>> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING OF MARCH 26TH, 2025.
[00:00:05]
LET'S RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.>> NATALIE, WOULD YOU REITERATE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTION?
>> WE MET TO DISCUSS THE EMPLOYMENT OF HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR PERSON AND THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION SALE OR LEASE OF REAL PROPERTY.
>> THANK YOU, NATALIE. THANKS EVERYONE FOR JOINING THE MEETING THIS EVENING.
I HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A GREAT WEEK SO FAR.
FOR TONIGHT'S AGENDA, WE WILL KICK OFF WITH PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE OUR LINE BY LINE BUDGET REVIEW.
WE ALSO HAVE BUSINESS ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION.
I WANT TO POINT OUT AGENDA ITEMS 5.1-5.3, WHICH WILL HELP GET THE DISTRICT READY TO HOLD ITS ANNUAL ELECTION IN MAY.
THIS YEAR, THERE WILL BE BOND PROPOSITIONS ADDED TO THE BALLOT FOR VOTER CONSIDERATION.
THAT COVER DISTRICT WIDE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, ELEMENTARY AIR CONDITIONING, ADA AT SIWANOY, AS WELL AS A CAFETERIA AND A NET EXPANSION OF THREE ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS AT SIWANOY, A HIGH SCHOOL EXPANSION THAT PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL COMMON AREA AND NEW SCIENCE LABS, AND FINALLY, GEOTHERMAL AT PROSPECT AND SIWANOY.
THESE PROJECTS WILL BE PACKAGED IN FOUR PROPOSITIONS FOR VOTER CONSIDERATION.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME IN PERSON TO OUR LAST BOARD MEETING AND FOR PEOPLE BEING HERE THIS EVENING AS WELL.
WHO FOR PROVIDING THEIR POINT OF VIEW, AND FOR PEOPLE WHO PROVIDED THEIR POINT OF VIEW VIA EMAIL AND PHONE CALL, UNDERSTANDING YOUR POINT OF VIEW AND ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS AS CRITICAL.
I RESPONDED TO MANY OF YOUR EMAILS, AND IF I HAVEN'T RESPONDED JUST QUITE YET, I WILL DO SO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THIS WEEK.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHILE THERE'S CERTAINLY ROOM FOR DISAGREEMENT AND HEALTHY DEBATE, I DO WANT TO TAKE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT SOME INFORMATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE PLAN IS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM MANOR AND THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM AS THESE PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD.
IN FACT, THE HOPE IS THAT THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM MANOR IS ABLE TO SCHEDULE ITS FLOOD MITIGATION WORK IN THE SIWANOY AREA TO COINCIDE WITH THE DISTRICT'S WORK THERE.
ANOTHER MISCONCEPTION IS THAT THE DISTRICT WANTS TO BUILD EMPTY CLASSROOMS AT SIWANOY.
THE BUILDING IS ALREADY EXTRAORDINARILY SPACE CONSTRAINT FOR ITS CURRENT SCHOOL DAY AND ITS PROGRAMMING. LET'S GET STARTED.
I'LL MOVE DIRECTLY INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
[3. Communications and Comments from the Public]
IF YOU COULD COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE.PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS, WHETHER WHILE YOU'RE COMMENTING OR WHILE YOU'RE LISTENING, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU.
>> OH, YES. PUBLIC COMMENT IS OPEN TO ANY TOPIC. COME ON NOW.
>> RICH ELLEN BOGAN, 55 SHORE ROAD.
AS I EXPRESSED TO YOU IN THE EMAIL I SENT, WHICH WAS PRETTY DETAILED, BUT I THINK THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHAT I WROTE.
I HAVE MAJOR RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM, AND THAT IS HAVING INSTALLED THE GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM MYSELF.
IF I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN TODAY WITH THE AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY, I PROBABLY WOULD NOT.
DURING THE WINTER, THEY ARE MORE EXPENSIVE TO OPERATE THAN WHAT YOU'VE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAN A GAS SYSTEM.
I KNOW EVERYBODY THINKS THAT GEOTHERMAL IS GREEN.
HOWEVER, THE DOWNSTATE ELECTRIC SYSTEM IS 90% FOSSIL FUEL DRIVEN, WHICH MEANS THAT IF GAS PRICES GO UP, YOUR ELECTRIC RATES ARE GOING TO GO UP.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE GOT AN EMAIL TODAY FROM AMY PAULINE OR LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO FROM SHELLY MAYER TALKING ABOUT THE RATE HEIGHTS AT 16% AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THESE ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF STATE ENERGY POLICY FAILING, WHICH IS SOMETHING I TOLD THEM WOULD HAPPEN SIX YEARS AGO.
THE COMMENT BY THE ENGINEER THAT SAID, WELL, THE GRID IS GOING TO BE GREEN BY 2040 IT'S JUST A TOTAL FANTASY.
I WISH IT WOULD BE, BUT THE REALITY IS IT WILL BE GREEN WHEN THEY DEVELOP NUCLEAR FUSION, WHICH MOST PHYSICISTS SAY WILL BE ABOUT 2090 AND HAVE IT A COMMERCIAL SCALE.
ANY HEATING SYSTEM YOU PUT IN NOW WILL BE RUNNING OFF THE CURRENT FOSSIL FUELS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T INSTALL NUCLEAR DOWN STATE.
I MEAN, THE RESISTANCE TO IT WOULD BE TOO HIGH.
THAT'S THE ONLY TECHNOLOGY THAT THE STATE HAS DETERMINED CAN BE CARBON FREE.
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UNFORTUNATELY, THE DOWNSTATE SYSTEM IS SADDLED WITH A DIRTY UTILITY SYSTEM.THE SYSTEM I SUGGESTED THAT YOU USE WOULD BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A THIRD TO A HALF THE COST, WHICH WOULD CLEAR BUDGET SPACE IN FUTURE YEARS BY BETWEEN, I THINK THE NUMBER I GAVE YOU IS 150 TO $270,000, WHICH COULD PAY FOR SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET.
GET THE SAME HEATING RESULTS, COOLING RESULTS AS WHAT THE GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM WOULD DO PROVIDE FOR YOU, BUT AT A FAR LOWER COST, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.
ANYWAY, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I HAD TO SAY.
>> HI, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS ERIN DESIMONE.
I LIVE AT 4:40 STELLAR AVENUE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
IT'S NOT EASY, AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING YOUR BEST.
I PREPARED A FEW NOTES, IT'S SHORT.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THE DECISION TO SEPARATE SIWANOY'S ADA FROM PROPOSITION 1.
WHILE I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE FOR PROPOSITION 1 AND ALL YOU GUYS HAVE DONE IN IT, AND I RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT THAT IS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
NONE OF THEM CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR THE CRITICAL NEED TO MAKE SIWANOY FULLY ADA COMPLIANT.
ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF ABILITY, MUST REMAIN THE DISTRICT'S TOP PRIORITY.
ADA COMPLIANCE IS NOT JUST A LEGAL REQUIREMENT, IT IS A MORAL IMPERATIVE THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE WELL-BEING, DIGNITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY OF MANY INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THIS ISSUE BE TREATED AS THE SAME LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE AND URGENCY AS THE OTHER ITEMS IN PROPOSITION 1.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER AND INCLUDE ADA COMPLIANCE FOR SIWANOY AS PART OF THE PROPOSITION 1.
DOING SO WILL DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMUNITY'S COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> HI, MADELEINE MERCER 466 ESPLANADE.
BUT YOU GUYS ARE SICK OF HEARING ME FROM ME.
WE HAD A PTA MEETING WHERE DR.
CHAMP JOINED US. WAS REALLY RECORD TURNOUT FOR US.
I MEAN, DO IS OFTEN A ROCK STAR WHEN THE BOARD OF WHEN THE BUDGET COMES, EVERYONE TURNS OUT, BUT THIS WAS REALLY RECORD TURNOUT, RECORD DURATION, AND RECORD ENGAGEMENT.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM PARENTS IN THE PTA IS A REALLY SUDDEN I REALLY DIDN'T THINK I NEEDED TO PAY THIS MUCH ATTENTION TO THIS.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS A NO BRAINER.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO PASS.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW VOCAL WE NEEDED TO BE.
HOW DO I HELP? HOW DO I TELL THEM THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE'S BEEN REACHING OUT TO YOU TOO, BUT I JUST WANTED TO REINFORCE THAT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE SIWANOY COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO REINFORCE THAT PARTICULARLY BECAUSE I THINK EARLY ON, THERE WERE A LOT OF NEGATIVE VOICES AND A LOT OF STRONG OPPOSITION, AND WE GOT THE SENSE FROM, NOW WE GOT THE SENSE YOU GOT THE SENSE, AND WE HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT THERE WAS A REALLY MIXED SENSE OF WHAT THE SIWANOY COMMUNITY WANTED.
CERTAINLY, SINCE OUR PTA MEETING AND SINCE MORE PEOPLE HAVE STARTED FOCUSING ON THIS, I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT SUPPORT FOR MAKING THIS EXPANSION HAPPEN FOR MAKING US ADA COMPLIANT.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE CONFUSED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING THE SCHOOL UP TO DATE WITH ADA COMPLIANCE.
DOING THAT SOMEHOW WITH A BAND AID THAT DID NOT INVOLVE AN EXPANSION.
NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE TUNED IN AND UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY OF CUTTING FOUR CLASSROOMS. I THINK MANY MORE SIWANOY PARENTS ARE ON BOARD.
THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT I'M HEARING.
I AM ONCE AGAIN, JUST REINFORCING THAT THE SIWANOY COMMUNITY IS PERHAPS NOT AS MIXED AS THE ORIGINAL PUBLIC COMMENT LED YOU ALL TO BELIEVE AND THAT THE SUPPORTERS ARE REALLY COMING OUT NOW.
HI. I'M DIANA MILANO, 155C CORLANE.
I'M ONE OF THOSE MOMS THAT MATTY JUST MENTIONED.
I HAVE A KINDERGARTNER AT SIWANOY NOW, AND I HAVE A 1-YEAR-OLD WHO WILL BE AT SIWANOY IN FOUR YEARS.
YES, I ATTENDED THE FIRST MEETING THAT DOCTOR HAD IN THE AUDITORIUM AT SIWANOY.
[00:10:07]
WAS SURPRISED BY THE OPPOSITION BUT DIDN'T KNOW THAT I NEEDED TO BE SO VOCAL IN MY SUPPORT.I'M ONE OF THE CLASS PARENTS FOR THE KINDERGARTEN CLASS, AND I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH OTHER PARENTS JUST AT PICK UP AT DROP OFF, AND THERE'S A LOT OF JUST, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE VOTE IS.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S UP FOR CONSIDERATION.
I DON'T THINK THAT THE SIWANOY COMMUNITY IS WE HAVE A LOT ON OUR PLATES AND I DON'T THINK THAT EVERYONE IS AS WELL INFORMED AS THEY NEED TO BE.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I HEAR A LOT OF SUPPORT NOT ONLY JUST FOR BRINGING THE SCHOOL UP TO 88 A COMPLIANCE, WHICH I AGREE IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT FOR THE EXPANSION AS WELL.
I WANT TO SAY OUR FAMILY FULLY IN SUPPORT OF GETTING THE EXTRA CLASSROOMS AND THE SPACE THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED TO THRIVE.
I KNOW THAT SIWANOY IS A BEAUTIFUL, HISTORICAL BUILDING, BUT WE MOVED TO PELHAM FOR THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION THAT'S TAKING PLACE INSIDE THAT BUILDING, AND I THINK STUDENT TEACHER RATIOS AND SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION WOULD BENEFIT OUR CHILDREN AND THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
>> MY NAME IS MORA RAMITA SCRAPEZ.
MY SON JACK IS IN THE THIRD GRADE.
I WAS AN EDUCATOR FOR OVER 20 YEARS, THE LAST NINE AS DIRECTOR OF GUIDANCE AND ACADEMIC COUNSELING AT REGIS HIGH SCHOOL IN MANHATTAN.
I'VE PREPARED SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD.
FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THAT I RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND OUR NEIGHBORS CONCERNS AND OPINIONS AROUND THE SIWANOY EXPANSION.
HOWEVER, IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE POSITIVE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY WILL OUTWEIGH THE NEGATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PROJECT.
AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, OF ALL THE DISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, SIWANOY HAS THE LOWEST INSTRUCTIONAL SPACE PER STUDENT AND THE LOWEST UNSTRUCTURED SUPPORT SPACE PER STUDENT.
I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE SPACE CONSTRAINTS OF THE SCHOOL.
AS AN ACTIVE PTA VOLUNTEER, I AM IN THE SCHOOL DURING ITS BUSIEST HOURS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I CAN TELL YOU PRESENTLY, SIWANOY IS BRIMMING WITH STUDENTS, AND ANY POPULATION GROWTH WILL BE PROBLEMATIC.
STUDENT LEARNING AND TEACHING HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY SINCE THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1910.
NO MAJOR WORK HAS BEEN DONE ON THE SCHOOL BUILDING FOR 100 YEARS TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE CHANGES.
THE BEAUTY OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING HAS BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT AT LENGTH, AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURE, BUT IT IS A SCHOOL, AND WHAT MATTERS IS THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CULTIVATED WITHIN ITS WALLS.
TODAY, SCHOOLS NEED FLEXIBLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
THERE HAS BEEN A DECIDED SHIFT FROM LECTURE STYLE TO PROJECT BASED LEARNING.
BECAUSE OF THIS, WE NEED CLASSROOMS THAT ARE DESIGNATED TO FACILITATE COLLABORATION AMONG STUDENTS AND PROVIDE SPACE FOR MOVEMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
CURRENTLY, THE KINDERGARTEN CLASSES ARE LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT.
JUST LAST WEEK, A KINDERGARTNER BANGED HIS HEAD ON ONE OF THE SUPPORT POLES IN HIS CLASSROOM DURING HIS CLASSES MOVEMENT BREAK BECAUSE THE CLASSROOMS ARE TOO SMALL AND HAVE STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS.
WHEN CREATING LESSON PLANS, TEACHERS UTILIZE DATA TO TAILOR INSTRUCTION TO MEET INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS, WHICH ALLOWS FOR DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING PATHS, SUCH AS INTERVENTION SERVICES AND THERAPIES.
AT TIMES, STUDENTS ARE GETTING THESE SERVICES AND THERAPIES IN THE HALLWAY.
IN THE GYMNASIUM/AUDITORIUM/CAFETERIA, OR IN JANITORIAL CLOSETS THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO LEARNING NOOKS.
HAVING BEEN A SCHOOL COUNSELOR, I CAN SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT STUDENTS RECEIVING THESE SERVICES ARE SOMETIMES VULNERABLE AND SELF CONSCIOUS.
THEY MAY BE CONCERNED THAT THEIR PEERS WILL SEE THEM GETTING EXTRA HELP AND THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THEIR PEERS MIGHT THINK OR SAY.
NOT GUARANTEEING DESIGNATED LEARNING SPACES FOR THIS TYPE OF INSTRUCTION VIOLATES THE STUDENT'S RIGHT TO CONFIDENTIALITY.
PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S UNACCEPTABLE FOR ANY STUDENT IN ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE SUBJECTED TO THIS UNCOMFORTABLE AND INADEQUATE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
BUT ESPECIALLY IN A COMMUNITY LIKE OURS, WHERE WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON A COMMITMENT TO HELPING EACH OTHER, IT'S ESPECIALLY EGREGIOUS.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE VOICED SUPPORT FOR THE NECESSARY RENOVATION AND IMPROVEMENTS TO MEET ADA REQUIREMENTS, BUT HAVE OBJECTED TO THE PROPOSED EXPANSION, WHICH ONLY RESULTS IN A NET GAIN OF THREE CLASSROOMS AND A DEDICATED CAFETERIA.
IT IS UNFATHOMABLE THAT IN 2025, SIWANOY IS NOT ADA COMPLIANT.
LAST YEAR, A FIFTH GRADER WAS ON CRUTCHES AFTER FOOT SURGERY AND I HAD MISSED SCHOOL FOR A WEEK BECAUSE THE ONLY CLASSROOM SHE COULD ACCESS WERE THE KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS IN THE BASEMENT.
[00:15:01]
ALSO, A WOMAN WHO WAS HELPING OUR STUDENTS WITH THE SCHOOL PLAY WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR.WHILE SHE WAS ABLE TO ACCESS THE GYM CAFETERIA AUDITORIUM THROUGH THE PLAYGROUND ENTRANCE, SHE WAS UNABLE TO USE THE REST ROOM.
THAT IS A DISGRACE AND A SHAME FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT IS IMPERATIVE TO MAKE SIWANOY ADA COMPLIANT AND TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SPACE TO SUPPORT MODERN LEARNING PRACTICES AND COMFORTABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR CHILDREN.
FINALLY, I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A CONCERN AMONG THE FAMILIES OF THE RISING SECOND GRADERS THAT THEIR GRADE WILL BE COLLAPSED INTO TWO SECTIONS FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR.
MY SON IS IN A GRADE CURRENTLY MADE UP OF 48 CHILDREN AT SIWANOY, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE THESE PARENTS ARE COMING FROM.
I TRULY HOPE BOTH GRADES WILL HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THREE SECTIONS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT THIS BUDGET ISSUE AND THE EXPANSION PROPOSITION ARE ENTIRELY SEPARATE.
I WOULD URGE OUR NEIGHBORS TO NOT CONFLATE A YEARLY BUDGET ISSUE WITH THE NECESSITY TO MAKE LONG OVERDUE UPGRADES TO THE CAMPUS, WHICH WILL BENEFIT OUR STUDENTS AND THE GREATER SIWANOY COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
>> HI. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? MY NAME IS MARIA GERSON.
MY HUSBAND, CHRIS GERSON AND I LIVE AT 497 PELHAMDALE, WITH OUR THREE CHILDREN.
WE HAVE A RISING SIWANOY THIRD GRADER, A RISING SIWANOY KINDERGARTNER, AND A NINE-MONTH OLD.
I'M READING FROM MY PHONE BECAUSE MY BRAIN IS OATMEAL AT THIS POINT.
CHRIS COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE HE'S AT WORK, BUT HE HAD SOME THOUGHTS THAT HE WANTED TO SHARE.
LARGELY AGREEING WITH ALL OF THE THOUGHTS, I VOLUNTEERED TO COME AND SHARE THOSE THOUGHTS ON HIS BEHALF.
CHRIS SAYS, I'D LIKE TO START BY THANKING THE BOARD FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE SO FAR.
THIS WORK IS HARD, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT.
I'VE MADE SEVERAL POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT HOW SIWANOY'S LACK OF ADA COMPLIANCE DIRECTLY IMPACTED MY FAMILY.
I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO REHASH THAT HERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT A FRIEND OF MINE FROM MY CHILDHOOD THAT I THINK WILL DEMONSTRATE WHY THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
I GREW UP ON LONG ISLAND IN A TOWN CALLED STONY BROOK NEAR THE STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL.
A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WAS A GIRL NAMED BROOKE ELLISON.
ON HER FIRST DAY OF SEVENTH GRADE, BROOKE ELLISON WAS TRAGICALLY HIT BY A CAR, AND HER DEVASTATING INJURIES LEFT HER PARALYZED FROM THE NECK DOWN.
IT WAS MORE THAN A SMALL MIRACLE THAT SHE LIVED.
BY SEVENTH GRADE, BROOKE WAS ALREADY AN AMAZING STUDENT AND SHE WANTED NOTHING MORE THAN TO GET BACK TO SCHOOL AND BE WITH HER FRIENDS, CLASSMATES, AND HER TEACHERS, DESPITE HER EXTENSIVE INJURIES.
OUR SCHOOL, STONY BROOK SCHOOLS, WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT BROOKE COULD ATTEND.
THEY DIDN'T TURN HER AWAY BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OR THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION ISSUES, BECAUSE OF THE PERCEIVED DISRUPTIONS TO OTHER STUDENTS, OR OUT OF FEAR THAT THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE CHANGES THAT WEREN'T THE RIGHT CALL FOR THE LONG-TERM.
THEY DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY AND RIGHT FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GO TO SCHOOL.
BROOKE WENT ON TO GRADUATE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT ALONGSIDE ALL OF HER FRIENDS.
TEN YEARS LATER, BROOKE ELLISON BECAME THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER GRADUATE FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY WITH QUADRIPLEGIA.
SHE WENT ON TO BE A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AND TO LEAD THE CHARGE FOR RESEARCH INTO STEM CELL THERAPY AND OTHER POTENTIAL CURES FOR DEVASTATING INJURIES.
BROOKE EVEN BEFRIENDED CHRISTOPHER REEVE, WHO LATER DIRECTED AND PRODUCED A MOVIE CALLED THE BROOKE ELLISON STORY.
IF YOU HAVE TIME ONE NIGHT AND YOU WANT TO WATCH IT, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH THE TIME.
BROOKE IMPROVED THE LIVES OF EVERYONE THAT SHE TOUCHED AROUND HER AND LIKELY THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS MORE.
STONY BROOK SCHOOLS, THEIR COMMITMENT TO BROOKE, THEIR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION, AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO ADA COMPLIANCE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN MAKING ALL OF THAT POSSIBLE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT BROOKE'S LIFE WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT THE WAY THAT IT DID HAD HER SCHOOL NOT MADE EFFORTS TO INCLUDE HER.
THE ENTIRE STONY BROOK COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS NOT NEARLY AS WELL FUNDED AS PELHAM, BENEFITED IN WAYS THAT CANNOT POSSIBLY BE MEASURED.
I HATE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE SCHOOL SAID NO.
NO, WE CAN'T RUSH THIS, OR NO, IT'S TOO COMPLICATED.
I ALSO HATE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE SAY NO HERE.
HOW MANY TALENTED TEACHERS ARE GOING TO CHOOSE TO WORK ELSEWHERE BECAUSE THEY'LL RECOGNIZE THAT SIWANOY'S FACILITIES ARE OUT OF DATE AND INADEQUATE.
HOW MANY KIDS WILL MISS LEARNING ALONGSIDE THEIR FRIENDS IF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE AND THEY CAN NO LONGER ACCESS THE SCHOOL? I WOULD HATE FOR US SIWANOY TO SLAM THE DOOR IN THE FACE OF THE NEXT BROOKE ELLISON.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING EXTRAVAGANT ABOUT THE PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE SIWANOY, AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A NICE TO HAVE.
IT IS A REQUIREMENT AND IT IS THE HUMAN THING TO DO.
IN MY OPINION, IT IS LONG OVERDUE.
THERE WILL NEVER BE A PERFECT TIME AND THERE'S NEVER GOING TO BE A PERFECT ANSWER,
[00:20:01]
BUT THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE HIGHER THE COSTS WILL BE, AND THE MORE BROOKE ELLISONS WE RISK STIFLING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.>> HI, EVERYONE. I'M ERIN GINSBURG, 9 BOULEVARD.
THAT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE ACT TO FOLLOW.
THERE IS REALLY TWO THINGS I WANT TO SAY.
