Comsewogue Board Takes Step to Curb Poison Ivy on School Grounds

To attack the problem of poison ivy on school grounds, the Comsewogue school board voted 6-0 at a recent meeting to approve a one-time application of a pesticide aimed at controlling poison ivy.

Superintendent Joseph Rella said the poison ivy problem has been persistent, though it does not appear in direct proximity to the athletic fields anywhere on the district's 144 acres of property.

"We have a lot of property, but a lot of it borders woods, and that's where you're going to find it," Rella said. "It's not in the middle of our fields ... but kids playing on a field can find their way to it."

Typically, if poison ivy is simply cut down, it will grow back due to the nature of its vines and roots.

Stephanie Popky, the district's plant and facilities manager, said in an email to Patch that state lawmakers banned the use of pesticides on school grounds in May of 2011. School boards are authorized by that legislation to approve limited use of pesticides when needed, as long as students aren't present. Popky said Comsewogue trustees previously approved an application of the same pesticide in the summer of 2012 to control the poison ivy on campus.

Rella said the district will make an automated phone call to let residents know when the spraying will take place.