Adam Fine, East Hampton High School’s principal, began Tuesday night’s meeting of the East Hampton School Board with a summary of the findings of a recent school-wide survey examining issues such as security, diversity, and support. The survey, an anonymous 20-minute questionnaire, was conceived of by a committee of students, parents, faculty, and clergy following the suicide of David H. Hernandez, a junior at the school.

    The National School Climate Center, a New York City-based organization that helps schools establish an environment of emotional well-being, administered the survey, which cost the district $3,000. The school made it available to students, parents, and faculty members during February and early March. 

    Of the high school’s more than 900 students, 732, or nearly 81 percent, completed the survey. Among 125 faculty and staff members, 113 responded. Of 920 eligible households with parents, 252 finished the survey.

    Among the lowest rankings, the results indicate that the school needs to increase students’ sense of socio-emotional security. Specifically, several students said they had been bullied, teased, or harassed by classmates, and nearly 400 indicated they had witnessed such peer-to-peer abuse more than once.

    “It’s not bad, but it’s not great,” Mr. Fine had remarked a while ago, noting that such a climate was, unfortunately, typical of many high schools. “Still, it’s definitely an area in need of improvement.”

    Among the survey’s high points, safety and norms rated the highest, meaning that students believe there is plenty of adult support on the premises and they would have no hesitation in seeking it out. “The biggest fear in schools is that kids are fearful of going to adults,” said Mr. Fine.

    “Rather than have a program that drops in and disappears, this is making meaningful and lasting change in a high school,” he said. The principal plans to identify vulnerable groups and prioritize areas for action come September, and then to track improvement or downturn.

    Taken together, Mr. Fine viewed the findings as evidence of the school’s “great foundation.”

    “I just wish it got here earlier,” he said. “We were a school in need and we needed the help.”

    Following his presentation, board members discussed whether to implement a similar survey at East Hampton Middle School, with opinions mixed and no action taken.

    In other business, the board accepted the resignation of Philip Garypie, a mechanic, effective June 10. It also accepted the resignation of Joel Freedman, interim head school bus driver, effective July 8. Joseph Lipani was appointed as auto mechanic and interim supervisor for a probationary period of 26 weeks, beginning July 8. He will be paid an annual salary of $60,000 as auto mechanic and $50,000 as interim supervisor.

    Schools Superintendent Richard Burns mentioned the scrutiny the district’s transportation department has been under in recent months and said he was hopeful the department would be operated in a fair and honest manner with Mr. Lipani at the helm. Currently, public disciplinary hearings are under way for two suspended bus drivers, though, said Mr. Burns, they came to a “screeching halt” about six weeks ago. “Our counsel has not heard back from their counsel,” he said, despite repeated inquiries. “We’re patiently awaiting a response.”

    Jackie Lowey, a board member, asked that the district’s Web site be updated so that basic information was more readily accessible. And, following the death last weekend of Anna Mirabai Lytton, the Springs School eighth grader killed by a car as she was riding her bicycle, Ms. Lowey urged that the issue of pedestrian and bike safety be a topic of future discussion. “It’s a conversation our district should be involved in,” she said, adding that children in a rural community should expect to be able to ride their bikes to school. “How can we work together to make this a safer community for our kids?”

    The meeting, which had begun on a somber note with a moment of silence for Anna, ended with a standing ovation for three departing board members, George Aman, Lauren Dempsey, and Alison Anderson. Ms. Dempsey stood to deliver some departing remarks, and audience members thanked the trio for their years of service. Mr. Burns presented Ms. Dempsey and Ms. Anderson with bouquets of flowers. Dr. Aman, the board president, received a set of “special tennis balls, to help give you that extra edge.”

     “It’s been a pleasure working with all of you,” concluded Mr. Burns. “The new board is going to come into a really good, fertile environment, ready to move ahead.”

    Wendy Geehreng, J.P. Foster, and Richard Wilson, who were elected to the board last month, will begin their three-year terms at the next meeting on July 2.

The View From Year Round

    Us vs. them, locals vs. visitors, year-rounders vs. summer people. These points of contrast and conflict are constant on the South Fork and ones that students from Pierson Middle and High School have tried to address through the camera lens. The products of their exploration about what it means to be a year-round resident of the East End, and Sag Harbor, in particular, are part of the exhibit “But Do You Go to School Here?” opening tomorrow at the John Jermain Memorial Library in Sag Harbor.