ONE IS, SOMETIMES WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE SIWANOY COMMUNITY TONIGHT.
I AM NOT A MEMBER OF THE SIWANOY COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THEM IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, TWO IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THEY ATTENDED WAS COLONIAL.
REALLY, AN AMAZING ACT FROM GOD, I'M NEVER GOING TO HAVE A KID AT THE SIWANOY OR PROSPECT HILL, BUT I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO BE A STAKEHOLDER IN THIS TOWN BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A STAKE IN WHAT HAPPENS IN SIWANOY.
I FEEL LIKE I'M DEEPLY VESTED IN SIWANOY, HAVING AN ACCESSIBLE SCHOOL BUILDING, AND I'M REALLY DEEPLY VESTED IN PROSPECT HILL HAVING A BOILER, AND COLONIAL, HAVING A ROOF THAT DOESN'T LEAK.
IN THE SAME WAY, I'M DEEPLY INVESTED IN THE VARSITY BASEBALL TEAM, WHICH IS WHY I BOUGHT THEIR PIES AT THANKSGIVING.
I ATTENDED MUSICAL THEATER SHOWS IN THIS TOWN LONG BEFORE I HAD KIDS IN THEATER, AND I WAIT FOR THE SPRING TO SEE THE PROM DRESSES OF THE KIDS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL ON FACEBOOK.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT ALL OF US IN THIS TOWN IS THAT WE FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING THAT IS GREATER THAN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR WHATEVER IS GOING ON IN OUR HOUSE.
RIGHT IN FRONT OF US AT THE MOMENT, I THINK WE ARE A PLACE THAT REALLY COMES TOGETHER BROADLY TO DO BIG THINGS, AND I THINK THAT YOU COME TO PELHAM BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF A COMMUNITY OF FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE, AND OLDER PEOPLE.
I THINK ALL OF US REALLY WANT OUR FAMILIES TO SUCCEED.
I FEEL DEEPLY THAT I'M A STAKEHOLDER IN THESE PROJECTS THAT I MAY NOT SEE PERSONALLY A DIRECT BENEFIT FROM MY ACTUAL CHILDREN, BUT ACTUALLY, I DO SEE A DIRECT BENEFIT FROM MY ACTUAL CHILDREN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
I THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS WORK AND BRINGING US THESE PROPOSALS.
THE OTHER SMALL THING I WANT TO SAY IS REGARDING PROPOSITION 3.
WHEN YOU HAVE LITTLE KIDS, WHEN I HAD LITTLE KIDS, I WAS IN MY KIDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A LOT.
I VOLUNTEERED FOR BOOK FAIRS, I VOLUNTEERED FOR PLAYGROUND DUTY.
I WAS IN THE BUILDING A LOT. AS YOUR KIDS GET OLDER, YOU'RE IN FOR OPEN HOUSE OR MAYBE YOU'RE HERE FOR A BOARD OF ED MEETING, BUT THE IRONY IS YOU'RE IN YOUR ACTUAL CHILD'S BUILDING LESS OFTEN, BUT YOU'RE IN BUILDINGS AROUND WESTCHESTER COUNTY ALL THE TIME.
FOR NISMA, FOR BASKETBALL GAMES, FOR SOCCER GAMES.
I'VE SEEN EVERY SOCCER FIELD IN WESTCHESTER FOR SURE, FOR DIFFERENT BAND COMPETITIONS, DIFFERENT MUSICAL PERFORMANCES ALL THE TIME.
THE THING THAT I'VE SEEN CONSISTENTLY, AND I'VE SAID TO SO MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS, IS, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL TO HAVE MORE COMMON SPACE? THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT A LONG TIME AGO, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE SOME OF THE SPACES THAT I SEE IN OTHER SCHOOL COMMUNITIES THAT ALLOW FOR KIDS TO INTERACT IN WAYS OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM THAT I THINK COULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR THE KIND OF SCHOOL CULTURE WE WANT TO BRING, FOR THE 21ST CENTURY LEARNING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I REALLY APPLAUD ALL OF YOU FOR LOOKING AT THIS IN SUCH A GLOBAL WAY TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN MEET ALL OF THE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT KIDS IN THE DISTRICT.
I WANTED TO PUT IN A WORD FOR THAT TONIGHT AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL THAT WORK.
ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP?
>> HI. ANNA RALPH [PHONETIC], 437 2ND AVENUE.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT ALL PROPOSITIONS.
THE WOMAN MADE A VERY INTERESTING POINT ABOUT DOING PROPOSITION 1 AND 2.
[00:25:03]
I WOULD VOTE FOR BOTH EITHER WAY.I ALSO THINK IT ISN'T GOING TO MATTER BECAUSE IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE, EITHER THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE YES FOR BOTH OR NO FOR BOTH.
I THINK YOU CAN DECIDE WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE A GAME CHANGER. THANK YOU.
I LIVE AT 2 HEYWOOD ROAD, AND I HAVE A KINDERGARTENER AT SIWANOY, AND A SECOND GRADER AT SIWANOY.
I THANK YOU FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THESE PROPOSALS.
I THINK, AS EVERYONE STATED, SIWANOY IS LONG OVERDUE FOR SOME LOVE.
I'M IN THE SCHOOL FAIRLY OFTEN.
I ALSO JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE DISRUPTION TO THE STUDENTS AND CONCERN OVER THAT OR DISRUPTION TO THE COMMUNITY.
MY SISTER ACTUALLY HAS A SON WHO'S TWO WEEKS OLDER, SO HE'S IN KINDERGARTEN IN A SCHOOL IN CONNECTICUT.
MY PARENTS ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO LIVE DOWN THE ROAD FROM THAT SCHOOL.
THAT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS HAPPENING FOR THEM AND I DO CHECK IN AND I DID DO A GUT CHECK TO JUST SAY, HOW IS THIS AFFECTING HIS KINDERGARTEN? IS IT OVERWHELMINGLY NOISY DURING THE DAY? ARE THE KIDS COMPLAINING? IS IT REALLY PROBLEMATIC FOR PARENTS? THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS NO.
AGAIN, MY PARENTS LIVE DOWN THE STREET, SO THEY LIVE VERY CLOSE TO THE SCHOOL.
THEY ALSO HAVE HAD NO COMPLAINTS.
I JUST HOPE THAT THESE CONSTRUCTION CREWS ARE PROFESSIONALS AND THAT EVERYBODY FEELS CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL BE VERY FENCED OFF IN A VERY SAFE WAY SO THAT OUR KIDS CAN STILL ACCESS PARTS OF THE CURRENT PLAYGROUND BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE LOVE THAT PLAYGROUND AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN EXPRESSED AT PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS AS WELL, BUT I THINK THAT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS CONFIDENT THAT THERE STILL WILL BE PLAY SPACE FOR THE KIDS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION, IT WILL BE SAFE, ETC.
I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT, BUT THANK YOU.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME UP AND COMMENT?
>> THANK YOU-ALL AND THANKS TO ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS AND CLOSE FRIENDS WHO HAVE MADE SOME REALLY MOVING STATEMENTS HERE TODAY.
SIMILAR TO THE LAST WOMAN WHO SPOKE.
MY REQUEST TO THIS BOARD IS TO CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THAT WILL HAPPEN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I LIKE MY NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS, AND I THINK THEY KNOW THIS. HOPEFULLY, THEY KNOW THIS.
SUPPORTIVE AND DESPERATELY WANT TO SEE OUR SCHOOL UPGRADED.
I WANT TO SEE OUR SCHOOL EXPANDED.
I WANT TO SEE US CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND TO BE ABLE TO BE AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON THAT I MOVED HERE.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN AND THE REASON THAT I CAME TO LAST WEEK'S BOARD MEETING, AS YOU KNOW, IS MY CONCERN ABOUT THE NOT SHORT-TERM CONSTRUCTION IMPACT, WHICH I'VE HEARD LITERALLY NO ONE VOICE OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, BUT THE LONG-TERM POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
THE REASON THAT I CAME TO LAST WEEK'S BOARD MEETING WAS BECAUSE THAT ON MARCH 12TH, THE WEEK BEFORE YOU FINALLY RELEASED THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FORM THAT YOU HAD COMPLETED, AND I HAVE REALLY SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT THAT FORM AND THE WAY THAT IT WAS DONE AND WHETHER IT IS FLAWED AND INSUFFICIENT.
THE LAW OF NEW YORK STATE, AS YOU MAY KNOW, REQUIRES PUBLIC CITIZENS TO ENFORCE THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS WHEN A PUBLIC AGENCY IS MAKING THESE KINDS OF CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER REDOING THAT EAF.
I THINK THAT IT WAS FLAWED IN THE FACT THAT IT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE MANNER, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, INVOLVED IN FILLING IT OUT.
I THINK IT WAS FLAWED IN MANY FACTUAL WAYS, AND I THINK THOSE OF YOU WHO SIT HERE WHO SO DESPERATELY CARE AND ARE WORKING SO HARD ON THIS PROJECT, I WOULD ASK YOU TO MAYBE SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF MORE TIME ON THAT ENVIRONMENTAL PIECE BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S CRITICAL FOR A COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THINGS LIKE FLOODING.
A NEIGHBOR OF MINE CAME LAST WEEK AND SAID,, IF WE HAVE GEOTHERMAL DRILLING NEXT TO MY HOUSE, WILL IT PERMANENTLY DAMAGE THE STRUCTURE OF MY 100-YEAR-OLD FOUNDATION? THE ANSWER OF THE ENGINEER TO THAT QUESTION WAS, DON'T WORRY THERE'S GOING TO BE SETBACKS, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS DESIGN VIOLATES ALL THE SETBACK RULES.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN CLEAR, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW THE ZONING RULES.
IT'S JUST A PLEA TO YOU AS YOU'RE WORKING SO HARD ON THIS.
I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY BASED ON HOW HARD THIS HAS BEEN FOR EVERYONE TO GET THROUGH AND TO SIT THROUGH ALL OF
[00:30:02]
THESE MEETINGS AND I CAN JUST TELL BY THE CORRESPONDENCE HOW MUCH YOU CARE.I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO PLEASE CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
GIVE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE THOUGHT THAN IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO DATE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFORT BECAUSE I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT NOT THE SHORT-TERM CONSTRUCTION IMPACT, THERE IS, OF COURSE, CONCERNS WITH KIDS AND THAT, BUT NOT THE SHORT-TERM CONSTRUCTION IMPACT ON MY BLOCK, THE LONG-TERM IMPACT TO OUR ENVIRONMENT IN THE COMMUNITY IS WHERE I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH EFFORT PUT.
I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A VERY SHARED COMMON GOAL WITH EVERYONE WHO HAS STOOD UP HERE TODAY.
BECAUSE MY FEAR IS THAT IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS NOW, HOW ARE WE EVER GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS CONSTRUCTION? IF WE FIND OUT THESE PROBLEMS A YEAR FROM NOW, THE DELAY IS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT.
I JUST THINK THAT IF WE DEAL WITH THEM NOW AS A COMMUNITY AND WE PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFORT INTO THIS NOW, WE ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE OUR COMMON GOAL OF ADA COMPLIANCE SOONER.
IF WE KICK THESE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES DOWN THE ROAD FURTHER, IT'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER IF YOU FIND OUT LATER THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS. I WOULD JUST ASK YOU GUYS, I KNOW HOW HARD YOU'RE WORKING ON SOME OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS WITH THE COMMUNITY, IF YOU PUT A LITTLE BIT OF THOUGHT INTO THAT ENVIRONMENTAL FORM THAT I ASSUME THE ARCHITECTS DID IT.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU FACTUALLY FLAWED INCORRECT AND LEADS TO A CONCLUSION WHICH I THINK IS INCORRECT AND AVOIDS DOING A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY CRITICALLY NEEDED FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
>> IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS TOO.
I WOULD RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE ON THE FLAWS IN THE SYSTEM, BUT ONE FACT I WILL CORRECT IS THE MANNER WAS NOTIFIED ON FEBRUARY 7TTH ABOUT OUR DECLARATION AS LEAD AGENT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
>> ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? COME ON.
>> HI, STEVE CHICANE, 917 WASHINGTON.
USUALLY, I'M PREPARED FOR THIS.
BUT I GUESS A COUPLE OF MAJOR ISSUES.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD, COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND PREVIOUS BOARDS HAVE SET US ON A BAD PATH FINANCIALLY.
THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO WHEN THE DISTRICT DECIDED TO TAKE THE BIG INFLOW OF MONEY FROM THE STATE AND INCREASE SPENDING BY 8% IN THE BUDGET.
WHAT THAT HAS DONE IS NOW SET US UP FOR TAX INCREASES, WHICH WE'RE SEEING THIS YEAR THAT ARE GOING TO EXCEED BUDGET INCREASES.
YOU'RE PROPOSING A 3.7% INCREASE IN THE LEVY, EVEN THOUGH SPENDING IS NOT GOING TO INCREASE BY THAT AMOUNT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU HAVEN'T CUT TEACHERS, TEACHERS ARE RETIRING, BUT PROGRAMMATIC CUTS WILL BE MADE AS A RESULT.
WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE I THINK THE BLINDERS ARE ON HERE, WHERE YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL.
THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT STATE AID DECLINES OR REMAINS FLAT GOING FORWARD, AND THEN THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE TAXPAYER, AND WE'RE SEEING THAT THIS YEAR, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE STATE BUDGET, THEY ARE EXPECTING A DEFICIT OF $27 BILLION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
THERE'S A REAL CHANCE THAT IF MEDICAID SPENDING BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECREASES TO THE STATE, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE CUTS, AND WE MIGHT SEE THAT AS BEING DEEMED A RICH DISTRICT.
IF WE'RE GOING UP 3.7% THIS YEAR, THIS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO EXPECT 4% OR SO INCREASES IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
THEN ON TOP OF THAT, YOU'RE PROPOSING OVER $140 MILLION OF DEBT, WHICH IS GOING TO ADD TO THE BURDEN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE 4%, IT'S GOING TO BE 5, 06, 7% FOR THE COMMUNITY HERE.
THIS IS JUST THE WRONG TIME TO DO IT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, JUST TALKING ABOUT THE BONDS, RELATED ISSUE HERE.
IF YOU ADD $140 MILLION OF DEBT TO THE DISTRICT, WE'RE GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST INDEBTED DISTRICTS IN ALL OF WESTCHESTER.
THERE'S GOING TO BE ABOUT 70 TO $75,000 OF DEBT PER STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT.
YOU'RE ONLY RETIRING ABOUT $3,000,000 OF DEBT EACH YEAR FOR THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS, AND THEN YOU WANT TO ADD ANOTHER 140 MILLION ON TOP OF THE 68 OR 69 MILLION WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INDEBTEDNESS FOR A DISTRICT OF OUR NATURE.
[00:35:06]
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN RUSHED.I'VE SAID IT IN THE PAST, THIS HAS BEEN RUSHED.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY ANSWERS ON HOW DO UTILITY COSTS RISE WITH THE INCREASE IN INFRASTRUCTURE OR IMPROVEMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
HAVE THERE BEEN ANY ALTERNATIVES EXPLORED WITH RESPECT TO AIR CONDITIONING? YOU WANT TO PUT CENTRAL AIR IN, BUT WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES THERE THAT HASN'T BEEN EXPLORED.
STILL HAVEN'T HEARD ON PAYBACK PERIOD FOR GEOTHERMAL.
WE'VE HEARD COMMENTS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE REBATE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I PREVIOUSLY SAID, OKAY, WHAT IF YOU EXPLORED BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS? I ASSUME BUILDING A NEW SCHOOL WOULD BE CHEAPER TO OPERATE THAN THESE BAND AIDS ON 100-YEAR-OLD BUILDINGS.
I THINK IF YOU WORKED IN A CORPORATION, SOMEONE CAME TO YOU AND SAID, I WANT TO BORROW $140 MILLION FOR THESE PROJECTS, YOU NEED TO EXPLORE EVERY ALTERNATIVE AND PRESENT THEM, THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE.
I THINK THAT'S A DISSERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE'RE BEING TREATED LIKE AN ATM MACHINE.
THERE'S JUST COMING BACK OVER AND OVER FOR MORE BORROWING, MORE TAXES.
THERE WAS A CAPITAL RESERVE PROPOSAL A FEW YEARS AGO.
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE COULD TAKE IN TERMS OF TAXES AND WE NEED TO SEE RESULTS.
I THINK YOU'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH ON THE PLATE AT ONCE.
FINALLY, WITH RESPECT TO ADA, I TOTALLY AGREE SAYONA NEEDS TO BE 88 COMPLIANT. DO THAT.
BUT WHAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED A YOU'VE MANIPULATED THE SYSTEM, YOU'RE MAKING IT SUCH THAT ADA COMPLIANCE WILL ONLY HAPPEN IF PROPOSITION ONE PASSES.
THAT MEANS THERE HAS TO BE $98 MILLION OF SPENDING.
FOR SAYONA TO BE 88 COMPLIANT.
ONE AND TWO HAVE TO PASS, THOSE ADD UP TO $98 MILLION.
INSTEAD OF AN ADA PROJECT BY ITSELF, IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE THAT A PRIORITY, YOU DO THAT AND MAKE THAT PROP ONE.
BUT YOU'VE LUMPED THAT TOGETHER WITH PROPOSITION 1 AS PROPOSITION 2, AND THAT'S A TOTAL OF $98 MILLION.
THAT'S NOT FAIR, AND I THINK IT'S MISALIGNMENT OF WHAT PRIORITIES SHOULD BE. THANKS.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT?
[4.1 Budget Line-by-Line Discussion]
WHICH IS THE LINE BY LINE DISCUSSION OF THE BUDGET OR CONTINUING.>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK I'M GOING TO LET JIM TEE THIS UP TONIGHT.
TONIGHT IS REALLY OUR CONTINUATION OF OUR LINE BY LINE BUDGET GOING INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
THIS EVENING IF WE CAN, WE'LL START WITH ATHLETICS, WHERE WE HAVE PPS ATHLETICS AND HUMAN RESOURCES FOR STAFFING.
IT'S ALL RIGHT, IF WE COULD START WITH ATHLETICS FOR.
>> INVITE MR. TOMBS, OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, HEALTH, AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
>> GIVEN THE SCALE OF HIS DEPARTMENTS AND THE REACH TO THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE, HE'S GOT A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR US TONIGHT.
>> CAN I BE HEARD? CONE HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. AGAIN, FOR THE BUDGET BOOKS.
IT'S STARTING AT PAGE C7 FOR MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE.
IF YOU'D LIKE, WE DO HAVE COPIES OF THE BUDGET AT THE AT THE BACK IN THE BOX.
>> I'M I'LL DIVE IN WHILE WE'RE FINDING OUR PLACE.
THE ACTUAL LINE BY LINE WILL BE A COUPLE OF SLIDES IN.
BUT FIRST OF, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING TO TALK ABOUT ATHLETICS.
TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION WILL BE IN THREE SECTIONS.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROFILE, THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE DO IN ATHLETICS.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECTS AND SOME OF THE CULTURE INITIATIVES WE'VE TAKEN ON, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO OUR BUDGET ONCE WE UNDERSTAND THE SIDES AND THE NEED, AND I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AT ANY POINT.
FIRST IS OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE CHART WE SHOWED LAST YEAR.
EACH ONE OF OUR BUBBLES HAS AN PARENTHESES.
IT HAS BECAUSE THIS IS A BUDGET PRESENTATION.
[00:40:02]
IT HAS THE FT ASSOCIATED, THE STIPEND ASSOCIATED WITH IT.BUT IT'S THE DIRECTOR, WHICH IS MYSELF.
WE HAVE AN ATHLETIC COORDINATOR, EQUIPMENT MANAGER/SCHEDULER.
THIS IS A NEW STIPEND POSITION THIS PAST YEAR.
WE HAVE A PHYSICAL ED COORDINATOR.
THEN WE RETITLED OUR SEASONAL POSITIONS INTO SITE SUPERVISORS TO MORE FIT THE ACTUAL WORK THAT THEY WERE DOING.
WE FILLED THE FALL IN THE WINTER RIGHT CURRENTLY IN THE SPRING, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE.
THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, WE'LL SPEAK TO THE OFFERINGS FROM A VARSITY STANDPOINT, A JV STANDPOINT, FRESHMAN, AND THEN ALSO OUR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE MODIFIED AS WELL.
YOU'LL SEE WE OFFER 27 LEVELS ACROSS THE DIFFERENT SPORTS IN THE FALL.
THIS USUALLY RUNS FROM AUGUST TO OCTOBER AROUND EARLY NOVEMBER HALLOWEEN AREA.
OUR NEXT SEASON IS WINTER, WHERE WE HAVE 24 DIFFERENT OFFERINGS.
THIS INCREASED BY TWO OFFERINGS FROM LAST YEAR.
WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT, SIMILAR TO LIKE WE DO IN GIRLS HOCKEY, HISTORICALLY, AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF WRESTLERS WHERE I WERE ABLE TO WRESTLE OUT OF EASTCHESTER THROUGH THE MERGER PROCESS WITH NEW YORK STATE.
THE ACTUAL COACHES FOR THIS POSITION ARE EASTCHESTER COACHES THAT ARE BOARD APPROVED BY US.
THEY GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS, THEY JUST ARE WRESTLING OUT OF EASTCHESTER.
IT'S A MODEL WE'VE USED BEFORE, AND IT MADE SENSE WRESTLING BECAUSE WRESTLING THE COST PER CHILD MAKES SENSE VERSUS OUTFITTING AN ENTIRE TEAM.
THAT'S WHY WE TOOK ADVANTAGE WITH WRESTLING.
OUR NEXT SLIDE HERE IS THE SPRING, OUR CURRENT SEASON.
THIS STARTED ON ST. PATTY'S DAY, AND WE'LL RUN THROUGH ABOUT MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AND WE HAVE 29 OFFERINGS HERE.
SOMETHING I THINK OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE REALLY PROUD OF IS TOTAL, WE HAVE 80 DIFFERENT OFFERINGS IN OUR THREE SEASONS.
WE'LL SEE SCHOOLS, THE AA SCHOOLS, THE AAA SCHOOLS, THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER BY ENROLLMENT THAN US THAT HAVE AROUND THAT NUMBER TWO.
THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES BUILT OVER THE YEARS IN ATHLETICS.
THOSE ARE ALL THE OFFERINGS, AND HERE IS ACTUALLY OUR STUDENT INTEREST.
YOU'LL SEE OUR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, WE HAVE 321 NON-UNIQUE.
IN THE HIGH SCHOOL 9-12, WE HAVE 516 NON-UNIQUE.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS A STUDENT CAN PLAY MORE THAN ONE SPORT.
BUT WE HAVE TO REGISTER THEM DIFFERENTLY EVERY SINGLE SEASON.
WE SHOW THEM THIS WAY BECAUSE THERE IS A PROCESS TO EACH TIME THEY REGISTER.
ANOTHER POINT OF EMPHASIS IN PRIDE, 71% OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ARE PLAYING MORE THAN ONE SPORT, AND 55%, MORE THAN HALF OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE PLAYING MORE THAN ONE SPORT.
