesday, March 14, with the support of all six members present — trustee Ravi Singh was absent.

If the current proposal passes, taxpayers will pay for the bond in installments over several years. The vote will take place alongside the vote to approve next year’s annual district budget.

School officials suggest the proposal is more modest than the pair of bonds voted down in December, making no mention of replacing the high school’s grass sports field with artificial turf, a point of contention last time. 

This bond would fund improvements to, for example, locker rooms, heating, cooling and ventilation systems, and alterations to some interior spaces. The details of this plan are on file for public review in the district clerk’s office, and the district will post more information about the new bond under the “Bond Project” tab of its website.

The board also plans to allocate more money toward capital improvement projects in the annual budget, according to Deputy Superintendent Sean Leister, which would help to pay for some facility update priorities and better plan for future needs. 

“Seeing how difficult it is to go out for a bond and how hard times are, we were talking about gradually increasing the allocation,” he said while presenting the second draft of the district’s 2023-24 budget to the board. He added that he hoped this plan would mitigate the need for additional capital bonds in the foreseeable future.

Leister explained that updates to school infrastructure, health and safety — including security — and instructional classrooms would all be considered in school budgets moving forward. 

“We thought by trying to incorporate those three things in future budgets, we can help bring up the level of our areas and the learning of our students,” he said.

Immediate plans for these funds include creating an ADA-compliant bathroom at the elementary school, installing a stop-arm security booth at car entrances to the middle school and high school, beginning a window replacement plan at the high school and refitting some classrooms. 

Leister also noted science and computer labs would be due for remodeling, adding that “all the different areas that are functional but are maybe [from] the ‘70s or ‘80s and need to be brought up to current levels.” 

Furthermore, Leister said stop-arm security booths are necessary because some GPS mapping apps list school driveways as regular roads and the administration wants to limit cut-through traffic.

The current draft version of next year’s school budget has a shortfall of $222,547. Superintendent of Schools Jessica Schmettan said this would be filled by staffing reductions to be decided before Leister presents the final budget to the board in April. 

The board plans to increase the tax levy by 1.98%, just under the 1.99% cap set for the district by state regulations

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Edna Louise Spear Elementary School head custodian Paul Scalcione visited first graders. Photo courtesy PJSD

First graders in Laura Kelly’s and Paige Lohmann’s class at Edna Louise Spear Elementary School have been learning all about communities in their social studies unit.

Students were exposed to different texts and activities to help build on the concepts of community roles and responsibilities. They were introduced to maps and discussed important places that make up their community. 

Part of the unit included first graders interviewing community members in and around the school. Students could ask questions of the classroom visitors to help foster their learning through direct interaction. 

Visitors included music teacher and local firefighter Christian Neubert, school nurse Joan Tucci, building head custodian Paul Scalcione and Superintendent of Schools Jessica Schmettan. They learned how each member contributes to their community and the role that each plays.  

“It was an excellent learning experience for them,” Lohmann said.

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Buddy Program students at Edna Louise Spear Elementary School. Photo courtesy PJSD

Edna Louise Spear Elementary School students not only think about others in their local community, but they often do something about it.

Students in Christine Bokina and Kristi Krieg’s fifth grade class and Maureen Zajac’s second grade class teamed up to bring some smiles to the faces of local children through the school’s Buddy Program, creating an initiative of kindness, sharing and love for others. 

Parents and guardians received notice of the need for the hundreds of treat bags and small plush toys and sent their second and fifth graders to school with the items. 

In a quick turnaround that highlighted their teamwork, the cross-grade-level collaborators created Valentine’s Day cards for the Port Jefferson-based donation center Give Kids Hope’s Project Valentine. 

The cards will be presented to children assisted by the organization. The Buddies took another step forward, putting together candy-filled treat bags for children in the shelter.

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Port Jefferson School District’s Science Olympiad students. Photo courtesy PJSD

Teams across the region competed in the Eastern Long Island Regional Competition on Jan. 28, at Hauppauge High School. 

The Earl L. Vandermeulen High School Science Olympiad A team placed fifth out of 53 teams. Port Jefferson also had a B and C team compete. There were 21 STEM events and the top 10 teams in each event earned a medal. 

