By Joseph D’Andrea

The Mineola Board of Education gave a cautiously optimistic update on its budget and capital projects last Thursday at the January meeting and reported a decline in the school district’s debt.

Andrew Casale, assistant superintendent for Business and Operations for Mineola Public Schools, pointed out that the district’s debt is down 5% “due to one bus lease rolling off and no purchase this year.” He also mentioned a projected increase from $3.3 million to $3.5 million in Payment In Lieu Of Taxes.

“Looking ahead at the budget outlook in the district, we did just settle three of our five contracts. We had three unsettled contracts that we just recently settled this year, so that of course is looking ahead into 2023’s and 2024’s budget, and will obviously be an increase.”

Casale continued: “As we’ve highlighted over the last several meetings, we really got walloped with the health insurance rates this January and our health bill is over $200,000 [more] per month. And, of course, we need to account for projected increases for next January as well because the trend continues to be pretty significant in the healthcare market.”

Also noted was the increasing cost for garbage and utilities, such as fuel for buses. Dr. Michael P. Nagler, superintendent of schools for the Mineola Union Free School District, spoke on the board’s expectations.

“In spite of all these increases, we do expect some increases in revenue that are going to offset this. But we can’t always expect increases in revenue to offset things, so we need to be prudent in what we propose.”

Following up with June’s first set of bids for Mineola Middle School’s new gym addition, the board had opened bids again on Jan. 6, but the results returned in disappointing numbers. Cautious about overpaying, Nagler recommended a rejection of the bids, citing timing difficulty relating to contractors’ electrical supplies as another reason for his stance.

Speaking about the renovation of the middle school’s current gym into a kitchen and cafeteria, Nagler said contractors believe that they will be able to give a better price for square footage a year and a half out once prices drop.

Nagler went on to clarify the justification for his suggestion, saying “the question is how many school districts, in particular, have the money to award things at this inflated rate and how much work is out there?” He confirmed that a formal resolution to reject the bids will take place at the Board’s next meeting.

Mineola School District teachers Nicki Gonias and Georgia Amigdalos addressed the mission of unlocking the full potential of students through responsive instructional practice, which has continued to be reassessed and adjusted over the last five years.

Gonias began the presentation by explaining that over this past summer and into the fall, a shift to responsive instructional practices took place within the school district. Even though instructors had a positive goal in mind, which is one of cultivating learners, Gonias explained that “we needed more of a roadmap.”

“In Mineola,” she said, “to be responsive means: What we are doing tomorrow is responsive to what happens today. We are noticing collective anecdotal data and identifying what learners have understood and where they are struggling to be able to say, ‘this is what my kids need tomorrow.’ Simultaneously, we are independently empowering our learners so that they are able to say, ‘I’m where I am, and know what I need to do to move to where I need to go.’”

The presentation emphasized four main components of this structured style of learning: beliefs (taking time to get to know learners), intentions (the “why”), practice (the “how”), and transfer (how learners can apply the content).

Amigdalos continued to express this mindset by outlining a system of gradually releasing responsibility. Focusing on “intent and purpose,” this responsive-based approach would give instructors the opportunity to observe and gather information on their students, while allowing them to understand the most effective way in which their classroom operates. 

“I do want to note,” she said, “that this is a critical time where the educator has the chance to connect and build relationships, and hold learners accountable. The educator sends the message to the learner that they see them, that they care, and that they believe in them.”

The overarching objective of this style of instruction and learning, which Gonias, Amigdalos, and other educators in the district hope to pursue, is one of getting learners to recognize what they need to improve and when they should make necessary adjustments. This would not be possible without the efforts of educators, who Gonias and Amigdalos say must be empowered and “believe that their learners can improve.”

All three resolutions on the board’s agenda passed unanimously, including revised board policies regarding subjects such as equal employment opportunity and remote working, as well as approvals of educators’ leaves of absence and substitute teacher appointments.

The Board of Education’s next workshop meeting will be held on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in Mineola High School’s Synergy Building.