    The exhibit is the result of a collaboration by the school, the library, and the Sag Harbor Historical Society. It’s the second year students have been asked to explore this theme and they did so through photography class assignments throughout the year, independently, and in a workshop led by Francine Fleischer, a professional photographer. The show also includes historic photographs of Sag Harbor on loan from the historical society and the personal collection of Jack Youngs. An opening reception will be held on Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m.

For Young String Players

    East End Arts has put out the call for music students ages 8 to 18 who are studying violin, viola, cello, or double bass to participate in an open rehearsal on Aug. 1 conducted by the acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman.

    There will be four rehearsals at the East End Arts School in Riverhead before the open rehearsal, which is at Southold High School. These will be on three Mondays, July 15, 22, and 29, and on July 31, a Wednesday.

    The program is free and there are no auditions but those who wish to participate must register by July 12. Musicians will play alongside the Perlman Music Program String Orchestra on Aug. 1 in a rehearsal that is free and open to the public, with Maestro Perlman holding the baton. Registration can be done online at eastendarts.org, by e-mail to [email protected], or by calling the East End Arts School in Riverhead.

Flag Waving

    Stars and stripes forever! Kids 4 and older can channel Betsy Ross on Wednesday at the East Hampton Library as their make their own paper flags from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

    Then on Friday, July 5, kids the same age can learn about how artists make art from clay and then make their own creatures using self-hardening clay and found objects. The program runs from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult for both the Wednesday and Friday sessions. Advance registration is required.

For the Young Artist

    A series of weeklong classes at the Applied Arts School for the Arts in Amagansett this summer will offer young artists 7 to 14 the chance to sharpen their skills and expand their talents.

    Classes, which start on Monday and continue through Aug. 23, will allow children to explore a variety of the arts, including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, photography, and jewelry-making. The program runs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuition is $425 a week, including all materials and healthy snacks. Registration is online at appliedartsschool.com or by phone.

Salsa, Salsa!

    Kids 4 and older can enjoy a taste of salsa — the dance and the food — at the Hampton Library in Bridgehampton on Saturday. From 2 to 3 p.m., families can learn to make salsa and dance the salsa.

    Teens swept up in the zombie craze may well need a survival kit for the Zombie Apocalypse. They can make one at the library on Wednesday at 2 p.m. At the same time, families will be celebrating independence during Read, Write, and Blue, a story and writing program.

    The library will begin giving cooking classes for children 8 and older on Friday, July 5, at 11 a.m. On the menu next week, worms and dirt, a snack the library says “looks gross but tastes great.”

    Congratulations to graduates and gratitude to teachers and the PTA were offered by Eleanor Tritt, the district superintendent of the Amagansett School, at the school board’s meeting on Tuesday morning.

    “We had a very wonderful closing of the school year,” Ms. Tritt told the board. “Thanks to the teachers for orchestrating a great end of the year. The PTA has continuously supported our school programs and faculty, and we thank them for everything they do. All in all, we had a very wonderful end-of-year-activities celebration.”

    Mary Lownes of the board said that the many Amagansett students graduating from East Hampton Middle School and East Hampton High School were a testament to the Amagansett School and its effectiveness in preparing students for their subsequent education.

    Ms. Tritt told the board that teachers are evaluating mathematics textbooks and testing materials from Singapore Math Inc. for grades three, four, and five. “The teachers tend to feel that Singapore Math is probably the series they would like to go with,” she said. “Singapore Math seems to have a practice for the students that follows a more logical progression.”

    The program, she said, is well established and has consistently delivered positive results. She told the board that the GO Math! program, which she said is in use at East Hampton schools, is also under review, and that a recommendation would be made to the board once more information has been received from the publishers.

Canning the Calendar?

    Also considered was a change to the school calendar that is traditionally printed and mailed to parents each year. Citing the cost of printing a color calendar, Ms. Tritt asked board members how they felt about ending the practice in favor of putting the calendar online. This, she said, would also streamline the process of creating and issuing the calendar, allowing it to be updated in real time. In addition, changes could also be issued in hard copy and mailed to parents, she said.

    “Mine was like my bible when my kids were here,” Victoria Smudzinski, a board member, said. The physical calendar, she said, was “a handy tool to have.”

    It was very useful, agreed John Hossenlopp, the board’s president.

    Ms. Tritt suggested an approach in which an abbreviated version would be printed and issued, and other content, such as plans and policies, posted online.