The state competition will be held on March 17-18 at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. Eight teams will represent Eastern Long Island at the New York State competition. Other teams competing besides Port Jefferson are Bay Shore, Bayport-Blue Point, Half Hollow Hills East, Hauppauge, The Stony Brook School, Ward Melville and West Babylon. 

Coaches were high school science teachers Amanda Perovich and Melissa Garcia.

“I am so happy we were back to a fully in-person Science Olympiad competition this year, and I am exceptionally proud of these students,” Perovich said. “Their interest, hard work and dedication to science and STEM events really shows in their results.”

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Trustee Lauren Sheprow. Photo from Port Jefferson Village website
By Lauren Sheprow

Lauren Sheprow is a Port Jefferson Village trustee.

The past two bonds put forth by the Port Jefferson School District were defeated by the taxpaying residents of Port Jefferson. The $30 million bond put forward in 2017 had significant public opposition. The vocal majority was virtually ignored, but the vote ensured their voice was heard. Fast forward to 2022 and a new $25 million bond proposal. Lesson learned? Partially.

The 2022 bond was somewhat more palatable. Those who put it forward did the right thing by separating the athletic field turf project ($1.9 million) from the HVAC projects, classroom relocations and locker room/team room facility upgrades ($23.1 million). Neither proposition passed but the administration returned to the drawing board Jan. 24 to come up with a new bond, and will once again ask Port Jefferson taxpayers to pay for capital projects that have been ignored for far too long.

I, like many in the village, am torn at the enormity of the cost estimates for these projects (and like many in the community I have spoken with, I am interested in understanding more about how the architect of record comes up with these cost proposals but that’s a conversation for another day). I wonder if we shouldn’t look at more creative, cost-effective mitigation than what was proposed in Prop 1 of the 2022 bond. I am also curious as to which projects might be able to be completed using capital reserves that the district has on hand from its annual budget process. The good news is, as we learned at the Jan. 10, 2022, Board of Education meeting, the administration was able to identify general fund balance monies to build an ADA compliant bathroom at Edna Louise Spear Elementary School (which was in Prop 1 of the 2022 bond proposal).

Putting that debate aside, I wanted to clarify something reported in the Jan. 19 edition of The Port Times Record – that at a recent meeting of the Port Jefferson Village Board of Trustees I cited a Newsday report indicating that approximately 80% of the $14 billion federal COVID-19 relief funds have yet to be spent by public schools statewide, which is accurate. What was misunderstood was that I suggested the heating and ventilation systems upgrade proposed in Prop 1 of the 2022 bond may qualify under existing COVID relief conditions. I want to clarify that I fully understand that the existing COVID relief funds for which the school district is eligible has reached its limit at $375,000 and that Port Jeff doesn’t qualify for additional relief funds due to student count, free or reduced price lunch ratio and combined wealth ratio. 

My point in this conversation was to think beyond the bond/tax increase model. As I see it, we have three tools in the toolbox that we haven’t fully investigated:

1. Explore a more strategic conversation with our state and federal elected representatives to understand if or how the funding criteria can be reevaluated so unspent funds don’t languish.

2. Resident participation: By attending BOE meetings, committee meetings — especially the finance committee and bond planning meetings — our residents have an opportunity to voice their opinions in real time and become more engaged in the BOE’s selfless and tireless efforts to make our school district the best it can be.

3. Fundraising: We need an official alumni association for Earl L. Vandermeulen High School. The purpose of such an association is to foster a spirit of loyalty and to promote the general welfare of the district. Alumni associations exist to support the parent organization’s goals, and to strengthen the ties between alumni, the community and the parent organization. It works for higher education. It can work for our alma mater. 

Our alumni infrastructure, although not organized, is very strong. Passionate residents, including Port Jeff alumni, started the still active Royal Educational Foundation in 1991 when a need was identified to fund unfunded teacher programs. Port Jeff has a hall of fame, hosts an annual homecoming parade and event, and for more than 60 years parents of graduating seniors have been raising funds for the iconic Port Jeff Senior Prom experience. And for nearly nine decades, tens of thousands of Port Jeff grads have been coming back to Port Jeff for high school reunions because of their strong connection to their alma mater.

Consider the possibilities. If we create a capital campaign for a specific project and reach out to alumni who may have a deep connection to said project, with naming rights and all bells and whistles, who knows what can be accomplished? A new instruction area for the music program? New locker room and team room facilities for our student athletes? An annual hall of fame recognition dinner?

