Malverne BOE Recap: Band, Buses and Capital Bond Discussed at November Meeting

The Malverne Board of Education held its monthly public meeting on Nov. 9 at the high school library. The high school marching band's at the New York State Championship, that torched three district buses at Davison Avenue School days earlier and the upcoming vote were the key issues that were discussed. Here is a recap of the meeting.

After leading those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance, the board approved the minutes from its Oct. 12 meeting, as well as the Treasure's Report.

-Superintendent Dr. James Hunderfund congratulated the Pride of Malverne High School Marching Band on winning the New York State Marching Band Championship in the Small Schools Division.

"Many school shoot for and covet this, but few obtain it," Dr. Hunderfund said.

Hunderfund handed the mircophone over Michael Messina, director of music and arts for the school district, who thanked the board for all its support and invited his band members to file into the library, where they were greated with applause.

"These types of memories are embedded in your soul....you'll take this with you for the rest of your life," Dr. Hunderfund told the students. "You'll tell your grandkids about this."

Dr. Patrick Coonan, president of the school board, then invited the band's two drum majors to come forward to accept another trophy, a duplicate of the one they took home from the championship competition in Syracuse.

"You won't have to give this one back if you don't win next year," he said.

Coonan then read a proclamation from Sen. Dean Skelos and then announced, "On behalf of a very proud board of education, everyone in the marching band gets a jacket!"

He also explained that the district would be rebuilding the hallway near the band room, so they can display all the awards acquired by the marching band, which when it was first formed had only 30 members, but now includes 20 percent of the student body.

Those in attendance also had the chance to relive the band's winning performance, which the board played on a projection screen. (Take a look at the clip here.)

The band will also get its own championship banner to hang in the high school gym. "You can be recognized for more than athletics," Coonan added.

Moving on to the superintendent's second announcement, Dr. Hunderfund reminded everyone about the upcoming vote for the bond to improve the school's facilities. To learn more about the propositions that will be on the ballot on Nov. 16, click

"Come out and vote," Coonan said. "We need your support."

Coonan later addressed the fire that occurred on Nov. 7 in the district-owned buses that were parked in the school yard at Davison Avenue School. He revealed that the district had turned over footage captured by the school's surveillance camera to the Nassau County Fire Marshal. The incident is now being investigated as arson. Coonan informed those in attendance that he could not say much about the incident at this time, but did reveal some details.

"It was not a group thing," and there were "no explosive devices...and no accelerants used," he said.

He also stated that the board is fully insured and intends to you the insurance money they collect to replace all three buses. For the full story on this issue,

While on the subject of school buses, Spiro Colaitis, assistant superintendent for district operations, cleared up some confusion regarding bus stops for students in the district.

"The standard is corner stops...but if you currently have a door-to-door stop, you'll keep the door-to-door stop."

Dr. Coonan also mentioned that there has been a request from Our Lady of Lourdes School to use the district's buses. After speaking with the board's legal counsel, Coonan explained that the parochial school will be permitted to use the buses, but they "must be charged fair market value."

Coonan summed up the highlights of the past month by saying, "You get good news that the band wins, and then two weeks later you find out someone doesn't like yellow buses."

The board also invited the public to participate in the meeting. Those who spoke up voiced concerns about what are believed to be non-students loitering and even sometimes engaging in lewd acts on school property at Davison Avenue School, the safety of the students who rode on the buses that were torched and the upcoming bond vote.

"This is the first time I'm going to vote on something I know nothing about," said a resident from N. Cambridge St.

Two residents from Charles St. in Malverne said they never received any information sent to their homes about the vote, which the board found surprising.

To clear up confusion, Thomas McDaid, the business administrator, assured those present that if approved, the bond would be incorporated into the school budget, so taxpayers would not see a percentage increase from this year to the next. The board also said its important to approve the bond now before the newly elected officials take office.

"They're in chaos and they'll have to pay us," Dr. Hunderfund said. Members of the board continue to promise those in attendance that once the district signs the contract, New York State is obligated to guarantee the terms, including the nearly 40 percent that the district will get back.

In other business, the board approved the following measures:

• Personnel changes, including three teacher resignations, three leaves of absenses and a handful of faculty appointments.
• The appointment of 19 people to work the special election on Nov. 16 to decide the fate of the capital bond.
•  Contracts with the Franklin Square Union Free School District and Kristen Pascocello to provide educational services to students in the Malverne school district.
• A contract with Pelikan's Peeps to provide speech services.
• In regards to the collective bargaining agreement between the district and the Malverne Association of Educational Support Personnel, which expired on June 30, 2009, the board ratified a Memorandum of Agreement that was created last month, and directed the superintendent to enter into a contract that is consistent with this written agreement.
• A decision to end the environmental assessment of the property at 15 Davison Avenue School and authorization for the administration to move forward in acquiring the premises.
• Aresolution stating that the Malverne Board of Education opposed any legislation that would shift the responsibility of funding Nassau County's multi-year tax certiorari settlements of assessment errors onto the local school district tax levy.
• The transfer of $1,215,265.94 to pay teachers' salaries.
• Three board policies.
•  Recommendations of the Committee on Special Education.