Post by Chris_Wendt on Mar 3, 2014 6:55:04 GMT -5
Deer Park is contemplating following Seaford's lead, to sell one its schools to a developer for senior housing.
The same developer, in both cases.
The Newsday article (below for link) gives a good recap of current or recent school closings, some of which may be sold off for development, and one that may be sold to a religious school.
Here are some of the extant situations:
Wantagh may face this kind of gut-wrenching decision in the coming years.
Concerned parents should reflect on the realities that there are two components of closing/selling schools.
First is declining enrollment, which is and has been a factor in Wantagh as it is and has been in most Long Island Districts. In Wantagh, enrollment is forecast to continue declining until 2020. After that, the forecast is unclear. High regional living costs are among the factors driving declining enrollment. The other, more significant factor in declining enrollment is the aging of Wantagh's population.
Second, high costs and costs with entrenched escalation are putting immense pressure on school boards and voters to either close/sell unnecessary or uneconomic or inefficient schools, or, to cut programs. Those costs are salaries with built-in raises, health care benefits, and pensions. School boards and school districts do not control pension costs; pension costs are 100% a state-controlled school budget (and tax) item.
You may continue to ignore, at your peril, Wantagh's declining enrollment, aging population, and increasing budget costs and school taxes. But do not be shocked if Forest Lake School shows up in a Newsday article one day, on the block, so to speak.
Here's a link to the Newsday Article.
Regards,
Chris Wendt
The same developer, in both cases.
The Newsday article (below for link) gives a good recap of current or recent school closings, some of which may be sold off for development, and one that may be sold to a religious school.
Here are some of the extant situations:
- Deer Park considering sale of an already closed school
- Sachem announced proposals to close two elementary schools
- Half Hollow Hills closing two elementary schools and will be marketing them for sale
- Lawrence will vote this month about selling a school to the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach
- Lindenhurst may sell a school to a senior housing development
- Island Trees will not sell two closed schools for a senior housing project at this time, but is reviewing other options to dispose of the property
- The "sale" of the Seaford Avenue School is pending zoning action at the Town of Hempstead this month (approval of senior housing)
Wantagh may face this kind of gut-wrenching decision in the coming years.
Concerned parents should reflect on the realities that there are two components of closing/selling schools.
First is declining enrollment, which is and has been a factor in Wantagh as it is and has been in most Long Island Districts. In Wantagh, enrollment is forecast to continue declining until 2020. After that, the forecast is unclear. High regional living costs are among the factors driving declining enrollment. The other, more significant factor in declining enrollment is the aging of Wantagh's population.
Second, high costs and costs with entrenched escalation are putting immense pressure on school boards and voters to either close/sell unnecessary or uneconomic or inefficient schools, or, to cut programs. Those costs are salaries with built-in raises, health care benefits, and pensions. School boards and school districts do not control pension costs; pension costs are 100% a state-controlled school budget (and tax) item.
You may continue to ignore, at your peril, Wantagh's declining enrollment, aging population, and increasing budget costs and school taxes. But do not be shocked if Forest Lake School shows up in a Newsday article one day, on the block, so to speak.
Here's a link to the Newsday Article.
Regards,
Chris Wendt