I REMIND OUR COACHES ALL THE TIME, TEENAGERS VOTE WITH THEIR FEET.
IF THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE THERE.
IF THEY LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THEY'LL COME BACK AND DO IT AGAIN, AND IT'S A GOOD THING TO SEE.
I REALLY CHECK MY MATH ON THIS, BUT MY ROUGH NUMBER WOULD BE ABOUT 601 WOULD BE ACTUAL UNIQUE STUDENT USE.
THAT'S A 601 STUDENT ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.
YOU CAN COMPARE THAT TO THE SIZE OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, YOU CAN COMPARE THAT TO THE SIZE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.
IT'S A LOT. LOOKING AT OUR STAFFING, TAKE MY DIV INTO OUR STAFFING.
WE STAFF EVERY YEAR OVER 100 POSITIONS, AND IT ISN'T EXACTLY 100 UNIQUE STAFF MEMBERS BECAUSE WE HAVE COACHES WHO COACH MORE THAN ONE SPORT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE TO FILL THEM EVERY SEASON.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR OFFICE TAKES ON.
THIS INCLUDES THE FULL OBSERVATION OF THE STAFF MEMBER, GOING THROUGH NEW YORK STATE'S WONDERFUL CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR.
THERE ARE THREE PATHWAYS WHICH OUR COACHES CAN GO TO GET CERTIFIED IN NEW YORK STATE.
WHEN THIS GUIDANCE WAS WRITTEN MANY MOONS AGO, IT WAS THE PHYS ED TEACHER NEEDS TO BE THE COACH, AND THAT'S IT.
THEN THE STATE SAID, WELL, THE DISTRICT SAID, THAT'S REALLY NOT HAPPENING.
WE HAVE TEACHERS TOO, SO THE STATE MADE A SECOND PATHWAY, WHICH IS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT AND HAS SOME MORE STEPS.
THE LAST PATHWAY, WHICH WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF EVERY YEAR, ARE THE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE NON TEACHER CERTIFIED.
[00:45:01]
THEY DON'T HAVE A LICENSE WITH NEW YORK STATE AND THAT PATHWAY IS THE LONGEST.I SEE DOCTOR FITZGERALD ASKING OVER THERE.
TO MOVE 100 PEOPLE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, 100 POSITIONS TO THIS PROCESS IT'S BEEN A VERY BIG LIFT, BUT WE'RE MAKING BIG PROGRESS, WHICH WAS DOZENS AND DOZENS OF COACHES AT THE BEGINNING.
NOW, WE HAVE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF COACHES ACTUALLY AT THE STARTING LINE READY TO GO AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH SEASON.
THIS HAS BEEN A BIG WIN AND A NICE SHARED PROJECT WITH HR.
THIS IS THE STAFF THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT RUN OUR SCOREBOARDS, THESE ARE THE SHOT CLOCK OPERATORS, THE BOOKKEEPERS.
JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE BUDGETARY IMPACTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
THE STATE AFTER THE BUDGETARY CYCLE LAST YEAR ANNOUNCED THAT SHOT CLOCKS NEED TO BE USED IN BOYS AND GIRLS ACROSS.
WE DIDN'T PLAN FOR THE BUDGET, THE EQUIPMENT, AND WE DIDN'T PLAN FOR THE STAFFING OF IT.
WE'RE DOING IT LIVE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ARE MORE REHEARSED FOR IT NEXT YEAR.
ANOTHER ONE TO MENTION IS THE SUPERVISION BULLET, GLOVER GATE, ANY OF THAT HAVE EVER TRIED TO JUST GO DOWN TO GLOVER AND TURN AROUND DURING ATHLETICS.
WE'RE REALLY BEING INTENTIONAL WITH THE STAFFING SUPERVISION AT GLOVER.
IT DOESN'T POUR INTO SANFORD BOULEVARD AND IT'S A SMOOTHER OPERATION GETTING IN AND OUT.
BUT THIS IS TO THE TUNE OF 119 TIME SHEETS A YEAR.
A TIME SHEET, THESE ARE RECONCILED THE END OF EVERY MONTH.
ONE TIME SHEET COULD HAVE 15 DIFFERENT GAMES ON IT FOR THAT STAFF MEMBER THAT WORKED THESE DIFFERENT TASKS, AND THE MATH OF THAT WOULD BE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS BEING STAFFED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WITHOUT THEM, THE GAMES DON'T RUN.
KUDOS TO THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE.
ALSO, WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF LAST YEAR OF LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN AND WORKING WITH JIM'S OFFICE AND GETTING THAT RIGHT AS FAR AS THE COMPENSATION FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
NEXT SLIDE HERE IS OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.
VERY CARING GROUP, VERY PROFESSIONAL GROUP, WITH THIS GROUP, WE DON'T DO MUCH IN AS FAR AS MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT, BUT WE ARE RUNNING EVALUATIONS AS FAR AS THE ANNUAL REVIEW.
SOME OF THE TASKS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, THE FITNESS CENTER, MAKING SURE OUR STAFF FEELS COMFORTABLE IN FITNESS CENTER.
THAT IS GOING TO BE THE MAJORITY THAT'S GOING TO COME TO FRUITION IN 25-26 AS THE SPACES ARE FINISHED AND WE'RE IN THERE WITH OUR TEAMS END DURING OUR SCHOOL DAY WITH OUR CLASSES.
WE USE OUR PLCS, A LOT ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND THEN SOME OF THE STATE STANDARDS JUST GETTING CRICUM ALIGNED WITH NEW STATE STANDARDS.
WE'RE IN EVERY CORNER OF THE DISTRICT.
WE'RE ON THE MOVE A LOT IN ATHLETICS.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE LOCATIONS.
>> OUR OFFICES ALWAYS DON'T SIT RIGHT NEXT TO THESE SPACES, SO IT ALWAYS INVOLVES CREATIVITY ON GETTING KIDS IN AND OUT OF GYMS, GETTING COACHES DOWN TO THE FIELDS.
BUT THIS IS 22 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT WE'RE RUNNING EVENTS ON EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY IN OUR DISTRICT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT OUR KIDS ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN.
THESE ARE ATHLETIC EVENTS, INTERSCHOLASTIC.
WHEN WE RUN THESE EVENTS, WE'RE BOUND BY STATE AND FEDERAL RULES ON HOW THIS GOES.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE VERY OFTEN, IT SEEMS LIKE WE JUST SET UP A GAME, ROLL A BALL OUT, AND IT TAKES CARE OF ITSELF.
NOW, THE GAME DOESN'T START UNLESS EVERYTHING ON THE BACK END HAS BEEN MET TO THAT POINT, 400 HOME GAMES, 423 AWAY.
WITH THOSE AWAY, WE HAVE TO GET A BUS THAT GOES THERE.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S VERY PELHAM AND SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF IS ALL THE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE DO.
I TELL OUR COACHES ALL THE TIME, THEY TELL ME ALL THE TIME OUR EVENTS ARE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
WE DO A LOT OF PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS, WE DO COMMUNITY DAYS OR YOUTH DAYS.
WE DO NIL SIGNING DAYS WHERE WE CELEBRATE OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING ON TO PLAY AT THE NEXT LEVEL.
THEN PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST EVENTS I'VE SEEN IN ATHLETICS IS THE PELHAM BOOSTERS EVENT AT THE END OF THE YEAR AT THE COUNTRY CLUB.
I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND PELHAM UNTIL I WENT TO THAT VENT LAST YEAR, AND JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZING EVENT PARTNERING WITH BOOSTERS ON THAT.
[00:50:03]
ONE THING WORTH MENTIONING, JUST THE SCOPE OF OUR ORDERING, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU SOME OF OUR LINES HERE IN A SECOND.RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, AS WE STAND 145 PURCHASE ORDERS.
PURCHASE ORDER, AS YOU KNOW, JUST IS IN POINT, I WANT THAT AND GO GET IT.
A PURCHASE ORDER HAS A LOT OF RULES BEFOREHAND.
WE HAVE TO RECONCILE ALL OF IT AND INVENTORY EVERYTHING THAT COMES IN.
THE ADDITION OF THE EQUIPMENT MANAGER THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A HUGE HELP WITH THAT.
BUT SOME OF THE STUFF WE WRITE EQUIPMENT ORDERS OR SUIT ME PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THE EQUIPMENT THAT OUR STUDENTS USE OUT IN THE FIELDS, OUR ASSOCIATION DUES FOR OUR COACHES, AND FOR THE ATHLETE DEPARTMENT, THINGS LIKE ENTRANCE FEES, WHEN WE WANT TO GO TO A RELAY OR WE WANT TO GO SWIM AT A COMPETITION.
THAT'S HOW WE USE OUR PURCHASE ORDERS.
SOME QUICK PROJECTS, A LITTLE DIVE INTO THE CULTURE OF ATHLETICS.
AS I SAID BEFORE, THE COACHING CERTIFICATION PROCESS, I'M NOT GOING TO GO MUCH MORE INTO IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK HR AND DOCTOR FERALDS GROUP.
IT'S NOT AN EASY PATH AND WE ARE MOVING A LOT OF COACHES THROUGH THIS.
WE STARTED LAST YEAR, IT'LL CONTINUE INTO NEXT YEAR.
ANOTHER ONE OF OUR CULTURE BUILDERS IS THE STUDENT ATHLETIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THIS IS NEW. THE SAAC IS NOT NEW, IT'S STATE RECOGNIZED.
BUT IT'S A GOOD SPOT FOR OUR CAPTAINS AND OUR LEADERS IN THE ATHLETIC WORLD TO STEP UP AND TAKE AN EVEN MORE IN DEPTH LEADERSHIP ROLE, ADVOCATE FOR PROGRAMS, AND BUILD CHARACTER.
IN THIS PICTURE RIGHT HERE, THE CAPTAINS ARE BEING AWARDED THE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE DISTINCTION FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OFF OF THE FIELD.
THIS WAS A NICE AWARD TO CELEBRATE WITH OUR YOUNG LEADERS.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE WORKING ON A HANDBOOK.
AT THIS POINT, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS OUR COACHES NEED TO KNOW, SO WE'RE WORKING ON A HANDBOOK AND INCREASING THE PLANNING PROCESS WITH OUR COACHES, AND THE COACHES HAVE BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE TO THAT.
WE'RE JUST GETTING OUT AHEAD OF A LOT OF THINGS SO IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO DO THAT THIS YEAR.
ONE THING WE BROUGHT IN THIS YEAR AGAIN, DRIVING CULTURE AND FINDING REASONS TO CELEBRATE OUR KIDS IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOGNITION.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY AS BEST WE CAN TO DO THIS THE END OF EVERY SEASON.
IT DOESN'T FIT RIGHT AT THE END OF EACH SEASON BECAUSE IT'S A LOT TO GET TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE YEAR AT THE END OF THE SEASON TO CLOSE OUT.
A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THE AWARDS THE STUDENTS HAVE WON FOR LIKE A MONTH AFTER THE SEASON.
BUT THIS HAS BEEN WONDERFUL AND I'VE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
FACILITY PROJECTS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
GYM'S TEAM EXTENDED DOWN TO JOHN CONDON AND HIS WHOLE TEAM.
THE CREW DOWN GLOVER, FACILITIES CREW AROUND THE BUILDINGS.
THIS SUMMER WE WERE ABLE TO REDO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GYM.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM IMAGE THERE, THAT IS THE OLD P BEING SANDED OFF OF THE FLOOR.
JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, AS IF YOU GO DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW, THE SPACE IS VERY VIBRANT, VERY BRIGHT.
WE ELIMINATED PROBABLY HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF LINEAR FOOTAGE IN THERE OF JUST LINES THAT WE'RE BUSYING THE SPACE UP.
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GYM, WHICH IS OUR CENTERPIECE GYM LOOKS PHENOMENAL.
THE WEIGHT ROOM, IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL PROJECT TO DO A FRIENDS OF PELHAM AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
WE ARE TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY DONE, AND THE STUDENTS ARE IN THERE EVERY DAY WORKING ON IT.
ALSO, ANOTHER PROJECT DONE WITH FRIENDS OF PELHAM WAS THE TRAINING TAPING STATIONS, BOTH HERE AT THE SCHOOL AND DOWN AT GLOVER.
THIS JUST LET'S GET OUR STUDENTS TRAINED AND BACK OUT IN THE FIELD AND RECOVERING FROM INJURIES QUICKER, AND THAT IS OUR MASCOT GETTING ITS ANKLE TAPED BY OUR TRAINER, RUTH.
THEN THIS SUMMER, AGAIN, WITH THE HELP OF JOHN CONDON'S TEAM, WE'LL BE RESURFACING THE CARPET DOWN A GLOVER.
THEN THIS IS LINE BY LINE, WHICH YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.
I WILL JUST GO DOWN TO FINE JUST GIVE A LITTLE MORE COLOR ON WHAT EACH LINE IS USED FOR.
THE FIRST LINE IS THE 2855 132.
THE LINE SHARE OF THIS LINE IS OUR GAME DAY SUPPORT STAFF.
THIS IS THE ANNOUNCERS, THIS IS THE SUPERVISION, ETC, THAT WE USE IN THIS LINE HERE.
THE NEXT LINE, ALSO A STAFFING LINE IS OUR 150 LINE.
THIS IS OUR COACHING STIPENDS.
INCREASES THAT YOU'LL SEE HERE ARE JUST CONTRACTUAL.
THE PAYMENT MATRIX COMES FROM THE TEACHER CONTRACT, AND THAT HAS THE MORE TIME THAT A COACH WORKS IN THE DISTRICT OR IN THAT ROLE, THERE THAT THEY'RE COMPENSATED, AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF STAFF THAT HAS MOVED IT MORE INTO
[00:55:02]
THE SENIOR SIDE OF THAT PAYMENT MATRIX.>> JOE, CAN I JUST ADD TO OUR LAST LINE BY LIGHT IN THE BOARD, WE MENTIONED THE DOUBLE BUMP.
BECAUSE THE BUDGET FROM PRIOR YEAR DID NOT HAVE THE CONTRACTUAL RAISES BECAUSE WE WERE STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS AT THAT TIME.
YOU'RE ALSO SEEING SOME OF THESE LARGER JUMPS IN ADDITION TO AS JOE SAID, FOLKS MOVING TO HIGHER STEPS ON THE SCALE, YOU'VE GOT THAT DOUBLE BUMP EFFECT.
>> YOU'LL ALSO SEE IN SOME LINES AS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONS THAT ARE INCREASING THE 150 LINE.
THE ONES THAT REALLY PULLED THE FRONT IS THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH.
THE CERTIFIED INDIVIDUAL IS GOING TO BE COACHING FOUR SEASONS.
THAT WEIGHT ROOM, THE IDEA OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING AND PROPERLY TRAINING OUR ATHLETES WILL BE A YEAR ROUND PHENOMENA HERE.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO ADD A MODIFIED CHEER COACH.
THIS PROGRAM IS JUST REALLY BEEN GROWING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
THEY'RE NOW COMPETING. I'LL SHOW YOU A PICTURE LATER.
THERE'S A LOT OF SAFETY AROUND HERE, SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE AN EXTRA SET OF EYES WITH ALL THE STUNTING AND TUMBLING.
THEN IF YOU LOOK IN THE BOOKLET FURTHER ON, YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF HOW WE STAFF OUR SPORTS BY SEASON.
THERE'S A FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING BREAKDOWN.
>> PAGES JUST IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING 28, 29, AND 30.
>> THANK YOU. IN THERE, YOU'LL ALSO SEE THE NEW RATE, THE NEW STIPEND FOR THE ATHLETIC COORDINATOR EQUIPMENT MANAGER SCHEDULER, AS WELL, WHICH IS PAID SEASONALLY.
THE ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE PAID OUT OF THAT LINE, WE THOUGHT IT WAS BETTER TO BE PUT INTO THE 400 LINES.
THAT LINE READS AS A ZERO INCREASE, ZERO DECREASE.
YOU'LL SEE IN A LITTLE BIT WHERE THAT LIVES.
BUT IF WE GO TO THE 400 SECTION, THERE'S BEEN SOME MOVEMENT IN THIS LINES FAR AS HOW WE DEFINE THE EXPENSES IN THIS LINE.
YOU'LL SEE THINGS LAST YEAR THAT WERE MAYBE IN 414 THAT HAVE MOVED UP TO 411.
BUT IF I GO DOWN JUST QUICKLY, THE 411 LINE IS BASICALLY HOW WE PAY FOR OUR RENTAL AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW HERE AT PELHAM.
I SAID EARLIER, WE OFFER A LOT, AND WE'VE GOTTEN CREATIVE ABOUT WHERE WE OFFER A LOT.
YOU'LL SEE THE BOWLING LANES, YOU'LL SEE THE SARA LAWRENCE POOL, YOU'LL SEE THE GOLF COURSE TURTLE COVE.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE THIS IS WHERE WE PAY OUR HOST DISTRICTS FOR OUR MERGED TEAMS. WE ARE EXPECTING NEXT YEAR THAT WE'RE EXPECTING THE GIRLS HOCKEY TEAM IS GOING TO HAVE QUITE A FEW MORE PLAYERS ON IT THAT WILL GO AND PLAY FOR THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY TEAM.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT IN THE 25 26 BUDGET.
THE 413 LINE, THIS IS OUR RECONDITIONING LINE.
THE QUESTION WITH THIS LINE IS ALWAYS WHAT ACTUALLY IS IT? BUT BASICALLY WE HAVE TO BY LAW, WE HAVE TO SEND OUT ALL OF OUR CONTACT, LIKE HELMET, SHOULDER PAD EQUIPMENT TO GET RE-CERTIFIED EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE FOR OUR STUDENTS WHEN WE GO OUT THERE.
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THAT COACHING STAFF, WE ARE SENDING OUT ABOUT 135 HELMETS A YEAR.
WE HAVE THAT MANY STUDENTS SEVEN THROUGH 12 THAT ARE PLAYING FOOTBALL.
>> JOE, I THINK I WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING TOO.
I KNOW YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON INVENTORYING OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
I THINK IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THAT MAY BE ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE THROUGH THAT INVENTORY AND TIGHTER CONTROLS THAT YOU'VE ALSO FOUND SOME SAVINGS IN AREAS LIKE THIS AND EQUIPMENT ACROSS THE BOARD.
>> YEAH. TWO POINTS THERE BRIEFLY IS THE IDEA OF RECONDITIONING STUFF HAS TO BE DONE IN A STRATEGIC WAY, AND I THINK WE WERE MAYBE SENDING OUT MORE STUFF THAT DIDN'T NEED A WEEKLY TOUCH TO IT, BUT MORE OF AN ANNUAL TOUCH, LIKE AN ANNUAL RECONDITIONING.
THAT HAS BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF COST SAVINGS IN THAT LINE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
THAT WILL CONTINUE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
WE ALSO DO A LITTLE UNIFORM PURCHASING OUT OF THERE.
THE 414 LINE, WHICH IS OUR LAST IN THE 400 AREA, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE MOVED SOME MONEY DOWN FROM THE 200 LINE.
[01:00:05]
WE JUST THOUGHT OF BETTER LIVED IN THIS AREA.THAT MONEY IS OFTEN USED FOR THIS YEAR, SCOREBOARD REPAIRS.
WE DO A SCOREBOARD CHECK EVERY YEAR PRIOR TO THE SEASON, WE DID IT IN AUGUST.
ONE WEEK LATER, OUR MAIN SCOREBOARD AT GLOVER WENT DOWN.
IT WAS SEVERAL WEEKS WORTH OF WORK AND HAVING TECHNICIANS COME, AND THEN THE LAST VOLLEYBALL GAME OF THE FALL BEFORE BASKETBALL SEASON STARTED, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCOREBOARD WENT WENT DOWN, LIKE ON CLOCK WORK.
THAT MONEY IS THERE FOR THOSE SHOOT REPAIRS TO HARD FIXED ITEMS, LIKE BACK BOARDS OR SHOT CLOCKS, ETC.
ALSO IN THIS LINE IS OUR ATHLETIC TRAINER WHO YOU SAW A PICTURE OF EARLIER, AND THEN DIFFERENT SOFTWARE NEEDS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE.
>> JOE, REAL QUICK. IN THAT LINE, I SEE THE CONDITIONING COACH AND TRAINER.
IS THERE SUPPORT FOR THE NEW WEIGHT ROOM, OR HOW'S THE NEW WEIGHT ROOM STAFFED OVER TIME?
>> YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IN THE 414 LINE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT SEMANTICS.
THE ATHLETIC TRAINER THAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE IS ACTUALLY HEALTH AND SAFETY.
WHEN A STUDENT GOES DOWN ON THE FIELD, THEY HAS TO GET THEIR ANKLE TAPED OR SO THEY'RE NOT THE ACTUAL WEIGHT ROOM FITNESS CENTER TRAINER.
THAT WE WOULD TERM AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH.
THAT PERSON WILL BE PAID IN THE 150 LINE EVERY SEASON.
PLUS SO IT'D BE FALL, WINTER, SPRING AND SUMMER, THAT PERSON WOULD GET A STIPEND ALIGNED WITH THE TEACHER CONTRACT TO STAFF THAT FITNESS CENTER.
>> IT DOES. DOING THAT MODEL, AGAIN, IT GIVES US A 12 MONTH ACCESS FOR OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE AGAIN, A LOT OF THE TRAINING IS DONE IN THE SUMMER, AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY RECOGNIZED SEASON, BUT YOU DON'T GET READY FOR THE FALL IN THE FALL, YOU GET READY FOR THE FALL IN THE SUMMER.
JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT POSITION IS NOT ONLY GOING TO BE ATHLETICS FACING, IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE GEN ED POPULATION FACING.
THERE WILL BE SOMETHING THAT LIVES LIKE AN OPEN GYM.
THE GEN ED POPULATION AT THE SCHOOL, AFTER ACADEMY CAN GO ENTER AND GET A WORKOUT IN OVERSEEN BY CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL.
THERE'S THE TRANSPORTATION LINE.
>> THAT'S ON PAGE D1, AND WE'LL COVER TRANSPORTATION AT THE NEXT MEETING AS WELL.
>> BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE GOING ON TONIGHT, BUT IT WASN'T LAST YEAR, SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION YOUR SAME GRACE.
BUT THANK YOU, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER.
>> THE ONE THING I WOULD JUST POINT OUT, I KNOW THE BOARD MAY REMEMBER THIS FROM THE BUDGET OVERVIEW SLIDES.
CERTAINLY, THERE'S MANY AREAS OF THE SCHOOL PROGRAM, WE'D ALWAYS LIKE TO CONTINUE TO GROW, AND ATHLETICS IS ONE OF THEM.
THERE'S LOTS OF INTEREST IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROWING OF PROGRAMS, GROWING THE STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS BECAUSE I THINK AS JOE ILLUSTRATED, WE'VE GROWN.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OFFERINGS FOR SCHOOL SIZE AND REALLY A VERY SLIM BACK OFFICE TO SUPPORT THAT.
THOSE THINGS ARE IN THE FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS PILE.