The Auditors Cometh

    The school’s auditors recently visited the school and will return in August, Ms. Tritt said. Ms. Lownes, who leads the board’s audit committee, reported on the committee’s meeting. “I think our house is in order,” she said. “We’ll be meeting again in September to go over the findings. If there’s anything that they find in the midst of it I’ll get a call, but we don’t anticipate that.”

    Ms. Lownes praised the “meticulous record-keeping” of Cheryl Bloecker, the district clerk. “Even though the state demands everything online, auditors still have to touch everything,” she said. “We have to keep all those files going, and they can go back many years. . . . Each time they come, they hit different areas, just to make sure that our house is in order.”

    The board also authorized Roxanne Ecker, the treasurer, to transfer $74,348 from the workers’ compensation reserve fund to the general fund for the purpose of payment to the East End Workers’ Compensation program.

    “Our expenses have exceeded the premiums we’ve been paying,” Ms. Tritt said. “The fund has notified us that we have several options: either to pay this $74,348 [in] excess expenses over what we paid,” or “to increase the premium that we pay over the next few years.” The latter option, however, would impact the budget, she said.

    “The purpose of reserves is to cover an amount such as this, so I recommend that it would be prudent to pay this amount. Hopefully, if at any point there are excess funds, we would try to replenish that.”

    The recent death of Anna Mirabai Lytton, a Springs School eighth grader, cast a pall over the school’s graduation ceremony last Thursday evening at East Hampton High School.

    There was hardly a dry eye in the house as Springs students took to the stage during a ceremony that celebrated the achievements of those assembled while also serving as a final farewell to a beloved classmate.

    Less than a week before she was set to graduate, Anna was struck by a car while riding her bicycle on Pantigo Road in East Hampton. Airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital, she died shortly thereafter.

    The entire Springs School community has been heavy of heart ever since.

    “Our community lost one of our own,” said Eric Casale, the school’s principal, last Thursday night. The start of the ceremony included a lengthy slideshow, followed by a special tribute to Anna. “Words cannot express the grief that we feel.”

    The ceremony took place inside East Hampton High School’s auditorium, where, come September, Springs students will begin their freshman year. With a little over 60 students in the graduating class, it’s an unusually close-knit community, with many in the eighth grade having attended the school since it first offered pre-K a decade ago.

    “Tonight, we are honored to have Anna’s family with us,” said Mr. Casale, who along with staff members and students wore boutonnieres festooned with blue bows, in honor of Anna’s favorite color. Several girls wore wreaths made of daisies. “We are here to show a united support for Anna and her family this evening,” he said.

    Earlier in the day, the class gathered behind the Springs School to release more than 150 butterflies into the sky. Kate Rabinowitz, Anna’s mother, read a poem related to a Native American legend. It states that because butterflies make no sound, they can carry wishes to the Great Spirit.

    “As a community, we should be proud of these students,” said Mr. Casale, noting that Springs students had demonstrated great courage and perseverance during an especially trying final week of classes. “Our job as parents and teachers is to shield them from events in order to protect them. I wish I could take away their pain and I’m not able to do so and that saddens me.”

    Several students and faculty members recalled Anna as an artist and poet who possessed a joyful demeanor and infectious smile.

    “It’s a night of joy and sadness,” said Danielle Futerman, the class valedictorian, during her speech. “Anna is now on a new journey, but she will always be with us in our hearts.”

    Later in the evening, as each student approached the lectern to receive their diplomas, Anna’s was the last name to be read. The audience stood to applaud as her brother, James Lytton, a student at the Ross School, collected a bouquet and a diploma in his sister’s memory.

    Before adjourning, he and Sienna Van Sickle, an eighth grader, jointly read aloud one of Anna’s poems — a haunting piece of writing about a canoe and its passengers reaching their final resting spot along the shore. With heads bowed, the audience observed a final moment of silence.

    Despite months of haggling over line items in East Hampton School District budget workshops — and more than $1 million in cuts — Tuesday night’s public hearing on next year’s $64.2 million budget was docile. Though the school board normally convenes in the district office, the hearing was relocated to the high school library in anticipation of a larger crowd, but few members of the public turned out. Even fewer spoke up.

    Richard J. Burns, district superintendent, led the audience methodically through a 19-page PowerPoint presentation. In it, he aimed to answer: How did we get here? And how will your tax bill change? Specifically, he addressed an issue that has confounded board members, administrators, and taxpayers alike: the 2 percent tax-levy cap.