Port Jeff alumni are some of the most talented, accomplished people in the world. Let’s engage them with their alma mater and ask for their help. Let’s find a way to support the Port Jeff School District, its students, faculty and staff by connecting the tens of thousands of alumni living among us and away from us to their alma mater through an official PJ alumni association. It will require a great deal of organization, establishing a 501(c)(3), and infrastructural support including digital assets and content curation.

Interested? Contact me at [email protected]. 

Let’s do this.

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Port Jefferson School District students and art teachers with director of music and fine arts, Michael Caravello (right). Photo courtesy PJSD

The One River School for Art and Design’s Port Jefferson Station location recently exhibited student artwork from the Port Jefferson School District’s fine arts department.

As a collaborative effort, student artwork across grades K-12 was showcased. An opening reception was held on Saturday, Jan. 7, welcoming students and families to celebrate their artistic achievements. 

The school district thanked art teachers Skylar Benatar, Meghan McCarthy, Nancy Randazzo and Stacey Schuman; director of music and fine arts Michael Caravello; and the One River School’s assistant director of education, Ellen Jones, for organizing this special community event.

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Students in Kari Costanza’s class at Edna Louise Spear Elementary School with Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Brendan Bernath. Photo courtesy PJSD

United States Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Brendan Bernath recently headed back to his base in Lake Erie, where his unit missions consist of search and rescue, law enforcement and homeland security. But first, he stopped in to thank the students of Edna Louise Spear Elementary School in Port Jefferson. 

The school’s Buddy Program, the cross-grade-level initiative of fifth graders from Kari Costanza’s class and first graders in Laura Kelly’s and Paige Lohmann’s class, created and sent holiday cards of gratitude to servicemen and servicewomen. Bernath’s visit was an opportunity to thank them on behalf of his colleagues for their gesture.

To prepare for his visit, the students brainstormed questions from how he spent his holidays to how fast his boat travels on the water. They also created some welcome signs, choosing patriotic colors to honor him and his unit.

Bernath was thoughtful and engaging with the students, sharing a firsthand glimpse into his everyday work and his mission to explore the world. He encouraged students to learn more about the waters of Long Island and the Coast Guard stations that welcome students to tour their facilities.

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Port Jefferson School District students with music teacher Edward Pisano (right). Photo courtesy PJSD

Members of the Port Jefferson School District music and fine arts department joined in the festivities of the annual Charles Dickens Festival in Port Jefferson Village Dec. 2-4.

Music students and teachers entertained the spectators with seasonal songs during various performances throughout the village. Students in the district’s Drama Club assisted Santa at the Village Center in the elf workshop and served as background actors in the Stony Brook University film crew taping of the event.

“They did a fantastic job of interacting with the villagers and students and children just waiting to see Santa,” drama club adviser Tony Butera said.

The unique event was another opportunity for teachers and students to share their Port Jefferson School District award-winning talents in a public setting.

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Attendees of the latern dedication. Photo courtesy Kevin Wood

Friends, family, and community members gathered on Friday, Dec. 2, to dedicate a lantern to the late Aida Ramonez, a beautiful young girl very dear to the Port Jefferson community. 

The community continues to come together for the Ramonez family, this being the latest example. Mayor Margot Garant shared her sentiments during the ceremony. 

“I see there are many of her classmates out here tonight and know when one family hurts, we all hurt,” Garant said. “We can’t think of a more beautiful thing than celebrating life. Look around you, look at all the people in your life and in this community and be so very grateful for what we have here together.” 

The inscription on Aida’s lantern reads, “In loving memory of Aida Esperanza Ramonez — Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Aida’s grandfather Ramon expressed his gratitude to those who coordinated the service. 

“I want to thank the community of Port Jefferson,” he said. “The love and kindness that we have felt from you. Losing someone so young and so precious has been difficult. But the support of a community like this makes it a lot easier.” 

The Port Jefferson School District and community raised the money for the lantern dedication. Funds raised beyond those necessary for the dedication ceremony will support a scholarship in Aida’s name. 

It’s tradition each year during the lantern dedications that students participate by reading a poem as a part of their curriculum. Students Luca Caltagirone and Blake Weaver eloquently shared the poem “Family is like a Circle” by Nicole M. O’Neil.