I JUST WANT TO KEEP THOSE ON THE RADAR WHEN THE OPPORTUNITIES COME BECAUSE I KNOW SO MANY OF OUR KIDS ARE INVOLVED IN SO MANY THINGS IN ATHLETICS IS JUST A REALLY POSITIVE ONE.
KEEP THAT ON YOUR RADAR AND JOE, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK.
I GET TO HEAR EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
THE CULTURE SHIFTS THAT HE'S WORKING ON, TRYING TO REALLY TIGHTEN BRINGING CONSISTENCY AND A LOT MORE STANDARD OPERATING PRACTICES TO THE OFFICE, TO THE COACHES, TO THE TEAMS, REALLY WORKING ON COMMUNICATION, THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE HELPING OUR DEPARTMENT TO MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU, JOE.
BUDGET RELATED, IN JUST OVERALL MANAGING ALL OF THE OFFERINGS.
I KNOW THAT PARENTS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW SPORTS TO BE ADDED.
HOW HAS IT BEEN MANAGING JUST FIELD SPACE AND SCHEDULING AND ALL THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SEEMS TO BE A.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, I WAS GOING TO ASK A SIMILAR ONE, SO PERFECT.
>> ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW SCHEDULER?
>> YES. IT'S OBVIOUSLY I WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHEN I WAS ON BOARD AT HERE AT PELHAM, IT WAS A CONCERN I HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS WE DO PRACTICES AND COMPETITION SCHEDULES ARE POSTED ON OUR SCHOOL TODAY,
[01:05:03]
AND WE BUILD OUT THE SEASONS OF COMPETITION SCHEDULES, WE'RE PUTTING OUT ON THE WEBSITE AS EARLY AS WE'RE GETTING THEM FROM BOSS, WHERE THEY'RE CREATED.TO THE POINT EARLIER WITH THE SLIDE, THOSE 800 COMPETITIONS, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE FULL CONTROL OF THOSE.
I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE IT MIGHT LOOK SOMETIMES LIKE A CERTAIN TEAM IS JUST GETTING, BUT THAT COMES DOWN FROM BOSS.
WE DO HAVE SOME LOCAL CONTROL AS FAR AS MAKING IT EQUITABLE.
>> THEN THERE'S THE PRACTICES, WHICH WE'RE NOW ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE.
USUALLY BY THE END OF THE WEEK, WE'RE PUTTING OUT THE WHOLE NEXT WEEK OF PRACTICE LOTS, SO FAMILIES CAN SEE THAT.
AGAIN, FAMILIES CAN GO AND CHECK THE WEBSITE OR THEY CAN DOWNLOAD THE OURSCHOOLTODAY APP, WHICH HAS BEEN A REAL BIG WIN FOR US.
THEN ON TOP OF THAT, JUST HAVING COACH PETERS AS THE SCHEDULER.
HE'S AN ABSOLUTE SAVANT WITH THIS.
HE DID IT FOREVER IN HIS PRIVATE ENDEAVORS, AND HE JUST SEES HOW TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST TRYING TO FACE THE COMMUNITY SO THERE'S NO SURPRISES.
SPORTSWEAR, IT'S LIKE TENNIS AND WE CAN GET THE WHOLE SEASON OUT, WE CAN GET A SPORT OUT MORE THAN JUST ONE WEEK AHEAD.
WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT AS WELL.
>> I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ALONG THOSE LINES.
>> I KNOW THAT WITH THE GIRLS HOCKEY, RENTING ICE TIME IS VERY EXPENSIVE IN THE MODIFIED SPORTS.
I'M VERY JUST CURIOUS OF HOW THAT'S THOUGHT THROUGH AND AS THAT DEVELOPS AS WELL AS FAR AS THAT GOES, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?
>> IS THAT A QUESTION FOR THE GIRLS, MERGE TEAM?
>> AS THE GIRLS ARE EMERGING, ICE TIME IS ICE TIME.
JUST THOSE COSTS AND HOW WE THINK ABOUT THAT FOR MODIFIED.
I GET QUESTIONS LIKE THAT ON OCCASIONS.
>> I'M GETTING THEM OFTEN TOO.
IF WE WERE TO JUST TAKE THAT ON AS A DISTRICT, YOU CAN SEE THE BUDGET LINES, IT WOULD ADD BETWEEN $50,000 AND $100,000 CONSERVATIVELY.
WE'VE PARTNERED OVER THE YEARS WITH THE ICE HUTCH TO GET GOOD AFTER SCHOOL HOURS ON THE ICE AND FREQUENCY ON THE ICE.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM AND IT'S WHY WE HAVE THREE LEVELS.
THAT'S NOT VERY TYPICAL EITHER.
I THINK WE'RE ONE OF A FEW SCHOOLS THAT HAS A JV.
YEAH. IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PELHAM YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION AND THE ICE HUTCH, WE'VE JUST HAVE HAD OUR SKATERS CAN JUST GET MORE ICE AND MORE ICE MORE OFTEN.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.
>> I KNOW THERE'S BEEN INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY IN STARTING GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL.
COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WHEN YOU'RE DETERMINING IF THE DISTRICT CAN TAKE ON ANOTHER SPORT? WHAT DOES IT REQUIRE? IT REQUIRES HIRING A COACH, IT REQUIRES THE SPACE? COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?
>> WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS, DR. [INAUDIBLE] AND SOME OTHER CABINET MEMBERS WITH A PARENT GROUP IN TOWN WHO'S BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS.
I THINK WE WERE DOING SOME QUICK RUNDOWN.
THERE ARE FIVE OR SIX OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT WANT BOYS VOLLEYBALL, THEY WANT MORE MODIFIED OFFERINGS.
THEY WANT TO PULL THE SPORTS THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY OFFER FOR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS DOWN TO A MODIFIED LEVEL. HOW DO WE DECIDE? WE HAVE TO REALLY GAUGE STUDENT INTEREST, IS IT THERE OR DO WE JUST HAVE A SWELL, A ONE PARTICULAR COHORT THAT REALLY LOVES THE SPORT? WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE ENOUGH STUDENT INTEREST.
WE DON'T WANT TO ADD WITHOUT A PLAN BECAUSE THAT'S JUST SUBTRACTION.
WHERE ARE WE GOING TO PUT THEM, AND THEN IF THERE'S NO FIELD ACCESS, DO WE JUST CREATE A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT.
THEN ALSO, TOO, WE'RE NOT A AAA SIZE SCHOOL.
WE DON'T HAVE 400 KIDS A GRADE.
IF WE DO ADD, WHAT ARE THE POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF, DO WE JUST CANNIBALIZE ANOTHER TEAM?
[01:10:02]
IT HAPPENS, WHEN DISTRICT LET'S JUST DO IT AND THEY DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.WE DID LOOK AT A FEASIBILITY STUDY IN '23-'24, WHICH I COULD PULL OUT AND SHARE WITH THE BOARD, IF IT'S OKAY WITH DR.
CHAMP TO LOOK AT AGAIN BECAUSE WE DID LOOK AT A FLAG FOOTBALL.
ANYTIME WE DO WANT TO CONSIDER, I CAN OBVIOUSLY RUN THE NUMBERS AND TRY TO GAUGE THE STUDENT INTEREST AND PRESENT THAT TO THE BOARD.
>> I CAN'T REMEMBER IF YOU DID THIS IN THE BEGINNING OF YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT CAN YOU JUST GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE NUMBERS OF GIRLS TEAMS AND BOYS TEAMS AND THE NUMBER OF MODIFIED? YOU HAVE THAT SLIDE, RIGHT?
>> I'D LIKE TO FORMALLY GET THAT TO YOU.
I DIDN'T HAVE THAT BROKEN DOWN THAT WAY.
BEFORE COMING ON TWO YEARS AGO, I DID LOOK AT THAT AND WE HAD BALANCE IN THE OFFERINGS.
SOME SEASONS, IT WAS SKEWED, HEAVIER FALLS, A LITTLE MORE FEMALE FACING.
BUT I COULD GET SOMETHING FORMAL BECAUSE AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO JUST SPEAK OFF THE CUFF WITHOUT BEING ACCURATE.
>> JOE, COULD YOU JUST TALK FOR ONE MINUTE, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS, BUT TO JACKIE'S POINT ABOUT NEW SPORTS? HOW ARE THE CONSIDERATIONS DIFFERENT FOR THE SPORTS LIKE WRESTLING WHERE YOU WERE PARTNERING WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT?
>> WRESTLING, BECAUSE IT'S AN INDIVIDUALIZED SPORT, WE COULD BREAK DOWN A COST PER CHILD.
THINGS LIKE TRANSPORTATION, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE PARENTS TO TRANSPORT THEMSELVES, SIMILAR WITH GIRLS HOCKEY.
WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A HOST DISTRICT.
BECAUSE IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO.
THERE COULD BE DISTRICTS THAT JUST SAY, NO, THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN TAKING US ON BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO TAKE ON A MERGER, THE HOST DISTRICT LOSES THINGS LIKE POST SEASON ACCOLADES.
YOUR MERGED TEAM, YOU CAN'T BE A LEAGUE CHAMPION.
YOU CAN'T BE A SECTION CHAMPION.
YOU HAVE TO FIND SOMEBODY WILLING TO PLAY BALL WITH YOU.
THEN THERE ARE JUST INHERENT DIFFERENCES WITH THE NATURE OF WRESTLING, BEING IT'S ONE CHILD ON THE MAT VERSUS A BOYS VOLLEYBALL OR A FLAG FOOTBALL, WHERE IT'S AN ENTIRE TEAM THAT ALL NEEDS TO BE OUTFITTED THE SAME WAY, THAT NEEDS TO TRAVEL TOGETHER.
IT WAS A LIGHTER LIFT WITH WRESTLING, THEN IT WOULD BE WITH A LARGER SPORT.
>> I JUST SHARED THAT COST OUT.
I STILL HAD IT FROM LAST YEAR.
I JUST SHARED THAT WITH THE BOARD VIA E MAIL SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL OF BRINGING ON A TEAM IS MORE AT THE SCALE OF ABOUT $25,000 START UP VERSUS AN INDIVIDUAL PER PUPIL.
NEXT FOR THE AGENDA THIS EVENING IS PPS, STARTING WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION ON PAGE C18.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE PPS BUDGET THIS EVENING.
JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE WHAT'S ENCOMPASSED IN THE PUPIL PERSONNEL BUDGET.
THAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION, THAT'S SCHOOL COUNSELING, SO AKA GUIDANCE AND NURSING.
I'LL BE TALKING THROUGH ALL OF THE LINES IN THOSE THREE BUCKET AREAS.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO DR. ROBBERO AND MR. LAW, WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT. WE CAN GIVE THEM A CLAP.
THEY ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING PLAN AND HAVE BEEN IN PREPARING THE SPECIAL EDUCATION BUDGET.
WE SIT AND WE TALK WEEKLY AND WE WATCH THE TRENDS, WE WATCH WHAT'S GOING ON.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WE START BUDGET PREPARATION AROUND NOVEMBER, WHICH IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR US IN SPECIAL EDUCATION BECAUSE ALL OF OUR ANNUAL REVIEWS TEND TO HAPPEN IN THE SPRING.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE PREDICTIONS ON MEETINGS THAT HAVEN'T HAPPENED YET, BUT WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO READ THE TEA LEAVES, LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AND MAKE SOME DETERMINATIONS BASED ON WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
IN ADDITION, I'D SAY SOME OF THE GROWING TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE COUNTY IN THE STATE AS WELL, WE'RE SEEING LARGER NUMBERS IN PRESCHOOL.
THAT'S A TREND THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING.
[01:15:03]
WE'VE BEEN SEEING SOME INCREASED REFERRALS BOTH TO SPECIAL EDUCATION AND TO 504, AND JUST OVERALL INCREASED STUDENT NEEDS AND THE TYPES OF NEEDS THAT WE'RE SEEING.STARTING WITH THE LINE BY LINE ON PAGE C18, THE FIRST LINE, YOU'LL SEE, THE 225131, THAT'S OUR TEACHING ASSISTANT SALARIES.
WE HAVE TEACHING ASSISTANTS IN OUR VARIOUS SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM CLASSES.
THAT'S OUR 8:01:2 CLASSES, OUR 12-1-2 CLASSES, OUR FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING CLASSES.
AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, WE ALSO HAVE A JOB COACH FOR THE FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING CLASS, SO THAT'S A TEACHING ASSISTANT.
WE ALSO HAVE TEACHING ASSISTANTS IN THE TESTING CENTERS AT SECONDARY TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE TESTING NEEDS.
THOSE SALARIES ARE REFLECTED IN THAT CODE.
WE DO HAVE ONE RETIREMENT THIS YEAR, BUT WE BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER NEED NEXT YEAR WITH OUR CURRENT STAFFING, EVEN WITH THE ADDITION OF THE 8:01:2, WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL TEACHING ASSISTANT AND MONITOR AND TEACHER.
THAT'S MYSELF AND DR. ROBBERO AND MR. LAW.
THE FOLLOWING LINE ARE THE TEACHER SALARIES K-5, AND AGAIN, THERE YOU WILL SEE THE INCREASES AS INDICATED WHEN MS. COMERFORD WAS PRESENTING ON THAT DOUBLE BUMP AFTER THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION.
THE 152 ARE THE TEACHER SALARY 612.
AGAIN, THE INCREASE WILL REFLECT SOME OF THAT AS A DOUBLE BUMP, BUT ALSO WE DO HAVE AN INCREASE OF 1.4 AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL BASED ON IEP MANDATE NEEDS.
I THINK SOME OF THAT WE'RE SEEING TO CATCH UP NOW AS WE STARTED ICT IN THIS DISTRICT FIVE YEARS AGO.
THE STUDENTS NOW ARE ROLLING UP TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SECONDARY.
WE HAVE TWO ICT FIFTH GRADE SECTIONS ROLLING INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL NEXT YEAR, WHICH HAVE LED US TO NEED TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL SECTIONS THERE.
THE NEXT LINE IS CSC MEETING SUPPORT.
WE DO OUR BEST NOT TO HOLD MEETINGS OVER THE SUMMER, BUT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE SOME MONIES AVAILABLE BASED ON WHEN WE GET REFERRALS AND COMPLIANCE ISSUES, IF WE DO NEED TO HOLD MEETINGS OVER THE SUMMER.
WE PAY THE STAFF THAT ATTENDS.
THE NEXT LINE 156 REFLECTS OUR SPEECH THERAPIST SALARIES.
WE'VE GOT FIVE FULL TIME SPEECH THERAPISTS IN THE DISTRICT.
ANOTHER SPEECH PATHOLOGIST THAT IS SHARED CURRENTLY WOULD BETWEEN [INAUDIBLE] AND PROSPECT AND THEN ONE IN THE MIDDLE AND ONE IN HIGH.
THE NEXT LINE IS FOR OUR OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY SALARIES.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO FULL TIME OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS ON STAFF, AND WE HAVE A PHYSICAL THERAPIST THAT COMES IN AGAIN, BASED ON IEP NEED.
THE NEXT LINE, YOU'LL SEE IS ZEROED OUT.
THAT'S OUR HEARING IMPAIRED SALARY.
JENNY WALLACH WAS OUR TEACHER OF THE HEARING IMPAIRED.
SHE KEPT A COUPLE OF CASES, BUT SHE WILL BE FULLY GONE BY NEXT YEAR, SO YOU WILL SEE THE MONEY THAT WE ALLOCATED FOR HER TO MOVE INTO THE CONTRACTUAL LINE BECAUSE WE WILL BE COVERING THOSE HEARING NEEDS NOW THROUGH CONTRACTUAL SERVICES WITH ONE OF THE AGENCIES THAT WE WORK WITH.
THE 160 LINE REFLECTS THE CLERICAL ASSISTANT SALARY.
I HAVE TWO CLERCAL ASSISTANTS CURRENTLY SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN THE 163 LINE REPRESENTS THE ONE TO ONE MONITORS THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT.
WE SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A BUMP THIS YEAR AS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
WE DID END UP USING OUR CONTINGENCIES, CONTINGENCY POSITIONS.
NEXT YEAR, WE KNOW THAT WE WILL NEED AT LEAST AN INCREASE OF ONE MONITOR FOR THE NEW 8:01:2 CLASS THAT WE'RE OPENING.
AGAIN, THESE ARE MONITORS THAT ARE EITHER PROGRAM MONITORS THAT ATTACHED TO OUR DEDICATED SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, OR BASED ON INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS WHO WOULD NECESSITATE HAVING A ONE TO ONE.
THAT COULD BE SOME OF OUR MORE SEVERELY IMPAIRED STUDENTS.
SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WHO NEED SUPPORT WITH ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING, SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE SOME BEHAVIORAL NEEDS.
ANYONE WITH HIGHER LEVEL OF NEED, WE WILL SUPPORT THEM WITH THAT ONE TO ONE.
MOVING ON TO C19, 225200, IT IS OUR EQUIPMENT LINE.
[01:20:03]
THIS YEAR, YOU'LL NOTICE THE ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE ADOPTED.I LOOKED AT JACKIE AND I SAID, WHERE DID I MESS UP? THAT WAS ACTUALLY PURCHASE ORDERS THAT WERE FILLED AND APPROVED LAST YEAR, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET PROCESS TILL THE SUMMER, SO THERE WAS THAT CARRYOVER.
IT WAS THE MONEY FROM LAST YEAR THAT FLOWED OVER TO THIS YEAR.
I DID A LITTLE BIT OF INCREASE NEXT YEAR IN OUR BUDGET.
WHAT COMES OUT OF THIS LINE IS EQUIPMENT NEEDS SUCH AS IPADS.
AGAIN, FOR MANY OF OUR NON VERBAL STUDENTS, THEY HAVE PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW THEM TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH THEIR DEVICES.
IF WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT HAVE PHYSICAL NEEDS, WE MAY NEED SOME SPECIALIZED CHAIRS, SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT.
IF OUR PHYSICAL THERAPIST TELLS ME THAT WE NEED SOMETHING SPECIFIC FOR A STUDENT COMING IN, WE ORDER IT IN THIS LINE.
AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE INCOMING 8:01:2 CLASS, ANTICIPATING INCREASED NEEDS, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUY SOME MORE EQUIPMENT NEXT YEAR.
2250, THAT'S A CONTRACTUAL LINE.
THAT IS THE LINE THAT WE HAVE WITH ALL OF OUR CONTRACT SERVICE PROVIDERS.
THAT IS OUR CONSULTING NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST, THAT IS OUR CONSULTING PSYCHIATRIST, IF WE NEED TO REQUEST A PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION.
THAT IS FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, THAT IS FOR ADDITIONAL HEARING SERVICES, OT SERVICES AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
THIS IS ALSO WHERE WE HAVE OUR MONIES THAT WE SET ASIDE FOR OUR BUILDING BRIDGES PROGRAMS, FOR OUR PELHAM TOGETHER PROGRAMS, SUBSCRIPTIONS.
OUR BEHAVIORISTS, OUR DISTRICT BEHAVIORIST, SOME OF IT COMES OUT OF THIS LINE.
THIS IS ALL OF OUR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
AGAIN, THIS INCREASED A BIT THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE HEARING MOVED TO THIS LINE, BUT THEN ALSO ANTICIPATING SOME INCREASED NEED THAT WE'RE SEEING BASED ON TRENDS FOR RELATED SERVICES, AS WELL AS SOME MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
225407, THIS IS HOME AND HOSPITAL INSTRUCTION.
YOU'LL SEE THIS IN TWO PLACES.
PREVIOUSLY, WHEN I GOT HERE, THIS WAS ALL IN ONE LINE IN THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT.
I SPLIT IT JUST TO TRY TO TRACK AND PREDICT TRENDS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
BUT THIS IS HOME INSTRUCTION, EITHER FOR OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION OR GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
THIS COULD BE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE OUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN ILLNESS.
IT COULD BE FOR STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION FOR IF THEY'RE OUT FOR SUSPENSION.
THIS COULD BE FOR ANY STUDENTS THAT MAY BE HOSPITALIZED OR IN SPECIALIZED MEDICAL PROGRAMS WHERE WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE ACADEMIC INSTRUCTIONAL PORTION OF THOSE PROGRAMS. WE HAVE BEEN TRENDING UP IN THIS CATEGORY.
I DID INCREASE IT $5,000 HERE.
WHEN IT'S IN THE COUNSELING BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE THERE.
AGAIN, THAT'S BASED ON TRENDS THAT WE ARE SEEING.
>> THE 408 IS JUST A SMALL BUDGET WE'RE MAINTAINING IT.
THAT'S ANY CONFERENCES, PROFESSIONAL BOOKS THAT WE BUY, ANYTHING SPECIAL RELATED TO THAT.
225450 IS MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES THAT REFLECTS THE CONSUMABLES, TESTING PROTOCOLS FOR OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS, FOR OUR SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS, OUR OTS, PTS.
THAT'S WHAT COMES OUT OF MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.
THAT'S SOME OF OUR SPECIALIZED READING MATERIALS, FOR OUR RESOURCE ROOM TEACHERS.
THAT'S WHAT COMES OUT OF THAT LINE.
AGAIN, I PROJECTED A LITTLE BIT MORE TO TRY TO ACCOUNT FOR MATERIALS.
WE'LL NEED TO BUY FOR THE NEW 812 CLASS.
THEN 225471 AND 472, THESE ARE THE LINES WHERE YOU WILL SEE OUR TUITION FOR STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE TO PLACE OUT OF DISTRICT.
OF COURSE, AS A CSC, OUR OBLIGATION AND OUR CHARGE IS ALWAYS TRY TO MAINTAIN OUR STUDENTS IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT IN THEIR HOME DISTRICT, BUT THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE STUDENT NEEDS THAT GO BEYOND WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR IN OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SETTING.
SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTAL AND COGNITIVE NEEDS, PHYSICAL NEEDS, BEHAVIORAL NEEDS THAT REQUIRE A STRUCTURED PROGRAM BEYOND WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE HERE.
[01:25:05]
WHEN WE DO LOOK FOR ADDED DISTRICT PROGRAMS, THERE'S THREE OPTIONS WE CAN LOOK FOR.OF COURSE, EVERYTHING HAS TO BE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION APPROVED PROGRAMS. WE CAN PLACE STUDENTS IN OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT MAY BE RUNNING A PROGRAM THAT WE'RE NOT RUNNING.
THE 472 ARE OTHER PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
THOSE ARE SPECIALIZED SCHOOLS THAT ARE APPROVED BY THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO RUN SPECIALIZED PROGRAM BASED ON A STUDENT'S CLASSIFICATION AREA.
WE DO HAVE SEVERAL STUDENTS THAT ARE PLACED OUT OF DISTRICT.
WE ALSO DO MAINTAIN, IN THAT LINE, SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS.
THERE'S SOME LEGAL FEES THAT ARE IN THERE.
THEN THE LAST LINE REFLECT OUR BOCES SERVICES.
THAT DETAIL, ACTUALLY, JIM WENT OVER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
THAT'S IN APPENDIX 5, I3, BUT THAT REFLECTS OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE IN TUITION BOCES PROGRAMS, BUT WE ALSO DO HAVE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE HAVE FROM BOCES.