     “Two percent is not 2 percent,” Mr. Burns said, explaining that those expenses that are mandated by the state are exempt from the final calculation. “When exemptions are included, 2 percent is actually 5.017 percent,” he said.    However, in order to remain within the 2 percent limit on an increase in the tax levy, which became state law in 2011 and which the board has accomplished when  mandated expenses are not considered, cuts of $1.06 million had been made in the first draft of the budget, which was proposed to the board back in January.

    The bulk of spending cuts centered on personnel reductions (with six teachers given part-time positions and two retirees not replaced). In addition, the driver’s education program will no longer be part of the curriculum, but will be run as a paid program during summers as well as before and after school. East Hampton, Mr. Burns said, had been one of the last remaining districts on Long Island to offer it as an in-house program during school hours.

    Speaking of the overall curriculum, Mr. Burns emphasized that the same courses would be offered next year even though parents can expect to see what he described as a “bump in enrollment.” Nevertheless, he said, course enrollment would “stay in the mid-20 range, which we feel is an effective range educationally.”

    Compared with the $64.2 million budget, the tax levy is $46.7 million, or a difference of nearly $18 million. State aid, tuition, and the district’s fund balance are the other revenue sources. This year’s budget represents a 2.21-percent increase over last year’s $62.8 million budget. Making sure that it was understood that the state cap is not on budgets, but on the increase in tax levies, Mr. Burns said it remained to be seen whether the district would be able to come under the 2-percent cap in future years without decimating essential programs. That fate was only narrowly escaped this past year, according to several board members.

    When it came to prospective tax bills, Mr. Burns noted that the tax levy increase of 5.017 percent would bring an estimated tax rate increase of 2.62 percent. He repeatedly emphasized that the rate was an estimate because they are subject to changes in overall assessed property values. Urging residents to examine their tax bills, he said that if the assessed value of a house is $6,000, next year’s increase would be $152.20. If the assessed value is $8,000, taxpayers can expect a yearly increase of $209.60.

    Coming up next is the vote on the budget and school board election, scheduled for May 21. If the budget were to be defeated, Mr. Burns said the district would have to weigh the “dire” possibility of adopting a contingent budget based on the prior year’s tax levy. To do so would require additional cuts.

     “I’m scared to death if we have to go with the contingent budget and where we’re going to cut $2 million,” Mr. Burns said. “I don’t even want to go down that road yet.”

     Of the budget process as a whole, Jackie Lowey, a board member, offered her assessment. “On a personal level for me, I’m proud of living in a community that’s willing to spend money on education. Last year, we voted to approve our budget and our children have a brighter future and our property values are higher because of the education offered in our district,” she said. “We cut $4 million dollars in the last two years. We worked very hard to eliminate things viewed as wasteful.”

    Although a handful of East End schools have experienced various degrees of administrative turmoil in the last academic year, the Springs School community was unprepared for the chaos last week when both its principal and assistant principal went missing.

    Eric Casale, the principal, was whisked away to Southampton Hospital by ambulance last Thursday morning, after reportedly complaining of chest pains. Dominic Mucci, the district superintendent, who serves on a part-time basis, confirmed this week that Mr. Casale is now on sick leave, but said he hoped the principal would be able to return sometime next week. It was “up to his doctor to decide this,” Mr. Mucci said. Attempts to reach Mr. Casale were not returned.

     Adding to the confusion, Mr. Casale’s emergency departure occurred one day after what turned out to be the assistant principal’s, Katherine Byrnes’s, last day at the school. This came as a shock to parents, with many describing her exit as urgent and abrupt.

    At an unannounced special meeting of the Springs School Board yesterday, which convened at 7:30 a.m., the board accepted her resignation unanimously. No members of the public were present.

     Dr. Byrnes, who was hired for a three-year probationary period in August and paid a salary of $120,000, not including benefits, oversaw special education, managed issues related to discipline, evaluated teachers, and was tasked with reporting such data to New York State officials. She had previously been an elementary assistant principal at North Shore Schools in Sea Cliff.

    According to a North Shore human resources official, Dr. Byrnes had been hired on Aug. 16, 2010, and left the district on June 30, 2012. According to school officials, about 28 special education students have been in a self-contained classroom there this year. The 2013-14 budget for special education, for students from kindergarten through high school, is estimated at $2.5 million.

