The Springs School District announced on its website this week that a Spanish translator will be available for its next Board of Education meeting scheduled for Monday, April 11, at 7 p.m.Unlike East Hampton High School, which implemented a system in which a translator speaks into a microphone connected to wireless headphones worn by those in need of Spanish translation in January, Springs does not have access to electronic translation, said Ms. Mendelman.“Maybe down the road … it’s something to certainly take a look at,” she said.The main roadblock the district would face is the fact that its board meetings are not broadcast by LTV, East Hampton’s local television station, said Ms. Mendelman. In East Hampton, people wearing hearing devices are listening to a translator who is in another room watching the broadcast.Ms. Mendelman said that although the district has reached out to LTV in the past, there were significant scheduling conflicts.Hearing of the offered service, local Hispanic advocacy non-profit OLA of Eastern Long Island released a statement saying: “OLA is very excited to learn that the Springs School District will now translate its board meetings, starting with its meeting on April 11, in Spanish.”“We realize there might be some wrinkles that will need to be worked out, but we are pleased that the district will be moving into the direction to incorporate its Latino parent base,” said OLA Executive Director Minerva Perez on Tuesday.Ms. Mendelman said the district will also be providing a translator at the upcoming eighth grade graduation meeting for parents on Tuesday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the school library. The meeting is open to all eighth grade parents interested in helping to plan the eighth grade graduation party.The move to translate these meetings comes two weeks after two local Hispanic parents expressed to the board how difficult it has been to stay informed about what is happening in the district due to a lack of translated notices and meetings.
Jaime Zahl on Apr 5, 2016