WE HAVE A VISION TEACHER THAT COMES TO WORK WITH SOME OF OUR STUDENTS.
THAT COULD BE WHEN WE NEED TO DO BILINGUAL EVALUATIONS, WE CALL UPON BOCES TO DO THAT.
THAT'S REFLECTED IN THAT NUMBER, AND AGAIN, YOU COULD SEE THAT DETAIL WHEN YOU GO TO APPENDIX 5.
>> TRACI, THE 472, THE OUT-OF-DISTRICT.
IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE LINE THAT CAN HAVE MOST VARIABILITY OR ONE OF THE LINES THAT CAN HAVE MOST VARIABILITY WHERE A FAMILY MOVES TO TOWN WITH A STUDENT WHO HAS VERY ACUTE NEEDS, AND YOU'RE NOT EXPECTING IT, SO YOU HAVE BUFFER AS IT WERE.
YOU'RE HEDGING FOR ONE [OVERLAPPING] UNFORESEEN STUDENT WITH THOSE NEEDS.
>> THAT COULD ALSO BE, MR. TREE, SOME INTERNAL STUDENTS THAT WE WATCH, AND ALSO SEE IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO MEET THEIR NEEDS HERE, OR IF THEY MAY NEED SOMETHING AGAIN, BEYOND WHAT WE COULD PROVIDE HERE.
AGAIN, THAT COULD BE A MORE SIGNIFICANT CLINICAL THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM WHERE THEY MAY NEED ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH STAFF THROUGHOUT THEIR DAY, WHICH ISN'T THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TSP PROGRAMS. AGAIN, THESE LINES, AGAIN, CAN VARY BECAUSE WHEN WE DO AN OUT-OF-DISTRICT SEARCH, I CAST A NET, I SEND IT OUT TO PROGRAMS, AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
I CAN SEND PACKETS TO A BOCES PROGRAM TO A NEW YORK STATE-APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOL, TO ANOTHER PUBLIC, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF SWINGING IN BETWEEN THESE LINES.
A STUDENT THAT I MAY HAVE PREDICTED MIGHT HAVE GONE TO A BOCES PROGRAM, MAYBE BOCES WAS FILLED, BUT ANOTHER SCHOOL HAD AN OPENING, AND THE PARENT PREFERRED THAT AND THE CS AGREED THAT WAS A FIT.
THERE'S ALSO SOME SWINGS BETWEEN THESE THREE BUCKETS WHERE WE CAN FIT IN OUT-OF-DISTRICT NEEDS.
YES, WE'RE ALSO STARTING TO TRACK THE STUDENTS THAT MOVE INTO THE DISTRICT.
THAT PUTS US SOMETIMES IN A TOUGH POSITION.
WHETHER OR NOT, AGAIN, IT'S A STUDENT THAT HAS NEEDS THAT WE AREN'T EXPECTING PHYSICAL NEEDS, WHEELCHAIR-BOUND STUDENT, SO WE DO BUILD INTO SOME OF THE CONTINGENCIES.
WE DO OUR BEST TO PREDICT AND THEN IT'S HARD TO PREDICT.
I'M TRYING TO GET TRACK MOVE-INS IN THE MONTHS WHEN MOVE-INS COME, BUT IT'S ALWAYS MOVING A TARGET.
I DARE TO SAY, I ALSO THINK OUR COMMUNITY AND PELHAM HAS VERY SOLID SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND OFFERINGS, SO THAT'S AN ATTRACTION TO FAMILIES MOVING FROM THE CITY AND EVEN FROM OTHER LOCAL AREAS.
WE DO OUR BEST TO PREDICT, BUT YES, WE ALSO HOLD CONTINGENT LINES IN SOME OF THESE AREAS FOR THE UNPREDICTABLE.
GOING ON TO C20 NOW, WE'RE IN THE COUNSELING PORTION OF THE BUDGET.
ONE-FIFTY, THAT IS THE SALARY FOR OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND THE DIRECTOR OF COUNSELING.
THE 2810154, THAT'S A STIPEND LINE.
[01:30:04]
PER THE CONTRACT, THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS HAVE UP TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS THAT THEY CAN COME IN OVER THE SUMMER TO DO WORK.WE HOLD MONEY IN THAT LINE FOR THOSE DAYS.
THOSE ARE THE SECRETARIES AND THE CLERICAL STAFF THAT SUPPORT THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
>> IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN THERE FOR A MINUTE.
YOU'LL SEE THE YEAR-TO-YEAR IS 0%, SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR WHEN THE TEACHERS' CONTRACT HAD NOT BEEN SETTLED.
THE CSCA CONTRACT FOR THIS UNIT IS NOT YET SETTLED, SO THOSE MONIES ARE BEING HELD SEPARATELY.
THINKING POSITIVELY WILL BE SETTLED.
NEXT YEAR, YOU WOULD SEE SOMETHING LIKE A DOUBLE BUMP AS YOU'VE SEEN WITH THE TEACHERS.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S LESS PEOPLE, SO IT JUST WOULDN'T BE AS PRONOUNCED.
>> THE NEXT SLIDE, THE CONTRACTUAL, THAT'S THAT OTHER HALF OF THE HOME AND HOSPITAL.
WHEN I GOT HERE, I SPLIT IT TO [NOISE] TRY TO TRACK BETTER.
AGAIN, THAT IS FOR AGENCIES THAT WE CONTRACT TO PROVIDE HOME INSTRUCTION TO OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE HOME FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
THAT COULD ALSO BE HOSPITAL PROGRAMS WHEN STUDENTS AGAIN ARE HOSPITALIZED, WE'RE BILLED FOR THOSE SERVICES.
THAT'S ALL REFLECTED IN THOSE TWO LINES.
THE 40001, THE HIGH SCHOOL LINE, THAT IS FOR TESTING, SUPPLIES, TRAVEL, CONFERENCES, TRAINING, COUNSELING, PRESENTATIONS.
I THINK THE ANNUAL PARCHMENT SUBSCRIPTION IS IN HERE.
THAT LIVES IN THAT LINE AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ALSO HAS A MODERATE LINE FOR THEIR CONFERENCES, SUBSCRIPTIONS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THEN THE FOLLOWING TWO LINES, THOSE SUPPLIES ARE MORE LIKE PAPER, POSTAGE, WHEN WE HAVE TO PRINT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, THE [OVERLAPPING]
>> COURSE VERIFICATIONS AND ALSO THE COURSE CATALOGS THAT WE PRINT, SO THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE MATERIALS AND SUPPLY LINES.
WE'RE GOING INTO HEALTH SERVICES.
THE FIRST LINE ARE OUR NURSES.
>> REMIND ME, HOW MANY NURSES THAT ARE IN THE DISTRICT?
>> WE HAVE SIX FULL-TIME POSITIONS, BUT IT'S SEVEN PEOPLE BECAUSE AT SIWANOY, WE HAVE TWO NURSES THAT FILL THAT ONE NURSE THAT WORKS THREE DAYS A WEEK AND ONE NURSE THAT WORKS TWO DAYS.
>> IT'S PRETTY MUCH ONE PER BUILDING.
I INCREASED A BIT BECAUSE WE TRY TO REFRESH IF WE NEED A NEW AUDIOMETER IF SOMEONE NEEDS A NEW COT IN THEIR OFFICE, SOMEONE NEEDED A NEW ICE MACHINE.
THAT'S WHAT COMES OUT OF THESE EQUIPMENT LINES FOR THE NURSES' OFFICES.
MEDICAL SERVICES, THAT IS FOR OUR CONTRACT WITH OUR DISTRICT MEDICAL DIRECTOR, THE SCHOOL PHYSICIAN. THAT'S IN THERE.
ALSO WHAT'S IN HERE IS WE DO CONTRACT WITH AGENCIES WHEN WE NEED NURSE SUBS.
WHEN NURSES ARE OUT, WE HAVE CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SUBS THAT ARE PERMANENT THAT WE HOLD.
PERMANENT NURSE SUBS, BUT WHEN WE NEED TO KEEP THE BUILDINGS COVERED, WE WILL GO OUT TO AGENCIES, SO THAT'S REFLECTED IN THERE AS WELL.
THEN THE FOLLOWING LINES ARE JUST THE SUPPLIES FOR THE NURSING OFFICES BY SCHOOL.
AGAIN, THE HIGH SCHOOL IS THE MOST.
THEY HAVE THE LARGEST STUDENT POPULATION.
HUTCHINSON AND PROSPECT ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LITTLE HIGHER AMOUNT OF STUDENTS IN THEIR SCHOOLS, AND THEN YOU COULD SEE THE OTHER BUDGETS FOR THE OTHER BUILDINGS, AND THESE REMAIN RELATIVELY THE SAME.
THERE AREN'T ANY SURPRISES HERE IN THIS AREA.
THEN ON C22, HERE YOU WILL SEE THE PSYCHOLOGISTS' SALARIES.
WE HAVE NINE FULL-TIME PSYCHOLOGISTS IN THE DISTRICT.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD CHANGED ONE OF THE POSITIONS FROM A SCHOOL COUNSELOR WHO FLOATED AMONGST THE ELEMENTARY BACK TO A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST WHO ARE FLOATING AMONG THE FOUR ELEMENTARIES.
[01:35:02]
WE FELT THAT WE COULD STILL GET THE SERVICES THAT WE NEEDED, BUT THEN ALSO THE ADDED BENEFIT OF SUPPORTING OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS WITH TESTING, CSE MEETINGS, ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS THAT WE COULDN'T.THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT DELTA THERE.
ALSO, THERE IS CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE FOR THE PSYCHOLOGIST THAT ALLOWS FOR SOME SUMMER DAYS, SO WE HOLD MONEY THERE.
IN THE 2825150, THAT IS OUR TWO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS; ONE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND ONE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THE LAST ONE IS OUR PART-TIME CONTRACTUAL SOCIAL WORKER IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I THINK THAT IS IT FOR THE LINE-BY-LINE IN MY AREAS.
>> C18? JUST GIVEN ALL THE INCREASES IN WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF NEEDS FOR CHILDREN, IS THIS ENOUGH TO COVER YOU? BECAUSE I KNOW YEAR OVER YEAR, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS IN TERMS OF STUDENT NEEDS AND NUMBERS.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS, BUT IT'S THE NEED OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING IN.
>> I THINK THAT'S HARD ANSWER TO PREDICT BECAUSE AGAIN, WITHOUT PREDETERMINING OUTCOMES OF CSE MEETINGS, WE CAN'T SAY WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE GOING TO BE.
I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT SPEECH SERVICES, HONESTLY, BECAUSE OUR SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS ARE STRETCHED TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE.
WHEN WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM START LIKE THE NEW 812 CLASS, THOSE TYPICALLY TEND TO BE HIGH-NEEDS, KIDS WITH RELATED SERVICES AS WELL.
WE PREDICTED THE BEST THAT WE COULD.
AGAIN, YOU'VE SEEN THROUGH THE MONTHS, I DO SOME BUDGET TRANSFERS WHEN I HAVE TO GO FROM HERE TO GO TO THERE.
WE DO THE BEST WE CAN TO PREDICT.
SOMETHING LIKE HOME INSTRUCTION, YOU CAN'T PREDICT WHO'S GOING TO GET SUSPENDED.
YOU CAN'T PREDICT WHO'S GOING TO END UP GETTING INJURED.
WHO'S GOING TO END UP IN SOME TYPE OF HOSPITALIZATION? I TRY TO LOOK AT THE TRENDS AND READ THE TEA LEAVES BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE CONCRETE ANSWERS.
I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF MY TAX SEASON NOW.
THIS IS MY VERSION OF TAX SEASON.
LAUREN, GREG, AND I WILL SIT DOWN.
THEY DO EXCELLENT JOBS, MAKING THAT PREDICTION ALONG WITH ME AND DO AN EXCELLENT JOB ALSO OF OUR STAFFING AND LOOKING WHERE WE MOVE PEOPLE.
GREG, I DON'T KNOW HOW HE DOES IT AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
IT'S LIKE A JENGA PUZZLE, BUT HE SITS AND HE WILL SIT WITH MS. SABIA AND MR. LLEWELLYN AND LOOK AT NEEDS AND MAKE PREDICTIONS AND TALK ABOUT STAFFING, SO I HOPE SO.
BUT I KNOW JIM WILL SAY, DON'T WORRY, WE HAVE SOME CONTINGENCIES BUILT IN. [OVERLAPPING]
>> AGAIN, EVEN LIKE WITH THE MONITORS, I BUILD IN CONTINGENT POSITIONS BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE'LL HAVE A SITUATION ERUPT WHERE A KID IS STRUGGLING.
WE DIDN'T THINK THEY NEEDED A ONE-TO-ONE IN SEPTEMBER AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.
I THINK WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB, GIVEN THAT IT'S A MOVING TARGET, AND WE TRY THE BEST WE CAN TO PREDICT WITH THE STUFF WE HAVE.
>> IT'S VERY HARD TO PREDICT, BUT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO COVER IT.
WE DO HAVE A PLAN IN CASE THINGS DO HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO COVER THESE THINGS.
>> ONE THING I WOULD SAY, TRACI AND CERTAINLY GREG AND LAUREN, THEY KNOW THE KIDS AND THE FAMILIES SO WELL.
THOSE THINGS THAT THEY KNOW, THEY DO JUST AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF FORWARD-THINKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MEET THE NEEDS.
I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE THEM AS A DEPARTMENT ON ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO TO BUILD WHAT IS A VERY TRICKY BUDGET.
>> RIGHT. THEN I THINK THIS YEAR ALONE, WE HAD SEVERAL MOVE-INS MID-YEAR
[01:40:03]
THAT REALLY ADDED SOME PRESSURE POINTS TO THE STAFF IN SOME OF THE SCHOOLS.I THINK WE HAD TWO OR THREE KIDS MOVE IN WITH HIGH NEEDS, HIGH RELATED SERVICES, AND WE MAKE IT WORK.
THE RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE GREAT.
THEY DO WHAT THEY CAN TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE KIDS.
BUT I THINK IF I HAD ANY QUESTION MARK FOR NEXT YEAR AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING, FOR ME, I THINK WOULD BE SPEECH.
>> IF I COULD JUST ADD TO, JUST AS TRACY MENTIONED, THIS IS HER TAX SEASON.
THEY'RE DOING THEIR ANNUAL REVIEWS.
AS THESE THINGS COME UP, WE SPEAK, WE COMMUNICATE, AND THAT'S PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WORKING WITH THE BOARD.
WHEN WE GET TO THAT FINAL DAY, WHEN WE ASK THE BOARD AND THE BOARD HAS A BUDGET TO PASS, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE MOST UPDATE INFORMATION.
IT'S THOSE THINGS LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, WHAT THE STATE BUDGET LOOKS LIKE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WHICH WE'LL BRING TO YOU AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
>> IT'S LESS OF A QUESTION, MORE OF JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT LONG-TERM.
JUST INTERESTING HOW THE NEEDS AND THE INCREASES ARE GOING UP AND AS WE THINK ABOUT FIVE YEARS OUT OR 10 YEARS OUT, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN JUST AN ANNUAL COST OF LIVING OR THINGS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THIS AREA.
IT WILL BE JUST SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S RESOURCES OR THERE IS DATA AVAILABLE TO SAY, 10 YEARS OUT OR FIVE YEARS OUT.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A MUCH BIGGER LIFT.
DO YOU KNOW FOR THE DISTRICT OR TO BE THINKING ABOUT IT THAT WAY? IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE COVERED FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
>> THE CHALLENGE IS WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE DOOR. WE KNOW THE NORMS. AGAIN, LAUREN WORKS WITH CPSC, SO SHE'S GOT INSIGHT INTO THE STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT.
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU BUILD ON ABSOLUTELY.
>> JUST IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE LITERATURE THAT'S OUT THERE AROUND.
DO YOU KNOW THE HIGHER RATES OF DIAGNOSIS AND JUST THE HIGHER RATES OF NEEDS.
THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S BE INTERESTING AS MORE OF A GENERAL EXERCISE, I GUESS.
>> YEAH. I KNOW A LOT OF THE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, TRACY AND THE SUPERVISORS ALL THE PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS, EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT THE TRENDS.
>> YEAH, IF SOMETHING POPS UP, IT IS INTERESTING TO BRING IT TO THE FOREFRONT.
>> JUST ANECDOTALLY, AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT AND FROM WHAT I KNOW FROM JUST THE DISTRICT AND WORKING WITHIN THE DISTRICT WITH OUR FAMILIES.
I THINK THAT TRACY AND GREG AND LAUREN ARE SO CONNECTED WITH THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY IMPRESSIVELY SO TRACK.
THEY KNOW THE STUDENTS THAT THEY HAVE.
THEY ARE INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THEIR CASES AND THE FAMILIES.
I THINK WE CAN FEEL REALLY CONFIDENT IN WHAT TRACY IS SAYING WITH WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE GOING TO BE OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T KNOW.
I THINK YOU WOULD LOVE A CRYSTAL BALL.
I THINK EVERYONE WE WOULD LOVE A CRYSTAL BALL SO WE COULD TELL EXACTLY WHO'S COMING IN THE DISTRICT.
BUT IF ANYONE'S GOING TO KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL US WITH NOT ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, BUT WITH PRETTY DECENT AMOUNT OF CERTAINTY, LIKE WHAT TO EXPECT FOR NEXT YEAR.
IF TRACY SAYS THAT SHE'S CONCERNED ABOUT SPEECH, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE WE'RE LOOKING CLOSELY AT THE BUDGET AND JUST WHERE WE'RE LOOKING CLOSELY IN THAT AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SERVICE PROVIDERS TO COVER THE NEEDS, NOT THE MONEY TO NECESSARILY TO PAY FOR THEM, BUT CAN WE EVEN FIND A SERVICE PROVIDER TO COME INTO THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS A SHORTAGE THAT WE'RE SEEING EVERYWHERE, SO IT'S NOT PARTICULAR TO PELHAM.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT TRACY, LAUREN, AND GREG ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST.
THE KIDS ARE NOT GOING TO NOT GET A ONE TO ONE AID IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, IF THEY NEED A ONE TO ONE AID IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, OR IF THEIR CSE TEAM DECIDES THAT THEY NEED EXTRA SERVICES, LIKE THOSE KIDS ARE GOING TO GET THE EXTRA SERVICES, AND THEY KNOW THEIR KIDS.
>> DO ANY OF THESE SERVICES RELY ON THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
[01:45:03]
>> EVERY DISTRICT HAS A DIFFERENT APPROACH OF HOW THEY USE THEIR FEDERAL FUNDING AND HOW THEY USE THEIR GRANTS.
I'D SAY YES, BECAUSE IF WE GET LESS FEDERAL MONEY, THEN THAT'S MORE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE PUSHED INTO GENERAL FUND.
RIGHT NOW IN OUR GRANT, IT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED.
MONEY THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE GRANT IS SOMETHING CALLED SAID CAR, IT'S FLOW THROUGH FUNDS.
IT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS, BUT WE'RE OBLIGATED TO DO IT.
THAT'S FIRST THING, WE'VE GOT TO PAY THOSE FUNDS OFF.
THEN WE PUT SALARIES IN THE GRANT.
WE HAVE THE BUDGET WE GET, SO AS MUCH WE CAN FILL, WE DO.
BUT THEN IF THAT FEDERAL NUMBER, THAT MONEY GOES DOWN, THEN THAT MEANS MORE THAT WE HAVE TO PULL FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
YES, THERE WOULD BE AN IMPACT.
I THINK MY FIRST YEAR HERE, THE YEAR BEFORE WHEN JULIA WROTE THE GRANT, THERE WAS MONEY TO HAVE SOME MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.
BUT THEN, LIKE THE FOLLOWING YEAR, I THINK OUR NUMBER WENT DOWN, SO IT WAS REALLY SAD CAR AND SALARIES.
WE WILL BE IMPACTED IF THAT NUMBER CHANGES.
>> YEAH. WHEN WE GET TO THE STAFFING SECTION NEXT WITH DOCTOR FITZGERALD, I THINK YOU'LL SEE SOME OF WHERE THOSE GRANT FUNDS ARE BEING APPLIED.
>> BUT I DO THINK AND I KNOW DOCTOR CHAMP HAS BEEN AT SOME PRESENTATIONS, I'M HOPING FEDERAL 611 AND 619 MONEY ARE.
>> YEAH. I'M NOT SURE THE CURRENT STATUS, BUT I KNOW THAT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WHEN THEY WERE DEBATING THE TWO BUDGETS, THERE WAS SLIGHT INCREASES IN PROPOSED FOR THE SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS AND THEN REDUCTIONS IN TITLE 1 AND ELIMINATION OF TITLE 2 AND 3 THAT WAS BEING PROPOSED.
I THINK WITH THE GOVERNMENT STAYING OPEN, I THINK THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING.
BUT ALL FOUR OF THOSE SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS AS WELL AS THE TITLE GRANTS DO HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR US.
I BELIEVE THOSE WOULD TOTAL UP TO ABOUT $750,000 PLUS WE GET ABOUT SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 250 AND CAFETERIA FUNDS FROM FEDERAL GRANTS AS WELL.
IF WE WERE TO COMPLETELY LOSE DIRECT FEDERAL FUNDING THAT COULD BE AS MUCH A LITTLE BIT UNDER MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH AS TRACY SAID WOULD THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO PICK THAT UP IN THE GENERAL FUND.
>> THANK YOU, TRACY. THANK YOU GREG AND LAUREN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, TOO. WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GO HOME. I KNOW IT'S A LATE NIGHT.
>> THAT WAS A VERY NICE COMPLIMENT BUT JUST SINCE I'VE BEEN IN PELHAM, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN BEYOND SUPPORTIVE TO THE DEPARTMENT AND TO SPECIAL EDUCATION FAMILIES.
THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR UNDERSTANDING A VERY COMPLEX WORLD AND SUPPORTING THAT.
>> FOR HER DEBUT PERFORMANCE FOR BUDGETING.
DOCTOR FITZGERALD, IF WE COULD GO TO PAGE A36.
>> I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD DO A HIGH KICK.
[LAUGHTER] FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU.
I KNOW IT'S A LOT TO GO LINE BY LINE, BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM AND WHAT'S INSIDE OF THE BUDGET.
ONE THING I'D LIKE TO START WITH A ORIENTING YOU TO THE STAFFING SECTION OF THE BUDGET BOOK.
SOME OF THOSE PAGES ARE ACTUALLY JUST BACKUP.
TO EXPLAIN EVEN FURTHER DETAIL THAT'S ON THERE.
I AM GOING TO GO DOCUMENT BY DOCUMENT, BUT I'M GOING TO SPEND A LOT MORE TIME ON THE VERY FIRST ONE, WHICH IS PAGE A36.
THAT'S BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY THE SUMMARY OF THE STAFFING CHANGES.
A37 IS GOING TO BACK UP THAT CONVERSATION AND SHOW YOU HOW THE FTES ARE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE DISTRICT BY LOCATION.