    “I can’t comment at all. I resigned for personal reasons,” said Dr. Byrnes, when reached by telephone earlier this week. She declined to comment further. 

    Mr. Mucci similarly declined to discuss the specifics of Dr. Byrnes’s sudden departure. Her resignation will be effective on May 31, and she will remain on the district’s payroll until then.

    “Oftentimes decisions that are made are not popular decisions. They may cause a lot of speculation and a lot of concern and confusion,” Mr. Mucci said. “What adds to that concern and confusion is that there are privacy issues at hand and that makes it tougher for the community to understand the whole issue.”

    While Mr. Mucci has repeatedly updated parents concerning Mr. Casale’s whereabouts, until yesterday the school had not announced any details concerning Dr. Byrnes’s departure the previous week.

    An e-mail sent to parents last Thursday night apparently added to the confusion. Although it made no mention of Dr. Byrnes, it introduced Louis Aiello to parents, explaining that he would assume many of her  duties. In the e-mail, Mr. Mucci wrote that Mr. Aiello “will be joining me in providing service and support to our staff and student body.” Subsequently, rumors and accusations ran rampant.

    Finally, at 8:53 a.m. yesterday, following the board’s vote, Mr. Mucci announced Dr. Byrnes’s resignation in another e-mail to parents. He also said he had rearranged his schedule “to be in the district daily until Mr. Casale’s return,” further indicating that Mr. Aiello, a part-time hire, would oversee the special education program. 

    Mr. Aiello is known in Springs, having served as interim director of pupil personnel services and special education during the 2001-2002 school year. He also is the chair of the Southampton School District’s interim committee on special education.

    But for some parents, the e-mail was too little, too late.

    “I wish a letter would have gone out sooner,” said Pat Brabant, a father of four children at the school. “Parents are confused, rumors are flying around, and no one knows what’s going on.”

    “As parents, it’s unsettling that we haven’t heard any communication,” said Adam Wilson, a Springs school board candidate whose son is in the eighth grade. Page Stewart, whose son is also in the eighth grade, was similarly confounded.

    “The lights are on, but nobody’s there,” Ms. Stewart said. She added that she had become incensed after calling the school and was unable to reach anyone, instead hearing an outdated message saying the school was closed due to Hurricane Sandy.

    “It represents the school in a nutshell, given all of the misconduct and lack of professionalism,” Ms. Stewart said. “We don’t have an assistant principal. She’s missing in action, and our principal went to the hospital last week, and there’s been no word on him, either.”

    In a prepared statement, Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, the board president, offered the following: “We wish Dr. Byrnes much success in her future endeavors. We will be hiring a new assistant principal for the 2013-14 school year. We are confident that we will have the position filled by Aug. 1, 2013.”

    When reached prior to Wednesday morning’s meeting, Ms. Burke-Gonzalez refused to comment further, citing issues related to matters of personnel, and saying that on the advice of the school’s attorney, her lips were sealed.

    Meanwhile, questions remain.

    Two candidates are running for one five-year term on the Montauk School Board. The open seat is being vacated by Therese Watson after 29 years. The candidates, Lee White and Honora Herlihy, both have children in the school.

    Mr. White has served on the East Hampton Town Zoning Board of Appeals for 12 years. He graduated from Gettysburg College with a degree in business management and a concentration in finance and accounting. He manages properties and watches houses for Lycke Home Services. He is an assistant real estate appraiser and also works at the Harvest on Fort Pond restaurant as a food expediter and bartender.

    He has two children with his partner, Mary Jo Walker — Andy, who is 5 and in kindergarten, and Jolee, who is 3.

    Mr. White is running to focus attention on what he calls the unfairness of the state-imposed 2-percent cap on tax levy increases. His plan is to explore reasonable alternatives to program cuts and consolidated classes. He said he would like to be an open and approachable board member.

    His opponent, Ms. Herlihy, owned the Montauk Carriage House for 10 years before selling her lease in January. She said she is running because Ms. Watson’s exit offered her the opportunity. “I have time now and my children are in this school,” she said on Tuesday after attending a school board meeting.

    She is interested in school security and the safety of Montauk students. She is also concentrating on the school’s curriculum because “that’s what a school is about.”

    Ms. Herlihy graduated from the State University at Cobleskill with a degree in business. She also has degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City in fashion merchandising and production management. She served on the Fashion Institute’s board in 1993 and 1994. She has been a member of the Montauk Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors as well as a regular chamber member. For the last three years she has been a Cub Scout leader.

