Social worker position at school might find funding

The Shelter Island Board of Education could soon be considering a recommendation to bring back a part-time social worker to the district’s staff.

The two-day-a-week position was cut from the budget in the spring because of lack of funds, but at the time, Superintendent Michael Hynes said his goal was to find a way to pay for the appointment and, eventually, to see that role expanded to a full-time position.

“We’ve been pinching a lot of pennies,” Dr. Hynes said about where the money would come from to cover the cost of hiring a social worker. It cost the district $65,000 to bring in social worker Emily Hill two days a week during the past school year. It’s unclear whether Ms. Hill would be rehired or the district would have to search for a social worker once the money is in hand.

The Board of Education is expected to approve the hiring of a new first grade teacher prior to classes starting September 4, Dr. Hynes said. Without revealing the candidate, he said he’s pleased to have found a candidate he can recommend to the board without reservations. The hunt took longer than expected because Dr. Hynes was determined to find a candidate adept at team teaching, a skill critical to the school’s approach to education.

Building work slated to be completed this summer is expected to be done in time for the start of school. A new water tank is in place and tests are being conducted this week by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services that are expected to show that the water is potable. New windows have been installed and movement of rooms to accommodate a more efficient flow of activities in the school is complete, Dr. Hynes said.

That included relocation of the school library to make the former library space into an administration suite; establishing a Board of Education meeting space; and creating two major areas of study for secondary school students — a humanities suite, focused on English language arts and social studies, and a science, math and technology suite.

“I’m very optimistic,” Dr. Hynes said about the new approach he believes will provide a more cohesive approach to education.

Academic Administrator Jennifer Rylott, whose contract was renewed by the Board of Education Monday night, said she’s glad to have a year under her belt in that position as she, Dr. Hynes and the faculty tackle the new approach to curriculum.

In June 2012, Ms. Rylott was plucked from the elementary classroom to take a one-year probationary appointment as academic administrator, an experiment Dr. Hynes has declared a success.  With the added requirements from the state and federal governments that school systems must meet, he said, “It’s imperative” to have a person of Ms. Rylott’s abilities to pick up some of the work of coordinating faculty assignments; handling special education, acting as chief information officer for the district, overseeing the Response to Intervention Program and interfacing with the school’s guidance teacher.

There’s still work to be done in the building, painting and waxing floors to get ready for the start of school.
As for brick cleaning, that has been abandoned since the only cleaners that would do the job would be harmful to the environment.

Looking ahead, Dr. Hynes is beginning to talk to architects about making the building more energy efficient. The new windows are a part of that effort, but the heating and cooling systems in the building are old and will need to be replaced at some point, the superintendent said. That’s part of the next five-year plan, he said.