Parents tell East Islip board prom-before-Regents schedule strains students; board says it will seek earlier state scheduling information

Two parents raised concerns at the public-comment portion of the East Islip Union Free School District board meeting about a scheduling conflict that places prom the night before a 9 a.m. physics Regents exam and the same day as graduation.

Michelle Bulkin, who identified herself as the parent of a graduating senior, told the board the alignment creates "foreseeable avoidable strain" on students who are both participating in senior milestones and taking a high‑stakes Regents the next morning. She said the class in question was continuing new instruction rather than Regents review and asked what measures the district is taking to support affected students and whether scheduling might change in future years.

The board acknowledged the concern and said it would "talk to the state" to seek earlier notification of Regents dates. Board members said they could not change the schedule this year because the state release and venue bookings constrain timing; the board reiterated it would try to be more diligent in the future.

A second parent, identified in the transcript as Miss Nolan, reiterated similar points, calling the arrangement "educationally unsound" for students taking physics and urging the board to seek alternatives such as changing graduation or prom dates when feasible.

Board members responded by explaining constraints (venue availability, state exam release timing) and offered to explore options in future scheduling cycles; one board member offered to personally assist a student the morning of the exam. The board announced the required budget hearing for May 5 and the district vote for May 19 but said no immediate schedule changes would be made for the current year.