    She is married to Gerald Herlihy and has two children, Aydin, a third grader, and Paige, who is in kindergarten. She said she has a lot to learn and looks forward to the chance to serve.

    “This will consume a substantial amount of time. But right now I have the time,” she said.

    The vote is on Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. in the school gym. The district will also be deciding the fate of an $18.7 million budget, which reflects an increase of $180,882 from this year’s, with a spending increase of 0.98 percent and a tax rate increase of 0.87 percent.

    After months of haggling over budgets and whether to pierce the state-imposed 2-percent cap on tax levy increases, the voters have spoken, approving school budgets from Bridgehampton to Montauk by wide margins and electing new school board members.

    Shortly after the polls closed in East Hampton on Tuesday night, Kerri Clark, the district clerk, announced that voters had approved its $64.2 million budget by a margin of 561 to 122 votes.

    Voters in Springs passed a $25.4 million budget by 383 to 117 votes — or nearly 77 percent. Bridgehampton saw its $11.2 million budget approved by 137 to 50, while in Amagansett, a $10.2 million budget was okayed 127 to 25. And in Montauk the margin for an $18.7 million budget was 218 to 50.

    Out of six candidates competing for three openings on the East Hampton School Board, Wendy Geehreng, J.P. Foster, and Richard Wilson walked away triumphant. Alison Anderson, the lone incumbent, had sought a second three-year term, but she placed second to last. George Aman and Lauren Dempsey, incumbents, had decided not to run again.

    Ms. Geehreng received 450 votes, Mr. Foster 430, and Mr. Wilson 302. The unsuccessful candidates were Nicholas Boland, with 277 votes, Ms. Anderson, with 246, and Mary Ella Moeller with only 183.

    The $64.2 million East Hampton budget includes a 5.53-percent tax rate increase. Despite the board cutting nearly $1 million since first reviewing the budget earlier this year, it represents a 2.21-percent increase over last year. The estimated increase of 5.01 percent in the tax levy meets the state-mandated 2-percent cap once exemptions are taken into account.

    In Springs, Eric Casale, the principal, called to report Tuesday evening’s results, noting that the 383-to-117 positive vote, represented nearly 77 percent.

    The two seats on the Springs School Board went to Jeff Miller, who received 437 votes, and Adam Wilson, with 392. The third candidate, Martin Drew, received 78 votes. Neither Kathee Burke-Gonzalez nor Teresa Schurr, current board members, sought re-election.

    Next year’s $25.4 million budget in Springs includes a tax levy increase of 1.3 percent and a projected tax rate increase of 3.37 percent. By comparison, last year’s $24.6 million budget included a 2.97 percent increase in the tax levy and a 3.19-percent increase in the tax rate.

    Bridgehampton voters not only approved its $11.2 million budget, but went for two propositions, including a $160,000 increase in spending for the Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreational Center and an increase in transportation services, which is expected to total $60,525.

    According to Jeannine Stallings, the district clerk, the transportation increase is the result of expanded eligibility criteria for students in grades 9 to 12 — from the current distance of 15 miles to 25 miles. Voters also elected three members to the Bridgehampton School board. The incumbents, Lawrence LaPointe and Gabriella Braia, received 143 and 113 votes, while Jennifer Vinski, a newcomer, received 147 votes. Bridgehampton also had three write-in candidates: Ms. Stallings received 11 votes and Bruce Bombkowski and Philip Cammann each received one vote.

    Cheryl Bloecker, the Amagansett district clerk, reported the 127-to-25 vote approving the budget. Two school board members, John Hossenlopp and Victoria Smudzinski, were re-elected, having run unopposed. Mr. Hossenlopp received 102 votes; Ms. Smudzinski 97.

    Additionally, Amagansett voters approved a proposal to use $225,000 in capital reserve funds to upgrade security.

    As in other districts the $18.7 million budget in Montauk was approved with a comfortable, 218 to 50, margin, according to Jack Perna, the superintendent. The one vacancy on the Montauk School Board went to Lee White, who beat out Honora Herlihy by 160 to 101 votes. The term is five years. After 29 years of service, Therese Watson did not seek re-election.

    Meanwhile, in Sagaponack, 42 voters approved its $1.7 million budget. Two voted no, while one voter abstained. Cathy Hatgistavrou, an incumbent, ran unopposed for an additional three-year term, which begins July 1. She received 44 votes with 1 abstention.