A38 IS GOING TO BREAK IT UP BY DEPARTMENT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL THERE.
A39 IS GOING TO SHOW YOU MORE DETAIL AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVELS.
A40 IS GOING TO SHOW YOU FULL TIME ACROSS DISTRICT WIDE,
[01:50:01]
AND THEN A41 AND 42 ARE ACTUALLY THE BUDGET CODE NUMBERS.AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THAT SAME INFORMATION REFLECTED IN ALL OF THESE PAGES.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, THOUGH, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RICH PROGRAMMING ACROSS ALL OF OUR LEVELS.
AT THE SAME TIME, AS YOU JUST HEARD TRACY SAY, WE'RE SEEING INCREASES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.
WE DO NEED TO EXPAND OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFFING, ESPECIALLY AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
WE ALSO NEED TO MAINTAIN ICT AND HUTCHINSON AT GRADES K THROUGH TWO, AND WE NEED TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL K812 SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO MAINTAIN CLASS SIZES AT OR BELOW BOARD OF EDUCATION GUIDELINES.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE BUILT THIS BUDGET BASED ON THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT THAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW.
WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS WILL MOVE IN OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS, WE KNOW THEY WILL MOVE OUT, BUT WE ARE MAKING OUR BEST GUEST JUDGMENT RIGHT NOW BASED ON THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT THAT WE HAVE.
THEREFORE, WE ALWAYS HAVE, IT'S A LONG STANDING PROCESS HERE IN PELHAM, THAT WE'VE BUILT IN TWO CONTINGENCY POSITIONS THAT WE CAN USE, SHOULD WE NEED IT, SHOULD PROJECTIONS GO UP, SHOULD WE FIND A NEED SOMEWHERE.
YOU WILL NOT SEE THOSE TWO CONTINGENCY POSITIONS FOUND HERE IN THESE STAFFING PAGES, THAT IT'S FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE BUDGET BOOK.
ALSO, THE BUDGET DOES INCORPORATE OVERALL NET REDUCTION OF 4.61 FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS FROM THIS CURRENT YEAR TIL NEXT YEAR.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE REDUCTIONS CAME FROM SCHEDULING EFFICIENCIES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND.
THEY CAME FROM AN ADJUSTED APPROACH TO SOME OF THE COURSES THAT WE OFFERED.
IT CAME FROM A REALLOCATION OF STAFFING.
I REALLY ATTRIBUTE A LOT OF THIS WORK TO THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THIS DISTRICT WHO DUG DEEP TO LOOK THROUGH SCHEDULING AND STAFFING AND TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS FOR OUR BUDGET.
WE KNOW WE HAVE 13 TEACHERS RETIRING.
WE HAVE ONE TEACHING ASSISTANT WHO IS RETIRING.
BUT OVERALL, WE'RE ONLY HAVING A NET REDUCTION OF 4.61 FTS.
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN ON PAGE 836, WHICH IS THE SUMMARY OF OUR STAFFING CHANGES FROM OUR CURRENT TO ACTUAL AND WHAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR FOR NEXT YEAR.
IN GREEN IS OUR BUDGET IN BLUE IS WHAT IS FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS.
IF YOU START RIGHT AT THE TOP UNDER THE INSTRUCTIONAL SECTION, YOU'LL NOTICE THERE THE TWO POINT DECREASE IN THE ELEMENTARY FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS.
BOTH OF THESE ARE DUE TO RETIREMENTS, DUE TO ATTRITION, AND WE PROJECTED ENROLLMENTS ARE SHOWING THAT RIGHT NOW WE CAN WITHSTAND THAT AND IN THE BUDGET FOR A DECREASE.
THERE IS NO CHANGE FROM THIS YEAR TO NEXT YEAR WITH REGARD TO VARIOUS CURRICULUM AREAS AT THE SECONDARY.
HOWEVER, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT DUE TO ATTRITION AND SCHEDULING EFFICIENCIES, WE WILL BE DECREASING IN A 1.0 IN BOTH WORLD LANGUAGE AND ELA NEXT YEAR AT THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, TWO OF OUR SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS WILL BE RETIRING.
HOWEVER, DUE TO PROGRAMMING NEEDS, WE WILL ONLY BE REDUCING BY A 0.6 FULL TIME EQUIVALENT.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT WITH A 1.4, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MANAGE OUR COURSE LOADS.
ALSO, AS TRACY MENTIONED, WE'RE SEEING THE INCREASE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
THEREFORE, THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL SEE THE 1.4 INCREASE OVERALL FROM THIS YEAR TO NEXT YEAR.
THESE POSITIONS WE'RE CURRENTLY HIRING FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHING ASSISTANT RETIRING THIS YEAR AFTER REVIEWING THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS AT THIS TIME.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL NOT NEED TO REPLACE THIS POSITION, SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL SEE THE 1.0 DECREASE THERE.
>> IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN FOR A SECOND HERE.
FOR THE BOARD IN YOUR FOLDER AND YOUR BLUE FOLDERS THAT WERE AT THE DESKS OUT HERE, IT'S MOST UPDATED AS OF FRIDAY ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
IT SPEAKS PREDOMINANTLY TO THE ELEMENTARY.
I WANTED TO JUST TO RAISE IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
I KNOW THE BOARD KNOWS THAT I START SENDING THESE HOME ON A REGULAR BASIS FROM THIS POINT OUT, BECAUSE JUST LIKE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION, IN GENERAL EDUCATION, IT ALSO IS VERY DEPENDENT ON WHO MOVES IN, WHO MOVES OUT, THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
FROM THIS POINT ON, WE REALLY MONITOR QUITE FREQUENTLY TO DETERMINE HOW MANY SECTIONS, AND AS DOCTOR FITZGERALD SAID AT THIS POINT, WE BELIEVE WE CAN STAFF WITHIN OUR CURRENT ELEMENTARY STAFFING.
YOU CAN SEE ACROSS THE DISTRICT WHERE THERE'S SOME BUBBLES, WHERE YOU'VE GOT SOME LARGER CLASS SIZES.
YOU'VE GOT SOME CLASSES ON THE CUSP, AND I DID PROMISE THE SECOND GRADE SIGN PARENTS FOR NEXT YEAR THAT
[01:55:03]
I WOULD PASS ON CERTAINLY THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.THEY ARE ONE OF THE GRADE LEVELS THAT'S ON THE CUSP, IT COULD BE TWO OR COULD BE THREE, AND BOTH WOULD BE WITHIN BOARD GUIDELINES.
YOU ALSO SEE NEXT YEAR'S GRADE 3 AND GRADE 4 COULD GO EITHER WAY AND BE WITHIN BOARD GUIDELINES.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T MADE FINAL DECISIONS ON IT YET AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
IN ADDITION TO RAW NUMBERS, WE DO ALSO LOOK AT NEEDS WITHIN THE CLASS.
OUR FOCUS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS BEEN TO TRY TO KEEP THE YOUNGER GRADES SMALLER, WHICH YOU CAN SEE FROM THE NUMBERS HERE HAS BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
BUT THINGS CAN FLUCTUATE A LOT.
FOR THE BOARD'S PURPOSES IN THE SHEET WE'RE LOOKING AT, THE NUMBERS NOTED IN RED ARE STAFF CHILDREN, JUST SO YOU CAN SEE THE PLACEMENT OF THOSE.
IN GREEN ARE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WHOSE CHILDREN ARE ATTENDING A SCHOOL DIFFERENT THAN THE SCHOOL THEY'RE ZONED FOR.
THAT CAN HAPPEN FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
VERY OFTEN FAMILIES MOVE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY STARTED IN ONE SCHOOL, THEY BUY A HOUSE IN A DIFFERENT ZONE, BUT THEIR CHILDREN ARE EMBEDDED IN THE SCHOOL.
THEY'VE GOT A GOOD PEER GROUP, THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT.
THIS IS WHAT WE LOOK AT, THIS WILL FLUCTUATE.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS THROUGHOUT THE SPRING.
WE ALSO LOOK AT THIS WHEN WE'RE MAKING STAFF CHILDREN PLACEMENTS, ETC.
BECAUSE OUR GOAL ACCORDING TO OUR TUITION POLICY IS THAT WE ACCEPT TUITION STUDENTS, AND AT THIS POINT, WE'RE BASICALLY NOT ACCEPTING PRIVATE PAY STUDENTS, BUT THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, WE DO ACCEPT STAFF CHILDREN THROUGH THE TUITION THAT'S AGREED UPON IN THOSE CONTRACTS.
BUT WE MONITOR THE CLASS SIZES SO THAT STAFF CHILDREN DO NOT CAUSE AN ADDITIONAL SECTION TO BE CREATED TO STAY WITHIN THE BOARD POLICY.
>> DOCTOR CHAMP FOR [INAUDIBLE] THE RISING SECOND GRADE, THIRD GRADE AND FOURTH GRADE?
>> YEAH. THOSE ARE THE THREE THAT WE'RE WATCHING.
>> GIVEN THE SIZE OF 7O TODAY? CAN ALL OF THEM GO UP? IS THERE A ROOM ENOUGH THREE EXTRA ROOMS?
IT WOULD BE THE SAME TIGHT SPACE NEXT YEAR.
ACTUALLY, I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE TRANSITION, I THINK TO GETTING READY TO TAKE ACTION ON THE BOND.
I HAD SOME FLOOR PLAN IDEAS THAT WE COULD LOOK AT.
BUT WE'D BE IN THE SAME SITUATION WITH EVERY SQUARE NOOK AND CRANNY OF THE BUILDING BEING USED.
ACTUALLY, MR. JOHNSON AND I DID MEET AND TALK ABOUT WHAT COULD NEXT YEAR LOOK LIKE IF WE DID GO DOWN A SECTION, AND WHAT FLEXIBILITIES WOULD THERE BE.
WE CERTAINLY WANT TO KEEP, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME LARGE SIZE CLASSES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN OUR LARGEST SPACES.
THERE'D BE SOME SHIFTS WITHIN THE BUILDING IF WE DID DO THAT.
BUT AGAIN, TRYING TO RIGHT SIZE THE CLASSES AS BEST WE CAN WITHIN THE BUILDING.
>> THANK YOU. OH, ACTUALLY, NO ONE MORE THING. I'M SORRY.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN WORKING IN CLAIRE AND DR. FITZGERALD, WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING WITH THE SECONDARY TEAM.
WE MADE OUR INITIAL PROJECTIONS, AND AGAIN, THOSE COURSE SUBJECT AREAS THAT DR. FITZGERALD MENTIONED, AND I'VE SHARED THIS WITH THE BOARD BASED ON OUR CURRENT EXISTING CLASSES THAT ARE RUNNING BASED ON OUR CURRENT ENROLLMENT.
BECAUSE WE HAD TO MAKE BUDGET DECISIONS BEFORE WE HAD STUDENT REQUESTS IN FOR NEXT YEAR.
WHAT HAPPENS FROM THIS POINT OUT IS AS STUDENTS REFINE THEIR COURSE REQUESTS, VERIFICATIONS WERE COMPLETED, THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS START BALANCING OUT THOSE COURSE LOADS, WE THEN START TO SHIFT TO LOOKING AT WHAT ARE NEXT YEAR'S COURSES LOOK LIKE.
IT'S NOT UNCOMMON THAT SOME OF THOSE FTES, WHERE THOSE REDUCTIONS MIGHT BE COULD SHIFT.
I JUST SAY THAT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS, IT SAYS ONE THING, BUT THEN WE LOOK AT WHAT ARE STUDENTS ACTUALLY REQUESTING.
WHERE CAN WE THEN FIND THOSE EXACT EFFICIENCIES THAT DR. FITZGERALD SPOKE ABOUT.
ONE OF THE THINGS GOING FORWARD THAT WE'VE SAID TO THE GROUP, CERTAINLY WE WANT TO WORK WITHIN.
WE DO HAVE REDUCTIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE.
WE CERTAINLY ARE NOT LOOKING TO REDUCE ANY CONTINUING STAFF.
BUT IN SOME YEARS ARE ABLE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE GENEROUS AND RUN CLASSES AT LOWER SIZES.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT GOING FORWARD GIVEN HOW TIGHT THINGS ARE, WE'RE HAVING TO SCRUTINIZE THOSE MORE CAREFULLY AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RUN CLASSES THAT ARE UNDER BOARD GUIDELINES.
AS A REMINDER 15 IS THE MINIMUM.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT TO SEE WHERE THE REQUESTS BELOW 15, THAT'S THE FIRST LEVEL OF CUT.
THEN YOUR NEXT LEVEL OF CUT IS ONCE YOU START ACTUALLY CREATING THE SCHEDULE AND RUNNING THE SCHEDULE AS THEY SAY.
WHAT HAPPENS THEN OFTEN IS STUDENTS WIND UP WITH CONFLICTS, ONE CLASS BUMPS ANOTHER CLASS OUT, SO THE NUMBERS MAY DROP AGAIN.
AGAIN, IF CLASSES ARE BELOW 15, THAT'S OUR THRESHOLD BASED ON THE GUIDELINES.
THERE MAY BE SOME COURSES THAT MAYBE WE WERE ABLE TO RUN SMALLER IN THE PAST,
[02:00:01]
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RUN NEXT YEAR.A LOT OF THAT, I'LL USE JOE'S PHRASE, TEENAGERS VOTE WITH THEIR FEET.
THEY DON'T SIGN UP FOR THE COURSE, AS MUCH AS WE MAY LOVE THE COURSE, IF IT'S NOT VIABLE, THEN IT MAY NOT RUN.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU RUN INTO AND I'M GOING TO USE AS ANALOGY AGAIN, WE'RE NOT AAA SCHOOL, WE'RE NOT A DOUBLE AA SCHOOL.
THERE DOES COME A POINT WHERE YOU GET A SATURATION, AND OVERSATURATION, MEANING THERE COULD BE TOO MANY COURSES OFFERED AND NOT ENOUGH STUDENTS TO FILL THEM.
THAT'S WHERE YOU LOOK TO WHERE DOES A STUDENT INTEREST GOING AND IT COULD FLUCTUATE YEAR TO YEAR.
BUT THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT REALLY HAPPEN AT THIS POINT AND WE DO HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WE'LL CALL THEM BOUTIQUE ELECTIVES.
IT'S WONDERFUL, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT.
BUT ALSO, I THINK WHEN YOU REACH THAT SATURATION POINT, YOU JUST CAN'T RUN EVERYTHING THAT YOU MAY WANT TO.
JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE ON THE FRONT END AND WE'LL CERTAINLY KEEP THE BOARD ABREAST OF WHAT COURSES MAY OR MAY NOT BE RUNNING IN THE COMING YEAR.
>> I KNOW WE HAVE A POLICY OF NOT TAKING STUDENTS FROM OTHER DISTRICTS AND CHARGING THEM TUITION.
OR MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY, THAT'S NOT OUR PRACTICE, WE CAN IF WE WANT TO DO, BUT WE DON'T.
>> WE HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST, EVEN DONE IT IN A GYM AND OUR TIME HERE.
WE'VE DONE THAT AT TIMES WHERE WE HAD EXTRA CAPACITY.
>> WELL, I WAS GOING TO SAY LET'S TAKE PHYSICAL SPACE OUT OF THE EQUATION.
LET'S JUST IMAGINE A PARALLEL UNIVERSE WHERE THERE WAS ENOUGH SPACE TO GO AROUND IN SOME OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
WOULD THERE EVER BE THE STRATEGY OF, AND I'M JUST GOING TO USE A RANDOM EXAMPLE, COLONIAL SCHOOL THIRD GRADE WHERE YOU HAVE TWO SECTIONS OF 23 KIDS, FULL DISCLOSURE.
MY DAUGHTER WILL BE IN COLONIAL THIRD GRADE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M MAKING THE POINT.
I'M JUST USING THIS AS AN EXAMPLE.
[LAUGHTER] WOULD THERE EVER BE THE STRATEGY OF, ON THAT COURSE, WHERE YOU COULD SPLIT IT OUT TO THREE SECTIONS? WOULD THERE EVER BE THE STRATEGY OF INTENTIONALLY BRINGING IN 1, 2, 3 HANDFUL OF STUDENTS FROM OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT CHARGING THEM TUITION TO OFFSET THE TEACHING COSTS, TO BE ABLE TO THEN GET TO THAT ARTIFICIALLY CROSS THE TIPPING POINT OF HAVING MORE SECTIONS, BUT WITH A REVENUE STREAM TO OFFSET THE ADDITIONAL COST? IF THAT MAKE SENSE.
>> MATHEMATICALLY, YES, I THINK THAT COULD BE A STRATEGY.
I THINK SPACE HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR LIMITATION.
MATHEMATICALLY, THAT COULD WORK.
TUITION IS EITHER SIDE OF $20,000 RIGHT NOW FOR PRIVATE PAY.
I THINK ELEMENTARY IS A LITTLE LOWER, SECONDARY IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
A NEW TEACHER IS BUDGETED SOMEWHERE AROUND LOOKING AT JACK AND JIM TO REMIND ME 145.
>> A LITTLE BIT MORE AROUND THERE.
>> WITH BENEFITS, 140, SO YOU WOULD NEED 7-8 TUITION STUDENTS TO PAY FOR ONE TEACHER? I THINK THAT'S WHERE SPACE IS AN ISSUE FOR US, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT THEN NOT KNOWING WHO ELSE MAY COME IN AS RESIDENTS, YOU'RE ALSO THEN CREATING A SITUATION WHERE YOU MAY MAKE THE MOVE ONE YEAR AND THEN SOMETHING MAY COME IN.
THERE HAVE BEEN YEARS WHERE WE HAVE STRATEGICALLY DECIDED TO TAKE ON A FEW MORE TUITION STUDENTS WHEN SPACE WAS NOT AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE.
>> DO WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR IT?
>> I GET FREQUENT REQUESTS, YEAH.
>> HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT THE TUITION IS?
>> THAT'S SET BY THE STATE, I BELIEVE.
>> RATE CALLED THE SENECA FALLS RATE.
BASED ON A CASE THAT STATE A DEPARTMENT.
>> IS THAT THE SAME RATE FOR ALL SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OR IS THAT THE DISTRICT BY DISTRICT DIFFERENT CALCULATION.
>> DO TUITION STUDENTS HAVE TO COMMIT TO COMING HERE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YEARS OR CAN THEY JUST COME FOR ONE AND THEN DECIDE NOT TO COME BACK?
>> WHEN WE WERE ACCEPTING THEM, THEY COULD COME JUST FOR THE ONE YEAR? WE PREDOMINANTLY ONLY ACCEPTED STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
THEY'D OFTEN WOULD COME TO PELHAM AS OPPOSED TO GOING TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE CULTURE, THE OFFERINGS.
>> DR. FITZGERALD, I HAVE A QUESTION ON A36, THE WORLD LANGUAGE ATTRITION.
DOES THAT JUST MEAN A SECTION IS GOING DOWN?
>> IT JUST MEANT BECAUSE OF PROGRAMMING, WE DIDN'T NEED A FULL TIME TEACHER.
WE COULD MAKE DO WITH THE CURRENT STAFFING THAT WE HAD IN THE WORLD LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT.
>> WE'RE NOT ELIMINATING A LANGUAGE.
>> SOME OF THIS IS LIKE SHIFTING OF CURRENT STAFFING TO FILL DIFFERENT SPACES.
[02:05:03]
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS ENOUGH STUDENTS COMING INTO SIXTH GRADE TO RUN THE SIXTH GRADE LEVEL OF MANDARIN.
AGAIN, GIVEN THAT CLASS SIZE THRESHOLD, WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKELY REDUCING THERE NEXT YEAR.
>> DR. CHAMP YOU SAID THERE WAS? I COULDN'T HEAR.
THERE WASN'T SIX GRATER FOR MANDARIN?
>> I'VE SEEN THAT THRESHOLD, THE BOARD GUIDELINE THRESHOLD.
>> WHAT ELSE I WANT TO POINT OUT ON A36 TOO IS IN THE NON-INSTRUCTIONAL SECTION.
YOU WILL NOTICE THAT WE'RE SHOWING -1.0 FULL TIME SECURITY MONITOR.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BACK-FILLED THAT POSITION, BUT THROUGH AN HOURLY WORKER.
YOU'RE ACTUALLY NOT SEEING THAT REFLECTED HERE.
THE POSITION EXISTS, BUT IT'S NOT WITH BENEFITS, SO IT'S NOT SHOWN IN THIS SECTION.
ALSO, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S A 0.04 OFFICE ASSISTANT THAT WAS SHIFTED DUE TO SOME AVAILABLE GRANT MONIES.
THEN SO AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLUE, IT REALLY JUST SHOWS YOU HOW THE GRANT FUNDS JUST SHIFT MONIES AROUND.
THIS REALLY ILLUSTRATES WHAT IS COVERED THROUGH OUR BUDGET AND WHAT WE'RE EXPECTED TO BE FUNDED THROUGH OUR GRANTS.
I KNOW YOU SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IDA GRANTS, AND THERE'S ALSO THE CAFETERIA FUND.
IT JUST GIVES YOU THAT VIEW OF HERE WE ARE DISTRICT WIDE AND HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT.
>> DR. FITZGERALD, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAYBE A CHANCE TO POINT OUT ONE OF THE GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS THAT IS IN THERE TO SUPPORT PPS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE I THINK A LITTLE BIT OF A SHIFT FOR THE COMING YEAR. NO.
>> IF YOU'LL SEE THERE THAT THERE IS CURRENTLY AN INCREASE IN THE PSYCHOLOGIST FROM A 0.4 FTE TO A 1.0 FT AND THAT'LL BE COVERED THROUGH THE GRANTS.
THAT'S WHAT TRACY WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW WE TRY TO PUT SALARIES IN THERE AND TO GET AS MUCH COVERED AS POSSIBLE.
DOES THAT HELP? PAGE A38, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST BACKUP DOCUMENTATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE SUMMARY ON A36, AND IT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW IT'S BROKEN UP ACROSS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL BY DEPARTMENT.
A39 SHOWS YOU THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, HOW IT'S BROKEN DOWN.
YOU'LL SEE THE DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS AND THE SECTIONS THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING BASED ON ENROLLMENT NUMBERS, AS WELL AS THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS WELL, AND HOW THOSE ARE COVERED AND WHAT IS FUNDED THROUGH THE BUDGET, VERSUS THE GRANT.
AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL SEE THAT 1.0 FOR THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS FUNDED THROUGH THE GRANTS DOWN THERE.
ON PAGE A40, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING IS HOLDING STEADY.
YOU WILL SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN THAT THERE'S A CHAIR PERSON AT SPECIAL EDUCATION CSC, CPSE CHAIRPERSON.
YOU'VE HEARD TRACY REALLY TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR.
THERE REALLY IS A NEED TO MOVE THAT POSITION FROM A 0.4-1.0 FULL TIME EQUIVALENT.
THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE THIS INCREASE HERE IN THE BUDGET.
ALSO, THERE'S ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE.
THERE'S A CHANGE THERE, THAT'S REALLY THROUGH A RECURRING GRANT.
