District Parents Emphasize Importance of School Activities

Every year during the budget season discussions can be heard through various Long Island school districts debating whether or not to cut extracurricular and other activities to curb budget and tax increases. In East Meadow, according to the proposed 2011-2012 budget, that is not something parents have to worry about this year.

Activities outside of the basic classroom learning experience, such art, music, sports, clubs and other extra programs, are an imperative part of the overall growth and learning for all children – both young and old, said local parents.

“I think a lot of our extracurricular activities – whether it is sports or music or anything in the arts – are all very important because it gives all of our students different avenues to use their creativity,” said Christina Parkman, President of the PTA Council. “It also gives them something else to do after school. “

The budget for the next school year, which will be voted on by the public on May 17, actually has proposed increases in several areas of extra and co-curricular activities. Interscholastic athletics have an increase of $34,870 of funding from the previous school year, while special science, music and art programs are gaining $1,382 in the propose budget. This comes, among other line item increases and decrease, with a 1.73 percent increase in the overall budget from the previous year and a 1.62 percent hike in property taxes.

“This year, everyone has done a really good job - not only our teachers, but our administrators and our parents who have been very supportive,” Parkman continued.

Active parents throughout the district were pleased with the fact that these programs would be maintained in order to give children the best education possible and give them outlets to showcase talents besides straight academic achievements.

Parkman said that she believed that other PTA members also thought the activities in the district were quite strong.

“I believe that a lot of parents encourage their kids to become involved,” Parkman said. “We are very happy that it isn’t just sports in East Meadow. A lot of the administrators make sure that it is a lot of different avenues. Like I said, we are not just about scholar athletes – we have music, woodshop, science programs and lots of things that way which works out great.”

She has a child who graduated East Meadow High School, as well as a current senior, who was previously active in sports. Her older son went to college because he played football at East Meadow High School, she said.

Many parents specifically focused on the strength and need for music, athletics and arts within an education environment.

Woodland PTA member Lorraine Baltusi explained that music is an important activity because it keeps them involved and gives them a sense of community. “It also helps them academically,” she said.

“Both my kids play the bass and I think it is great that they are into it,” said Robin Ungar, who has one child in Barnum Woods Elementary School, one who attends Woodland Middle School and is a member of the PTA.

Ungar also said that if those programs were ever cut from the budget, she would be “pretty upset.”

“We pay a lot of taxes and we should be able to have those extra programs,” she added. "I think that if we take away music and art and all of that it just doesn’t give our children a well-rounded education. They give them a cultural sense.”

Maria Deleon, a pre-school teacher in an early childhood education program at RexCorp, who has two children in the district, emphasized the importance of learning outside of the classroom.

“My daughter is in [Woodland Middle School] and is also an honor student,” Deleon said. “She is in travel soccer and music. If you take away the music she might lack of something else. If you take away the education that she has – health education and everything like that – it would effect her because right now that is what is helping her advance and excel.”

She explained that including these activities in the schools effects children tremendously.

“He plays the trumpet and it is improving his math skills,” she added in regards to her son, who attends Barnum Woods Elementary School. “If you take away his music, it would effect his math.”

“The activities are very important because I think later on it is something that is a necessity,” she added.