    Wainscott voters approved an approximately $3.5 million budget by 41 to 1, according to Mary McCaffrey, the district clerk. William A. Babinksi Jr., who received 39 votes, was elected to serve on its three-seat board of trustees. Two write-in candidates — Catherine Dickinson and Bill Costello — each received one vote.

    The budgets in other South Fork districts were also approved handily. In Sag Harbor, where the school board has seen considerable dissention this year, a $35,508,622 budget was approved 825 to 377. And, in Southampton, the yes votes for a $61,877,948 budget numbered 402 to 100 opposed.

Movie al Fresco

    It’s that special time of year when it’s finally, hopefully, warm enough to watch a movie outside under the stars. The Springs School PTA has invited kids to do just that with an outdoor movie night tomorrow featuring the animated film “Wreck-It Ralph.” It starts at sundown, not long after 8. Admission is free and drinks and popcorn will be available for purchase.

Dads, Books, and Beaches

    In the lead-up to Father’s Day, summer, and the summer-long Battle of the Books trivia contest, this week will be a busy one at the East Hampton Library. The titles for the countywide Battle of the Books will be revealed to potential trivia team members on Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. Teams of readers entering sixth through ninth grades meet weekly on Thursdays in preparation for a face-off with other library teams at Stony Brook University on Aug. 10. Kids 4 and older can create their own beach scenes using shells, rocks, and other collage materials on Saturday from 2 to 3 p.m. Adults must accompany the young artists. On Wednesday, daughters and sons 7 and older will make homemade barbecue sauce for their dads, for which they will create their own labels. Those who take a photo to the session, which is from 4 to 5 p.m., will be able to have it copied at the library for a personalized label. A Father’s Day story and craft time next Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m. will have 4 to 6-year-olds listening to a story about dads and making something special for the fathers in their lives. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. Advance registration has been requested for all programs.

“Pump Up the Volume”

    Tickets are on sale now for Dancehampton’s annual recital on June 8 and 9 at East Hampton High School. The East Hampton studio teaches ballet, tap, lyrical, jazz, hip-hop, Irish step, and musical theater classes to dancers from preschool to high school age. “Pump Up the Volume” is its sixth annual show, with performances scheduled for 6 p.m. on June 8 and 3 p.m. on June 9. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased in advance at the Dancehampton studio at 15 Lumber Lane, across from the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter.

Zoo-La-La

    Zoo creatures will take over the Amagansett Library on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Following a zoo story, families can make lion masks to take home. The program is free, but advance registration has been requested.

    For Springs School officials, it has been a difficult month.

    First the assistant principal resigned, then the school reported testing irregularities to New York State, and that led to questions concerning its principal, Eric Casale, who had dealt with a cheating scandal at his prior school, P.S. 91 in the Bronx, before being hired by the Springs School.

    In 2005, the New York Post reported on a cheating incident that occurred while Mr. Casale was principal of P.S. 91. According to the Post, Barbara Lee, a former math coach who had since been promoted assistant principal, was accused of helping students cheat during a 2004 New York State Regents exam. The Post story alleged that Mr. Casale destroyed student and teacher testimonies related to potential wrongdoing. In a 2010 follow-up, the Post reported that the city ultimately terminated Ms. Lee following a protracted legal battle.

    Since the article and the 2005 allegations have surfaced, questions have arisen concerning whether Springs School was aware of such issues when it offered Mr. Casale the job as principal in May of 2005.

    Two weekends ago, board members asked Mr. Casale to present them with a detailed timeline concerning the allegations.

    John Grant, the school board’s vice president, who has served on the board for four years, recently allowed The Star to see a copy of the dozen-page timeline but would not allow for a copy to leave the premises.

    In it, Mr. Casale wrote that during his interview process a Springs teacher placed copies of the 2005 New York Post article in teacher’s mailboxes, ostensibly hoping to jeopardize his candidacy. It also says that he was granted tenure in October 2007 after demonstrating significant academic gains, both instructionally and also in terms of revamping the school’s overall culture. Typically, administrators are given three-years probationary appointments before tenure is granted.

    On May 19, Mr. Casale sent a two-page letter to the Springs community, describing recent coverage as “an extremely upsetting situation.” The letter is posted on the school’s Web site.

    The next day, the Springs School Board leapt to Mr. Casale’s defense, issuing a letter of support emphasizing that it had exercised due diligence and properly vetted his candidacy long before offering him the position.