THEN THE OTHER THING I THINK I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, BUT IT'S BECAUSE IT'S IN MY DEPARTMENT IS THAT THERE'S THIS INCREASE IN A 0.5 POSITION.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO HIRE FOR THIS POSITION ALL YEAR LONG AND WE'RE STILL WORKING TO HIRE.
THE MONEY IS THERE AND WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE THAT PERSON IN PLACE.
I'M HOPING BY THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
MOVING ON TO PAGE A41, THIS IS WHERE YOUR BUDGET CODES ARE ACTUALLY LISTED, AND SO IT ILLUSTRATES THAT THERE'S REALLY NO INCREASE IN STAFFING BY BUDGET CODE FOR ADMINISTRATORS.
THERE'S ONLY THAT 0.5 THAT I JUST SPOKE ABOUT FOR THE HR CLERICAL SUPPORT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY BUDGETED FOR, BUT NOT FILLED.
THEN FINALLY, ON PAGE A42, BUDGET CODE 2110120 SHOWS WHERE THE ATTRITION IS FOR THE TWO ELEMENTARY TEACHING POSITIONS DUE TO RETIREMENTS AND THEN 2110130 SHOWS THAT ATTRITION FOR WORLD LANGUAGE ELA, AND THEN THAT 0.6 IN SOCIAL STUDIES, AS WELL AS SCHEDULING EFFICIENCIES DUE TO DECREASING OVERAGES.
[02:10:02]
THEN LASTLY, 2250152 IS WHERE YOU'LL SEE THAT 1.4 INCREASE IN THE SPECIAL ED FULL TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS.I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE SHOULD HAVE.
>> ONE THING AND I'D FORGOTTEN TO ASK JIM ABOUT THIS AHEAD OF TIME, SO APOLOGIES.
I'M NOT GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT FOR IT TONIGHT.
BUT I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE PAST WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO THE BOARD WAS A GRAPH THAT LONGITUDE AND A LOOK AT FTE GROWTH.
>> SURE. I CAN HAVE THAT NOW, BUT WE CAN PROVIDE.
>> FOR NEXT TIME. THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
>> EVEN TO UNDERSTAND THE GROWTH IN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OVER TIME, AS WELL.
WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON THAT.
>> YEAH, WE'LL PULL OUR DETAIL, AND WE'LL LOOK AT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
>> AGAIN, I THINK AS YOU LOOK AT TAB 9, AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE DISTRICT BUDGET, IT'S A PEOPLE BUSINESS, AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE RESOURCES ARE SPENT.
I THINK WHAT YOU FIND HERE IS A GREAT AMOUNT OF DETAIL PROVIDED TO THE BOARD AND TO THE PUBLIC, DEMONSTRATING HOPEFULLY THAT WHERE THOSE DOLLARS AND WHERE THOSE PERSONNEL ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED AND DEPLOYED.
>> SOMETHING I WANTED TO THAT THIS IS MAKING ME THINK OF IS YEAH, SOMETIMES WE HEAR COMMENTS ABOUT WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, WE DIDN'T NEED X NUMBER OF WHATEVER IT IS AND THEN JUST EVEN LISTENING TO MR. TOMBS AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT EVERYTHING FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHAT THE STATE HANDS DOWN TO SCHOOLS TO CHANGING NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND HOW STUDENTS LEARN, WHAT'S EXPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF VARIETY OF OFFERINGS SHOWS UP IN THE BUDGET.
KNOWING THAT COMPARED TO WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, THE OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE OR THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE STATE OR THE GUIDELINES OF THE STATE WERE DIFFERENT AT THE TIME.
THERE ARE SO MANY MORE EXPECTATIONS ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS WHY THERE ARE SO MANY LINES IN THIS BUDGET.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF MY POINT IS GETTING ACROSS, BUT I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE WHY IS IT SO BIG?
>> IT'S ONLY GROSS OF LOAD, THE DEMANDS, THE EXPECTATIONS, THE REQUIREMENTS.
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO OFFER THE ROBUST PROGRAMS, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND ARE ABOUT.
>> I THINK, IT'S GREAT THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE CREATIVE AND TO REALLY DIG INTO HOW TO NOT LET THE LARGE NUMBER OF RETIREMENTS SEVERELY IMPACT THE OFFERINGS, WHAT WE WANT TO OFFER, AGAIN, YEAR AFTER YEAR.
>> TWO QUESTIONS. FIRST QUESTION IS, WHERE DID YOU SAY THAT WE COULD FIND THE LINE ITEM FOR THE CONTINGENCY STAB?
>> I MISHEARD YOU. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE LAST PAGE IN YOUR.
>> HERE WE GO. IT EVEN SAYS IT.
>> AS THE BOARD SEES IT, WE CARRY A 2% CONTINGENCY OF THE BUDGET.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THOSE TWO POSITIONS, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT 2%.
WE DON'T RECORD IT AS A 2.0 FTE, BUT WE HAVE THE DOLLAR EQUIVALENT, OF COURSE, AS PART OF THAT 2%.
>> THAT'S INFORMATION THAT'S JUST ONLY PROVIDED TO THE BOARD.
>> SECOND QUESTION IS ON A40 AND THEN LOOKING AT A41.
IS THIS WHERE ALL OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE, NON-TEACHING STAFF IS TALLIED UP BETWEEN THESE PAGES?
>> WELL, SO A41 SHOWS YOU THE BUDGET CODE NUMBER FOR IT, WHEREAS A40 SHOWS YOU THE ACTUAL TITLES OF
[02:15:02]
THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE IN THOSE ROLES AND HOW MANY OF THEM ARE THERE.DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> IF I COULD JUMP IN TOO, I THINK IT CONTINUES TO A42, SO AS YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU'VE GOT THE TOP LINES WITH THE GREEN SHADOW.
YOU SEE ADMINISTRATION, CLERICAL, CUSTODIAL, INSTRUCTIONAL, AND THEN TEACHING ASSISTANCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND BUILDING MONITORS.
IT'S JUST HELPFUL LOOKING AT IT THAT WAY, BUT THAT'S THE TOTAL BUILDUP.
>> TO THE FUN FACT, IF MY RECOLLECTION IS CORRECT, JIM, I THINK BY LAW, NO MORE THAN 10% OF HUMAN COST, SALARIES, HUMAN EXPENSE CAN BE ON NON-INSTRUCTIONAL HEADCOUNT.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL PI IS, A 40 IS NO MORE THAN 10%, AND IT'S SOMEWHERE LESS THAN THAT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. WE CHAIR A PIE CHART ON THAT, JUST SHOWING THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF THE DISTRICT ARE LESS THAN 10% OF THE TOTAL COSTS.
>> THEY CAN'T EXCEED 10% OF THAT. THANK YOU.
>> ANYTHING MORE ON STAFFING? THANK YOU.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, DR. FITZGERALD.
>> I HAD A GOOD TEACHER [LAUGHTER]
THEN, NEXT TIME, WE'LL CLOSE THINGS OUT ON THE LINE BY LINE AS NEXT TIME WE'LL BE COMPLETING OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICES, BOARD OF ED, DISTRICT CLERK, HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL.
I THINK THAT'S ONE BUDGET LINE.
THEN THE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR.
>> THIS IS JUST THE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT TIME.
I THINK IT WAS THE [OVERLAPPING]
>> NEXT WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2ND, YES.
>> MAYBE THERE'LL BE A STATE BUDGET.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] THERE'LL BE WRAPS FOR DINNER AGAIN, IF YOU CAN TOLERATE ANOTHER WRAP.
[LAUGHTER] BUT YEAH, MAYBE THERE WILL BE A STATE BUDGET BY NEXT TIME. THAT'S TRUE.
THAT'S A GOOD POINT. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
[5.1 Motion to Enter into an Agreement with The County of Westchester]
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER?>> THIS IS THE AGREEMENT THAT THE DISTRICT HAS ANNUALLY FOR THE ELECTION TO USE WESTCHESTER COUNTY VOTING MACHINES.
>> NONE OPPOSE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
[5.2 Resolution to Authorize the Submission of Four Bond Propositions at the Annual District Meeting and Election]
BEFORE WE GO INTO THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION, TO PUT THE BOND PROPOSITIONS ON THE BALLOT, I THINK WE WANT TO GO THROUGH WHAT, I SEE THE SLIDE UP HERE, THE TAX IMPACT PER PROPOSITION, I SEE SOME DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.>> YEP. THEN ALSO AFTER THAT, I DID WANT TO SHARE JUST A QUICK UPDATE TO THE BOARD ON SOME FLOOR PLAN THOUGHTS, WHICH I THINK RELATE TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT.
>> YOU COULD STAND. IT'S A GOOD TIME TO STAND.
I FEEL LIKE GOING UP THERE. [LAUGHTER]
>> I HAVE GLASSES FOR READING. [LAUGHTER] THAT WAS [INAUDIBLE]
BEFORE YOU IS THE RESOLUTION FOR THE BOND PROPOSITION.
AS YOU SEE, IT'S ONE RESOLUTION WITH FOUR SEPARATE BOND RESOLUTIONS.
THE FIRST BOND RESOLUTION IS FOR DISTRICT-WIDE INFRASTRUCTURE, EXCEPT FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED TO SIWANOY SCHOOL.
THE SECOND PROPOSITION IS FOR THE SIWANOY SCHOOL ADDITION AND RENOVATION, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE THIRD PROPOSITION IS FOR THE ADDITION AND THE RENOVATION AT PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL.
THEN THE FOURTH PROPOSITION IS FOR GEOTHERMAL AT SIWANOY SCHOOL AND PROSPECT HILL.
FOLLOWING ALONG WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO HERE IS WE'VE GOT A LITTLE CHART HERE TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAX IMPACT ON EACH ONE OF THESE.
[02:20:04]
THE WAY THE RESOLUTION IS WRITTEN TONIGHT, LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT, IS THAT PROPOSITION ONE, WHICH IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE SPOKE OF, WHICH ALSO INCLUDED AIR CONDITIONING AT COLONIAL, AND AT PROSPECT HILL.PROSPECTS 2, 3 AND 4, AS THEY'RE WRITTEN, CAN ONLY GO FORWARD IF PROPOSITION 1 PASSES.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE TOP LINE HERE AS YOU SEE IT, SAYS SCENARIO 1, COLONIAL PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND COLONIAL AND PROSPECT AIR CONDITIONING.
FOR HOUSES ASSESSED AT 850,000, THE AVERAGE ASSESSED VALUE OF 1,189,396 AND A HOUSE ASSESSED OR PROPERTY ASSESSED AT $1,525,000.
A PROPERTY OWNER WOULDN'T SEE AN INCREMENTAL TAX IMPACT AS A RESULT OF THAT.
I THINK IF YOU RECALL FROM THE FISCAL ADVISOR, THEY SAID, YOU COULD BASICALLY GO UP TO ABOUT $65 MILLION IN PROJECTS ON A TAX-NEUTRAL BASIS WITHOUT INCURRING ADDITIONAL INCREMENTAL TAXES.
THE TOTAL OF THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT ACTUALLY FALLS BELOW THAT, SO THAT'S WHY YOU WOULD NOT SEE AN INCREMENTAL IMPACT.
AS YOU LOOK BELOW, WE PROVIDED SOME DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
SCENARIO 2 IS IF THE SIWANOY PROJECT, AS WELL AS THE FIRST PROJECT THAT WE MENTIONED, BOTH WERE APPROVED.
YOU WOULD SEE THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAX IMPACT, AGAIN, ON HOUSES ASSESSED AT 850, 1,189 AND 1,525.
AGAIN, IT FALLS AT $343, $481 AND $616.
AS YOU RUN THROUGH THIS, SCENARIO 3 WOULD BE THE EXPANSION AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE INFRASTRUCTURE. I'M SORRY I'M READING IT HERE.
PMHS EXPANSION COLONIAL, PROSPECT MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE AIR CONDITIONING.
WHAT COULD BE THE ESTIMATED IMPACT? SCENARIO 4, WHAT THE ESTIMATED IMPACT WOULD BE IF IT'S THE HIGH SCHOOL, SIWANOY, COLONIAL AC, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE? AGAIN, AT $880, 1,233 AND 1,580.
THEN PROPOSITION 4 IS REALLY JUST WHAT THE ADD-ON EXPENSE WOULD BE FOR GEOTHERMAL AT SIWANOY AND AT PROSPECT HILL.
THOSE ARE ADDITIVE TO ANY OF THOSE.
ON THE BOTTOM, YOU COULD SEE IF EVERY PROPOSITION PASSED, WHAT THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL INCREMENTAL TAX IMPACT COULD BE FOR THAT PROPERTY OWNER.
AT $850,000, IT'D BE $926 PER YEAR.
THE MEDIAN AT $1,297, $1,300, AND FOR A HOUSE ASSISTANT $1,525,662.
AGAIN, THIS IS A POINT IN TIME.
IT IS ESTIMATED BASED ON EVERYONE'S ASSESSMENT AND WHERE WE ARE.
I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT IMPACT WOULD BE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS WITH THOSE ASSESSED VALUES.
>> THIS IS THE IMPACT STARTING IN 2029, CORRECT?
>> WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IS IT WOULDN'T BE IMMEDIATE, I DON'T THINK, BECAUSE THE FIRST YEAR, NOT MUCH OF ANYTHING REALLY HAPPENS.
WORKING WITH THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR AND WITH THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, YOU REALLY HAVE TO PACE OUT YOUR CASH DRAW BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED.
AT THE BEGINNING, IT'S GOING TO BE SOME SOFT COST DRAWS MAINLY, JUST FOR PROBABLY ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, TESTING, THOSE TYPES OF ITEMS. THE EARLIEST YOU WOULD PROBABLY SEE SOME DRAW WOULD BE AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, BUT WE'VE GOT SOME DEBT DROPPING OFF NEXT YEAR, SO WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE SHORT-TERM BORROWING, AND THEN YOU'D HAVE JUST THAT INTEREST PAYMENT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
IT'S A MATTER OF TRYING TO MARRY THAT DROP OFF IN THE DEBT WITH THE DRAW ON THE CASH AS IT'S BEING USED, AND THEN ALSO LEVER THE EXTRA TOOLS THAT WE HAVE.
WE ASKED THE FISCAL ADVISOR TO USE.
WE ESTIMATE WE'RE GOING TO ABOUT $3 MILLION DROPPING INTO THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, WHICH WOULD BE REMAINING FROM THE BOND OF 2018.
THIS WOULD ASSUME USING SOME OF THAT MONIES ON THE FRONT END OF IT TO, AS WE RAMP UP, NOT SEE THAT IMPACT IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE REMEMBER, THE DEBTS ARE DROPPING OFF IN TWO DIFFERENT BUCKETS.
WE'VE GOT AN IMMEDIATE DROP OFF, WHICH IS A SMALLER AMOUNT, AND THEN THE LARGER AMOUNT DROPS OFF IN 3131.
[02:25:04]
THAT'S WHERE WE'VE GOT THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BORROW THAT LARGER AMOUNT.>> THIS IS REFLECTING THE TOTAL MAXIMUM IMPACT AS IT HITS.
BUT I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW IF THIS IS INDEED TRUE IS IF THEY VOTE YES TO ANY ONE OF THESE SCENARIOS, THEIR TAXES DON'T GO UP BY THAT AMOUNT THE NEXT YEAR OR THE NEXT. TIME
>> NO, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE THE NEXT YEAR.
AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE PACE OF CONSTRUCTION AND THE DRAW AND HOW IT COMES OUT OF THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
SAY IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY, THE CONSTRUCTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE'D BE DRAWING DOWN THAT DEBT SERVICE FUND IN THOSE EARLIER YEARS, BECAUSE WE'RE USING THAT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE RUNOFF OF THAT DEBT AS WE GET TO 3131.
>> UNDERSTOOD. THEN A PROCEDURAL QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY WAY TO APPEND THIS TO THE ACTUAL BALLOT IN THE VOTING BOOTH SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE NUMBERS TO LOOK AT, OR IS THAT NOT POSSIBLE?
>> I WILL TURN TO ALAN THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT APPENDING IT TO THE BALLOT, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE FACTUAL INFORMATION AT THE VOTING PLACE FOR FOLKS TO REFERENCE.
>> BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLY WALK IN ON VOTING DAY WITH LIKE $140 MILLION AS THE NUMBER IN THEIR BRAIN, BUT I THINK IS A BIT MORE NUANCED THAN THAT AS THIS SHOWS.
>> I THINK IT'S A FAIR POINT TOO BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE FOUR DIFFERENT PROPOSITIONS, BUT WE'RE SHOWING THESE AS SCENARIOS.
I COULD EASILY SEE CONFUSION THERE, TOO.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY EDUCATE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THAT EDUCATED DECISION AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ACTUAL TAX IMPACT IS TO THEM.
>> I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE THAT ABUNDANTLY AVAILABLE.
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE CERTAINLY WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON A BOND FOCUS, WHICH WOULD HAVE THIS INFORMATION IN IT.
WE ALSO WILL HAVE THE BUDGET FOCUS, WHICH WILL REITERATE THE BOND PROJECTS WITHIN THAT AND TAX IMPACTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID LAST TIME, AND I'M HOPEFUL WE CAN DO IT THIS TIME AS WELL.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE'VE STRUCTURED THE RESOLUTIONS, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A TAX CALCULATOR RIGHT ON THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN TYPE IN YOUR ASSESSED VALUE FOR EACH SCENARIO, AND THEN IT'LL GIVE YOU THAT PERSONALIZED AMOUNT.
WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE PIECES IN PLACE.
>> I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION TO FOLLOW UP FROM WHAT WAS SAID.
I GET THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO WAIT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A PROCESS, IT'S NOT GOING TO HIT THE TAXES RIGHT AWAY, IT COULD BE ANOTHER YEAR.
BUT LET'S JUST SAY THAT ALL THE SCENARIOS GO THROUGH.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD SEQUENCE THE WORK.
BUT THE TAXES, THOUGH, ONCE WE BEGIN THE WORK, WOULD IT ALL HIT IN THE SAME YEAR, OR WOULD THAT ALSO POTENTIALLY VARY BASED ON THE TIMING OF THE WORK? LET'S JUST SAY, THE HIGH SCHOOL EXPANSION TAKES A YEAR LATER THAN THE START OF SIWANOY, WOULD THEN THAT KICK IN TWO YEARS LATER AS OPPOSED TO ONE YEAR?
>> MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT HOW WE HANDLED IT ON THE LAST BOND PROJECT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD ILLUSTRATION OF, WE STAGED UP, BUT THEN DID A LARGE BORROW AT ONCE, EVEN THOUGH.
>> WE DID, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
>> WE DID BELIEVE TWO BANS OR ONE-YEAR BORROWS, WHICH THEN AGAIN, THAT'S YOUR ONE-YEAR BORROW.
IT GIVES YOU YOUR OPERATING MONEY OR YOUR CAPITAL MONEY TO GET THE PROJECT DONE.
THEN WE WENT OUT, I THINK IT WAS OCTOBER.
>> I THINK IT WAS THE THIRD YEAR.
>> RIGHT IN THE THIRD YEAR, WE WENT OUT, AND THAT'S WHEN WE BONDED EVERYTHING.
WHEN WE REALLY HAD A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE FINAL COSTS WERE GOING TO BE AT THAT POINT IN TIME, AND HOW WE WERE GOING TO FINISH THE JOB.
IF SAY IT ALL WENT THROUGH, IT'S $140 MILLION OF WORK.
IT'S QUITE A BIT OF WORK TO GET DONE ALSO, SO I WOULD EXPECT THE DURATION THERE TO BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER BECAUSE OF THE QUANTITY OF WORK THAT WOULD NEED TO GET DONE.
THAT'S WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER WOULD REALLY COME INTO PLAY AS FAR AS STAGING THAT WORKOUT, MAKING SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT CONTRACTORS WHO CAN COMPLETE THAT WORK.
>> AS WE STAGE THE WORK, DO THE TAXES, THEN GET IMPACTED, OR IS IT JUST THAT, LIKE TO YOUR POINT, [OVERLAPPING] IT'S JUST WHEN YOU BOND IT ALL, SO WE WOULD ANTICIPATE.
[02:30:02]
>> EXACTLY. IF THE DISTRICT WAS GOING OUT TO BORROW MONEY NEXT WEEK, OR YOU THOUGHT YOU MIGHT GO OUT TO BORROW MONEY SOMETIME IN JUNE, WHAT WE WOULD THEN RECOMMEND IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR IS TO BUDGET ENOUGH FOR A PAYMENT TO SERVICE THAT DEBT, BECAUSE THE PAYMENT WOULD COME IN JUNE OF NEXT BUDGET YEAR? AS YOU LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS, THAT'S PART OF THE STRATEGY, TOO.
DO YOU BORROW IN JULY? WHEN WE WORKED THE OTHER PROJECT, WE BORROWED IN THE END OF OCTOBER.
THAT WORKED OUT WELL FOR US BECAUSE WE RECEIVE A LOT OF OUR TAX PAYMENTS AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
WE'RE NOT IN A CASH-SHORT POSITION, AND MAKING THAT DEBT PAYMENT IS LESS WORRY.
AGAIN, YOU WORK WITH YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THAT TIMING RIGHT.
>> JIM, JUST A QUESTION ON SCENARIO ONE, WHERE YOU SAY THERE'S NO TAX IMPACT.
YOU MAY HAVE COVERED THIS, SO FORGIVE ME IF IT'S JUST NOT SINKING IN.
BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR SCENARIO 1, HOW MUCH IT IS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I SHOULD PROBABLY KNOW, BUT IT'S LATE AND I'VE FORGOTTEN.
HOW IS THERE NO TAX IMPACT IN SCENARIO 1? BECAUSE I THINK IF MY MEMORY TELLS ME CORRECTLY, THE COST OF SCENARIO 1 EXCEED THE DEBT THAT'S ROLLING OFF IN THE SHORT TERM.
>> IT DOESN'T. IT'S BELOW IT'S A LITTLE OVER 56 MILLION.
THE DEBT NEUTRAL LEVEL WAS 65.
BUT IN TERMS OF TIMING, ALL THAT DEBT THAT'S ROLLING OFF, THAT DOESN'T ROLL OFF IN THE SHORT TERM, THAT ROLLS OFF OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
WILL OUR CASH NEEDS IN THE SHORT TERM EXCEED THE DEBT THAT'S ROLLING OFF IN THE SHORT TERM, IF THAT MAKES SENSE? IT'S A TIMING THING.
I GET THERE'S NO TAX IMPACT OVER THE LONG RUN, BUT DO WE NEED TO DRAW DOWN ON CASH OR DRAW DOWN ON DEBT IN THE SHORT-TERM FRAME, BECAUSE THE DEBT THAT'S ROLLING OFF ISN'T ENOUGH TO SUPPORT OUR NEEDS?
>> THAT'S WHY WE ASKED WHEN WE WORKED WITH RICK GANSI.
THIS SCENARIO CONTEMPLATES AGAIN THAT MONEY ROLLING DOWN TO DEBT SERVICE FUND AND BEING USED TO GET US TO THAT POINT.
