Island Trees School District Faces Financial Burden at Closed School

The closing of a Nassau BOCES pre-school program run at the Geneva N. Gallow Elementary School in Levittown has left the Island Trees School District with a potential $500,000 financial burden.

Island Trees Superintendent Charles Murphy said that the school district, which owns the building at 72 Farmedge Rd. and had leased it to BOCES since 1992, is looking carefully at every possible option going forward.

The school has reached out to numerous private schools and non-profit organizations to lease it, but so far they have not been successful in finding a replacement. BOCES closed the special education pre-school program on July 1 due to declining enrollment and a $2 million annual budget shortfall. 

“Overall, the sum loss of the BOCES lease totals more than $500,000 for the district,” Murphy said in a letter to residents. 

The problem with the property is that there are very few organizations like BOCES that are a fit for the building and would be able to afford the $30,000 a month lease, Murphy said. BOCES was also responsible for the maintenance, upkeep and utilities for the building, which totaled $166,000 for the 2011-12 school year. 

"To date, we have had only one private school show interest, and their offer would not even begin to cover monthly fuel expenses,” Murphy said.

The school district is now focused on selling the property, announcing a partnership with Oxford & Simpson Realty, Inc. Murphy cited the recent success of a school building sale in Seaford as an example, as Seaford was able to dispose of the property and create a new $500,000 tax base, he said. 

Oxford & Simpson and the District are seeking residents input in the "visioning and disposition of the property." Residents are encouraged to visit the “FarmedgeVision” Facebook page to share their input. The survey can be found here.

“We hope that all stakeholders have the opportunity to review the website and share their views,” Murphy said. “In this process, the community is the front line of input, weighing in on concepts, which then will become the catalyst for the decision-making process.”