     “As a board of education, we believe in the integrity of our hiring process,” the board said in the release. “The events associated with his employment with the New York City Board of Education were made known to the board before he began his employment at Springs. The record of his past employment in N.Y.C. — which in our opinion has been reported in an unfair and out-of-context manner — cannot overwhelm or change our appreciation and respect for his leadership.”

    Dominic Mucci, the superintendent, was similarly unequivocal in his praise.

     “We’re going to move forward,” Mr. Mucci said early last week, adding that Mr. Casale has been flooded with letters of support from both faculty and parents in recent days. “We have confidence in Mr. Casale, his leadership, his character, and most importantly, his integrity.”

    “A lot of parents are supportive,” said Pat Brabant, a father of four at the Springs School, who said that test scores had risen significantly since Mr. Casale assumed the post nearly eight years ago. “He’s very dedicated. He’s a good man. It’s easier to pull someone apart than it is to show someone’s positive qualities. Springs has come a long way from where it used to be.”

    Christopher Sarlo, who served as interim principal of Springs School during the 2004-5 academic year, was directly involved in the vetting of Mr. Casale. Mr. Sarlo, who had been a principal of East Hampton High School, said Mr. Casale was one of five candidates who advanced to the final round.

    “We had a very comprehensive committee process. We checked his credentials,” said Mr. Sarlo, adding that he spoke with Ray Rosemberg, a retired superintendent in New York who worked as Mr. Casale’s supervisor. Along with Mr. Sarlo, Edward Swensen also co-chaired the committee reviewing principal candidates. “We felt comfortable that he was not involved in any wrongdoing. There was nothing hidden. The board was aware of it.”

    When reached by telephone Tuesday morning, Mr. Rosemberg, who has since retired from the New York City school system, said he did not recall whether the Springs School search committee had contacted him.

    “Eight years after leaving behind a nightmarish attempt to destroy my career and my personal reputation, the matter has resurfaced in a manner that feels terribly unfair,” Mr. Casale wrote in his May 19 letter to the Springs community. “But I truly have nothing to hide, and that’s why it is important for me to share this detail with you.”

    The letter goes into some detail concerning the allegations made while he ran P.S. 91. During his second year as principal, he said that he began looking for a new position, both on Long Island and also in Westchester County.

    “This weekend, I came to learn that in August of 2005, about two months after I started in Springs, the Office of Special Investigations of the New York City Board of Education issued a final report,” wrote Mr. Casale. “This was never shared with me, presumably because I had resigned my position.”

    Earlier this week, The Star filed a Freedom of Information request with the New York City Department of Education attempting to obtain a copy of the report in question. David Pena, a D.O.E. spokesperson, confirmed that Mr. Casale resigned in July of 2005 pending an investigation. In an e-mail, he also said that “if he were to re-apply to work for the N.Y.C. Department of Education, his file would have a problem code that would flag his applications as needing further investigation.”

    “A single allegation against me was substantiated by the investigator based largely on the testimony of two staff members: that I had failed to report my knowledge of the testing allegation to the director of testing,” wrote Mr. Casale in his letter. “Of course, I did report it — to my superintendent of schools. But no matter; as a result, I was put on a special list regarding any future employment inquiries in N.Y.C. schools. No further action was taken against me, and no charges of ‘cover up’ or ‘destruction of evidence’ were alleged or substantiated against me.”

    “I want to assure you,” he concluded, “that I am in good standing with the New York State Education Department and that both of my licenses are permanent. I hope to be here at Springs for the rest of my career, as I have come to love Springs and its children, who I treat as my own.”

    A call to Mr. Casale went unreturned.

    Some have speculated that recent allegations have put a cloud over the school’s academic gains. During the 2011-12 school year, for instance, Springs was ranked 69th in New York State among middle schools, according to School Digger, a Web site that ranks schools according to state testing data.

    “Eric’s reputation is one of the most respected administrators in terms of testing security and organization. He has an impeccable reputation among the local districts,” said Mr. Grant. “With his career over the past eight years, he’s made transformational change at Springs. You really have to look at his record.”

    As it concerns potential wrongdoing insofar as state exams are concerned, Mr. Grant emphasized that the recent allegation concerned “one student and one staff member.”

    “We don’t believe there’s anything widespread. Still, I’d like the Testing Integrity Unit to take a look at whatever they need to in order to prove that the allegations in fact involve one student and one staff member,” Mr. Grant said.