“This community is strong, and we’re here to support the Ramonez family still,” Garant said. “Every time we see this beautifully lit lantern, you’ll have a very special place to sit by the harbor and honor her spirit.”

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File photo by Elana Glowatz

In a public referendum held Monday, Dec. 12, Port Jefferson School District residents voted down two ballot measures totaling $25 million in school infrastructure improvements.

With nearly 1,000 district residents turning out in wintry weather, just 24 votes would separate the yeas and nays on Proposition 1, a $23.1 million infrastructure package that targeted various facilities throughout the school district. The measure failed by a narrow margin of 498-474. Proposition 2, a $1.9 million proposed artificial turf field at the high school, was defeated 734-239, a roughly 3-1 ratio against the measure.

In an email statement, district superintendent of schools, Jessica Schmettan, offered her commentary on the outcome.

“While the district is disappointed in the results of the Dec. 12 bond vote, we thank all who participated,” she said. “The small margin of defeat of Proposition 1 was particularly upsetting, as the challenges that exist with our aging building infrastructure remain a top concern for the district and, as such, will require further discussion for how best to proceed.”

‘I think it’s very shortsighted by this community.’

— Margot Garant

Mayor Margot Garant, a PJSD alum, publicly supported both measures leading up to the referendum. In an interview, she also expressed disappointment at Monday’s results.

“I don’t think that’s the Port Jeff way to let things get so deteriorated,” she said. “I think [the Board of Education] came up with a doable plan, and it was the time to do it because the community is still being subsidized by the LIPA power plant.”

The mayor added, “The schools are so important to this community. It’s what people look for when they come to live in Port Jeff. It’s one of the pillars that makes this place so special. … Just because you don’t have a child in the district doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be investing in this community.”

Leading up to the election, New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), whose district encompasses Port Jefferson, supported the infrastructure upgrades within Proposition 1. In a phone interview, he referred to Monday’s school election outcome as part of a regional electoral trend and a “reflection of the post-pandemic moment.”

“The escalating cost of food and fuel have put a lot of people on edge,” he said. “I would guess that what we’re seeing is a reflection of the general anxieties about inflation.”

Though Englebright was sorry to learn that the voters defeated the facilities improvements, he was less amenable to the artificial turf proposal. He regarded the potential risks associated with synthetic turf as an unsettled science, with crumb rubber possibly having “some contamination issues,” along with added costs for maintenance and replacement. “It’s a very expensive proposition for those reasons,” he said.

Englebright was not alone in his reservations about the turf proposal. Paul Ryan, a former BOE candidate, was a vocal opponent of Proposition 2 in the months leading up to the vote. In an email statement, Ryan said Proposition 2 likely impacted the outcome of Proposition 1.

“I was disappointed but not surprised to learn that Prop 1 failed to garner enough community support,” he said. “I believe it failed because of the inclusion of Prop 2,” adding, “I suspected that enough of the residents would be upset by the turf that they [would] vote down the whole bond.”

Monday’s negative vote has prompted questions about the long-term prospects of the school district. For Garant, residents have an active stake in maintaining school facilities, which she said closely correspond to property values.

“Your home values are in direct correlation and are so connected to the value of the schools,” she said, adding, “I think it’s very shortsighted by this community. I’m disappointed, and I want to encourage the school board to continue their efforts, go back to the grind and maybe come back again.”

Some have advocated for PJSD to merge with a neighboring district due to its declining student enrollment in recent years. Garant regarded this idea as misguided, maintaining that support for the school district is in the village’s long-term interest.

“The miscommunication that’s going out there is that we can just merge with another district,” she said. “If we did that, our taxes would double immediately. I think that’s what people don’t really understand.”

Englebright noted the important place public schools occupy within the greater community. However, he suggested residents may need to take time for the broader economic trends to settle before taking on additional expenses.

“That school district has a long and distinguished history of service,” the assemblyman said. “People in Port Jefferson are rightly proud of their schools,” but adding, “I think that we have to give it a little time.”

Ryan again took on a different tone, insisting that future referenda within the district will require closer coordination with those supporting these projects financially.

“The administration and BOE need to demonstrate that they are able to hear the residents’ concerns, prioritize only essential infrastructure and take a fiscally responsible approach to spending,” he said. “If they do not, they may find annual budget votes contentious.”

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