IT'S HOPEFULLY JUST MORE STEADY.
>> JIM, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I FEEL LIKE DAN SHOWED, MAYBE IT WAS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WHERE WE LOOKED AT A POTENTIAL SCENARIO OF HOW THAT DEBT SERVICE MIGHT BE DISTRIBUTED TO HELP FACE THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
>> FOR ALL THESE SCENARIOS, THAT WAS PART OF THIS.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE TIMING OF WHEN THAT DEBT IS GOING TO FALL IN, IF IT'S GOING TO FALL IN NEXT YEAR OR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, DEPENDING ON THE PACE OF THE PROJECT AND THE PACE OF THE CONSTRUCTION, AND REALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUILDING A BUILDING OR DOING A LARGER ADDITION, PROBABLY MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO GET THE PROJECT UP AND RUNNING.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOING TO TOUCH A LOT OF CLASSROOMS, TOO.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE HEATING SYSTEM OR SOMETHING, IT'S GOING TO TOUCH EVERY CLASSROOM, OFFICE, AND CLOSET AROUND HERE.
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE ONES I WAS ASKING.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO SEE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE NUMBERS, IS WHEN WOULD I BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TAXES? I UNDERSTAND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONCERNS, BUT THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON.
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ALL HIT AT THE SAME TIME.
THERE IS A PERIOD OF STILL PLANNING.
WE'RE ONLY AT 2% OF DESIGN, SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF TIME FOR THE PLANNING AND GETTING EVERYTHING UP AND READY BEFORE WE ACTUALLY START BORROWING.
>> I THINK A AS WALTER SHARED BEFORE, EVEN IF SOMETHING WAS APPROVED AND PASSED IN MAY, YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT ANOTHER SUMMER BEFORE YOU'RE SEEING ANY CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE WITH THE PLANNING AND WORKING THROUGH STATE ED AND PLAN REVIEW, AND EVERYTHING ELSE, I DON'T THINK YOU'D SEE CONSTRUCTION IN 20, BUT WERE GOING TO START SEEING CONSTRUCTION 27 OVER THE SUMMER PERIOD.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE ONE AND THEN THE THREE OTHER OPTIONS.
[02:35:06]
>> JIM, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT, I THINK, ABOUT TAX CAP AND INTERACTION BETWEEN THAT AND THE OPERATING BUDGET.
CHRIS, IS THERE ANY WAY TO TURN THE VOLUME UP? IT'S REALLY HARD TO HEAR OVER [OVERLAPPING] THE VENTS BACK HERE.
>> I APOLOGIZE. A LITTLE BIT OF SORE THROAT, TOO.
>> I THOUGHT I WAS SENSING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT TOO.
>> IT MIGHT JUST BE THE MONITOR ANGLE OR SOMETHING.
>> JUST THE SPEAKER. CHRIS, HOW DO I MOVE THIS FORWARD HERE? SEE.
>> WHAT JIM AND I TALKED ABOUT WHILE THERE'S TRANSITIONING IS TRYING TO HELP FOLKS UNDERSTAND THE INTERACTION WITH THE TAX CAP, WHICH IS VERY CONVOLUTED.
IT'S LIKE A SIMPLE MATH PROBLEM, EXCEPT IT'S LIKE AN EIGHT-STEP MATH PROBLEM, AND IT'S CONVOLUTED AND CONTRARY TO LOGICAL THINKING, I THINK AT TIMES.
BUT WHAT WE WANTED TO TRY TO ILLUSTRATE IS THAT QUESTION THAT CAME UP LAST TIME ABOUT IF THERE'S A DROP IN DEBT SERVICE, IF WE'VE GOT THIS DEBT COMING OFF AND WE DIDN'T RE-BORROW, COULD WE RE-PURPOSE THAT MONEY TO HELP SUPPORT PAYING FOR MORE TEACHERS AND MORE STAFF? WE REALLY WANT TO ILLUSTRATE, IS AGAIN, THAT SEPARATION WITHIN THE TAX CAP, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHANGES IN DEBT SERVICE AND CHANGES IN OPERATING BUDGETS.
>> IT'S GOING TO GIVE IT A TRY. WHAT DID YOU SAY? LOTS OF?
>> LOTS OF YOUTUBES OUT THERE, LOOKING FOR THE EASY, THE 1, 2, 3 EXPLANATION. I DIDN'T FIND ONE.
BUT AS DR. CHAMP MENTIONED, IT'S A SIMPLE EIGHT-STEP PROCESS WITH A LOT OF PARENTHESES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT WHAT WE TRIED TO DO HERE, AND I PRACTICED THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH PEOPLE I WORKED WITH AHEAD OF TIME.
I REALLY WANT TO TRY TO GIVE OF AN OVERSIMPLIFIED APPROACH ABOUT THE TAX CAP AND THE INTERACTION OF, WELL, IF THE DEBT'S FALLING OFF, JUST USE THAT EXTRA DEBT MONEY TO PAY FOR TEACHERS, AND THAT'S IT.
WE'RE WORKING IN THIS PERFECT WORLD SITUATION WHERE DEBT AND BUILDING AID ROLL OFF AT THE SAME TIME.
EVERYTHING IS PERFECTLY TIMED.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEAL WITH THINGS LIKE GROWTH FACTORS AND THINGS THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT.
I'M GOING TO SAY THINGS LIKE A TAX CAP COMPLIANT.
REALLY, WHEN A BUDGET IS TAX CAP COMPLIANT, IT MEANS THAT YOU NEED 50%+1 TO PASS A BUDGET.
YOU MAYBE HEAR SOMETHING LIKE OVERRIDE OR PIERCING THE CAP OR NOT TAX CAP COMPLIANT, THOSE ARE BUDGETS WHERE YOU WOULD REQUIRE THE SUPER-MAJORITY, THE 60% TO PASS A VOTE.
I THROW THESE THINGS OUT HERE.
IT'S INSIDE BASEBALL FOR ME, AND I FORGET SOMETIMES THAT IT'S JUST INSIDE BASEBALL FOR ME.
BUT AS YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST COLUMN, YOU'LL SEE IT SAYS YEAR 1(25-26), AND IT SAYS PRIOR YEAR TAX LEVY.
THAT'S THE BUDGET YEAR WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
THIS YEAR THE TAX LEVY WAS $71,875,000.
THE ACTUAL ONE WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, BUT THIS IS A NICE ROUND NUMBER FOR THAT.
THE TAX CAP FORMULA REQUIRES YOU TO TAKE THAT PRIOR YEAR LEVY AND THEN DEDUCT YOUR PRIOR YEAR EXCLUSIONS FOR CAPITAL.
THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THAT? FOR THIS PURPOSES, I WANT YOU TO THINK OF THAT AS YOUR LOCAL SHARE OF DEBT SERVICE.
YOU HAVE A DEBT PAYMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE AND THEN WE GET STATE AID, AND YOU HAVE THE DEBT SERVICE FUND AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THE LOCAL SHARE IS WHAT YOU PAY AFTER YOU TAKE OUT YOUR STATE AID AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AGAIN, AS WE LOOK AT THAT, YOU HAVE THE 71,875,000.
WE'RE THEN DEDUCTING OUT THE EXCLUSIONS FOR CAPITAL, YOUR LOCAL SHARE OF $2.25 MILLION, AND THAT LEAVES YOU WITH A PRIOR YEAR TAX LEVY LIMIT OF 69,625,000.
REALLY, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE TAKEN THE PRIOR YEAR LEVY AND WE'VE TAKEN OUT THE MONEY OF THAT LEVY, THAT LOCAL SHARE PORTION THAT WAS USED TO PAY FOR YOUR DEBT.
>> JIM, WAS THAT THE WHOLE DEBT SERVICE PORTION, OR IS THAT THE CHANGE IN THE DEBT?
>> THAT'S JUST THE LOCAL SHARE PORTION.
>> YES. WE HEAR ABOUT THE TAX CAP, AND IT SAYS, IT'S 2%.
WELL, YOU'VE GOT 2%, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT 2%, IT'S THE LOWER OF 2% OR THE CPI.
FOR THIS EXERCISE, WE'RE GOING TO SAY IT'S 2%.
AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP IT SIMPLIFIED.
YOU TAKE THAT $69,625,000 AND YOU FACTOR IT BY THE 2%, AND YOU MULTIPLY IT BY THE 2%, AND YOU GET A CURRENT YEAR TAX LEVY LIMIT OF $71,017,500.
THEN WHAT YOU DO IS YOU GET THAT NUMBER, AND THEN YOU ADD IN YOUR CURRENT YEAR EXCLUSIONS.
THAT'S THE LOCAL SHARE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR.
[02:40:06]
THAT'S $3,180,000.YOU ADD THE 71,017,500 AND THE 3,180,000, AND THAT PROVIDES YOU WITH AN ALLOWABLE TAX LEVY OF $74,197,500.
THAT IS A TAX CAP-COMPLIANT LEVY AMOUNT.
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A BUDGET AND TAX FOR $1 MORE THAN THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY PASS THE BUDGET.
THAT'S HOW YEAR 1 WORKS OUT, AND THIS IS THE SETUP FOR WHERE WE ARE.
YOU'LL SEE, I HAVE A SOLID LINE.
WE FINISHED THE YEAR 1, YOU PASSED THE BUDGET, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
NOW YOU GO TO YEAR 2, AND THE FIRST THING YOU DO WITH YEAR 2 IS YOU TAKE YOUR TAX REVENUE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, AND YOU START AT THE TOP.
THEN YOU HAVE TO DEDUCT YOUR LOCAL SHARE, THAT $3,180,000, AND YOU GET A PRIOR YEAR TAX LEVY LIMIT OF $71,017,500.
ONCE YOU HAVE THAT, AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO APPLY THAT 2% MULTIPLIER, AND YOU COME TO $72,437,850.
NOW, AT THIS POINT IN TIME IN YEAR 2, WE'RE GOING TO SAY THAT THERE'S NO MORE CAPITAL EXCLUSIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO ADD IN; THERE'S JUST NO MORE DEBT.
NOT TRUE, BUT FOR THE EXERCISE HERE, WE'RE JUST GOING TO SAY THAT'S JUST NOT THERE.
>> IF WE HAD A DROP IN DEBT PAYMENT.
>> IF EVERYTHING ENDED AT THE RIGHT TIME, SIMULTANEOUSLY, YOU WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO THAT 72,437,850.
YOUR ALLOWABLE TAX LEVY LIMIT WOULD BE $72,437,850.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S LESS; IT'S $1.7 MILLION LESS.
IF YOU WANTED TO TAX, THAT'S THE MAXIMUM YOU COULD TAX FOR AND HAVE A TAX-CAP COMPLIANT BUDGET.
IF YOU WANTED TO TAX FOR THE SAME AMOUNT, THAT 74,197,500 THAT YOU DID THE PRIOR YEAR, THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN EXCLUSION, OR YOU'RE PIERCING THE CAP.
IT'S REALLY IN THAT EXCLUSION NUMBER THAT YOU SEE THAT IT'S EXCLUDED, AND THAT'S EXCLUDED FROM THE TAX CAP FORMULA.
WHEN WE DO OUR DEBT SERVICE AND OUR LOCAL SHARE, THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T USE WHAT'S DROPPING OFF IN DEBT SERVICE TO PAY FOR STAFF.
YEAR 3. IT'S JUST A CONTINUATION OF THAT.
AGAIN, YOU START WITH THE 72 MILLION.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY EXCLUSIONS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR BECAUSE DEBT IS ROLLED OFF.
THAT LEVY INCREASE IS EXACTLY 2% YEAR-TO-YEAR.
THAT'S JUST ABOUT $1.5 MILLION MORE THAN THE PRIOR YEAR.
EASY STEPS. I HOPE THIS PROVIDED SOME CLARITY.
WHEN WE PAY OFF DEBT, WE NO LONGER HAVE A DEBT PAYMENT, LIKE A MORTGAGE PAYMENT.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN USE THAT EXTRA CASH NOW TO PAY FOR A SALARY BECAUSE OF NEW YORK STATE RULES.
IT'S NOT OUR LOCAL PELHAM DECISION.
>> THIS IS HOW THE TAX CAP WORKS.
THIS YEAR, AS YOU SEE, IN YEAR 1, THE PRIOR YEAR EXCLUSION WAS 2.25, THE LOCAL, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S JUST A DROP IN DEBT. EXCUSE ME.
I SHOULD HAVE FILLED OUT MY WATER. [NOISE].
>> IT MAKES SENSE. IT'S HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IT IN LANGUAGE THAT IS LIKE EVERYDAY, JUST HOW PEOPLE PAY THEIR OWN BILLS KIND OF LANGUAGE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
>> JIM, THANK YOU FOR CLEARING THAT UP.
THERE'S JUST SOME CONFUSION OUT THERE.
IF WE SEE A DROP SOMEWHERE IN THE DEBT SERVICE THAT WE COULD JUST RE-PURPOSE THE FUNDS.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT THE CASE.
I KNOW SOME OF US THAT SIT ON THE BOARD,
[02:45:03]
OR MOST OF US HAVE TAKEN JIM ON HIS TAX CAP 101 COLLEGE COURSE.BUT IT'S GOOD FOR THE EDUCATION. THANK YOU.
>> BUT I THINK IT'S NORMAL FOR PEOPLE TO THINK THAT WAY.
IT'S CONVOLUTED BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S SOLD AS A 2% TAX CAP, BUT IT REALLY ISN'T WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CAPITAL EXCLUSION, AND THEN THERE'S GROWTH FACTORS.
THERE'S OTHER THINGS IN PLAY HERE THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY VALID QUESTION AND A GOOD QUESTION.
IT'S JUST THE WAY THE FORMULA IS SET UP, SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO ILLUSTRATE IT OUT.
>> I WOULD SAY, CABINET, IF YOU ALL WANT TO GO, THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GO UP THERE, SO YOU'VE GOT A QUICK BREAK. THANK YOU.
>> RELATED TO THAT, I ALSO WANTED TO JUST SHARE A THOUGHT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE WAS ALSO THIS QUESTION ABOUT, ARE WE GOING TO BUILD THESE EXTRA ROOMS AND THEN NOT HAVE STAFF TO FILL THEM.
WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE IS JUST A LITTLE BIT, THANK YOU, CHRIS, TO TRY TO ILLUSTRATE FOR FOLKS THAT AREN'T LIVING AND BREATHING, HOW DO YOU STAFF A SCHOOL? HOW DO YOU SCHEDULE A SCHOOL TO REALLY TRY TO BRING HOME, I'M GOING TO COME UP, THANK YOU, NO, YOU CAN LEAVE RIGHT THERE, I'LL COME, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SPACE ISSUES NOW.
I REALLY WANTED TO SHOW THAT, AND SHOW HOW, WITH VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE WITH WHERE WE STAND TODAY THAT WE COULD FILL THE BUILDING WITH MOSTLY THE CURRENT STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
>> I ALSO WANT TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE ELEVATOR QUESTION TOO.
THOSE ARE, I THINK TWO REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT ARE FLOATING OUT THERE.
WHAT YOU HAVE HERE, AGAIN, I SAT WITH MR. JOHNSON, WE WENT THROUGH OUR CURRENT PROGRAM, MEANING HOW MANY FIRST GRADES DO WE HAVE SECONDS, KINDERGARTEN, THIRD, THE WHOLE THING, ART, MUSIC.
IF WE WERE TO PROGRAM IT, SCHEDULE THE BUILDING FOR OUR CURRENT EXISTING PROGRAM AND BOARD, YOU HAVE THIS ON PAPER IN YOUR FOLDERS TOO, IF IT'S EASIER TO SEE.
WITH THE EXPANSION, WHAT WOULD THAT POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE? WHAT WE DID, AND REALLY THE ONLY CAVEAT THAT'S IN HERE, A COUPLE OF THINGS, THIS IS BASED ON NEXT YEAR'S BUDGETED STAFFING PLUS THE ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING TO THE BUILDING.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE AS WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE WHILE AGO, WE'RE FORECASTING GOING DOWN A SECTION.
THIS IS GOING DOWN A SECTION WITH NEXT YEAR STAFFING AND ONLY ADDING A SPECIAL ED CLASSROOM, WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
THIS IS ALL HYPOTHETICAL BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE BUILDING IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE FOR NEXT YEAR.
BUT IF WE WERE TO JUST PLAY IT FORWARD FOR THE SAKE OF UNDERSTANDING HOW THE PROGRAM WOULD FILL INTO THE BUILDING IF WE HAD MORE SPACE.
WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS THE GROUND LEVEL, IT'S THE LEVEL THAT THE MAIN OFFICE IS ON.
YES. IF YOU GO OUT TO THE EXPANSION, YOU SEE THERE NEXT YEAR, WE'RE FORECASTING AT LEAST BASED ON CURRENT ENROLLMENTS, TWO KINDERGARTENS AND TWO FIRST GRADES.
YOU COULD THEORETICALLY PUT THOSE OUT IN THE EXPANSION, AND THEN KEEP THIRD GRADES WHERE THEY ARE, IF WE COLLAPSED TO TWO SECTIONS OF THIRD GRADE, THOSE COULD STAY IN THAT MAIN LEVEL OF THE BUILDING.
IF YOU GO UP TO THE TOP LEVEL, WHICH IS THE NEXT PAGE ON THE BOARD HAS.
IF WE THEN HAD THREE FOURTH GRADES, IF WE MAINTAIN THAT AS THREE SECTIONS, YOU CAN SEE TWO REMAIN IN THE MAIN BUILDING, AND YOU'VE GOT A FLEX SPACE IN THE UPPER FLOOR OF THE EXPANSION THAT YOU COULD PUT A THIRD FOURTH GRADE THERE.
I THINK I MISSED SECOND GRADE.
YOU SEE CURRENTLY IF WE KEEP THREE SECTIONS FOR SECOND GRADE, THOSE WOULD ALSO BE IN THE EXPANSION.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
TWO KINDERGARTENS, TWO FIRST GRADES, IN THE BASE OF THE EXPANSION, THIRD GRADE IN THE MAIN BUILDING.
MOVE OUT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, YOU'VE GOT SECOND GRADE IN THE EXPANSION, THREE SECTIONS OF THAT, AND THEN THREE SECTIONS OF FOURTH BECAUSE WE HAVE A BUBBLE THERE.
YOU'VE GOT ONE FLEX ROOM IN THE EXPANSION TO PUT FOURTH GRADE AND THEN YOU MAINTAIN THE CURRENT FOURTH GRADE IN THE MAIN BUILDING, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TWO SECTIONS OF FIFTH GRADES SLATED FOR NEXT YEAR.
THEN WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT WHAT ARE THE OTHER PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS, SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION, AND LARGE CLASSROOM SPACES.
YOU SEE THERE WE'VE GOT ONE OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES, SO THAT COULD BE OUR EXISTING SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS ON THE LEFT IN THE MAIN BUILDING.
[02:50:03]
IN TALKING TO THE TEACHERS, THEY FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE NURSE CLOSE TO THE KINDERGARTEN CLASSES.WE COULD REPURPOSE NOW ONE OF THOSE ROOMS THAT WAS JUST MADE SMALLER BECAUSE OF THE ELEVATORS.
THAT COULD BECOME THE NURSE'S OFFICE BECAUSE IT'S IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE NEW EXPANSION.
THAT WOULD PUT THE NURSE THERE.
ONE THOUGHT AS WELL WAS IF WE ARE GOING TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WITH HIGH NEEDS IN THE BUILDING.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE OT AND PT SERVICES AND THOSE ARE THERE ABOUT EVERY OTHER DAY.
IF WE DOUBLE THE PROGRAM, WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEM LIKELY FULL DAY.
WHAT I DISCOVERED AS WELL AS I GET TO KNOW ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF THE BUILDING, ONE OF THE PICTURES WE SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED IN THE VIDEO IS OUR OT AND PT ROOM BECAUSE IT'S NOT A ROOM, IT'S A CLOSET.
THE KIDS DO AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE INTERVENTIONS THAT HAPPENED IN THE HALLWAY, ALL OF OUR PT AND OT INTERVENTIONS HAPPEN IN THE HALLWAY, BECAUSE THE MATERIALS ARE STORED IN THE CLOSET.
THEY NEED A ROOM. THEY NEED TO HAVE A ROOM SO THEY CAN ESPECIALLY DO THE LARGER SCALE PHYSICAL THERAPY.
THAT TO ME, A VIABLE OPTION FOR THAT COULD BE ONE OF THE EXISTING MAIN ROOMS ON THAT FLOOR.
JUST CONTINUING OUT ON TO ROUND OUT THAT MAIN LEVEL, OPTIONS COULD BE THAT WE KEEP THE LIBRARY WHERE IT IS AND THEN MAYBE MOVE THE PSYCHOLOGIST UP.
REMEMBER, SHE'S IN A BASEMENT LEVEL OFFICE WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING, NO HEAT, SHE'S GOT A WINDOW TOO IN A SUMP TANK.
NOT REALLY SUITABLE PLACE FOR ESPECIALLY SOMEONE WHO'S WORKING WITH CHILDREN.
THAT COULD MOVE UP INTO WHAT'S CURRENTLY BEING USED AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION ROOM.
THOSE ARE SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT MAIN LEVEL, FINISHING UP THE TOP LEVEL.
WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT GO IN THE EXPANSION.
THEN GOING INTO THE MAIN PART OF THE BUILDING, AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT YOUR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOMS, YOUR SECOND SPECIAL EDUCATION ROOM, AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE BUILDING, AGAIN, WHERE SPACE IS LOST BECAUSE OF AN ELEVATOR, THAT COULD BE A MUCH MORE SUITABLE SPEECH ROOM THAN THE CURRENT HALF OF A BOOK CLOSET THAT IS CURRENTLY HOUSING.
THEN AT THAT LEVEL, AGAIN, OVER ON THE FAR WING, YOU COULD THEN HAVE A LARGER INTERVENTION ROOM.
WE SAW MS. PALIN IN THE VIDEO THERE, IT'S SMALLER.
THAT'S ACTUALLY MS. ARBELIZ'S ROOM RIGHT NOW.
THAT COULD BE AN INTERVENTION ROOM.
THEN IT WOULD GIVE US THE ABILITY WITH THE CURRENT PROGRAMMING TO THEN HAVE AN ADDITIONAL FLEX SPACE OUT AT THE END, WHICH COULD BE A MAKER SPACE.
IT COULD BE FOR STEM EDUCATION.
IT COULD BE A SPACE WHERE THE FLEX TEACHER TAKES THEIR CLASS THREE DAYS A WEEK INSTEAD OF PUSHING INTO CURRENT CLASSES.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS NOW.
THERE'S A PTA MEETING, IF THERE'S ARTS AND ED, IF THERE'S ENRICHMENT, IF THERE'S BUILDING BRIDGES, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, WE WOULD NOW HAVE A DEDICATED FLEX SPACE THAT COULD BE USED FOR THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE GYM, IN ADDITION TO THE CAFETERIA.
LET ME GO ONE MORE LEVEL. LET'S GO DOWN TO THE BASEMENT LEVEL, JUST TO FINISH THINGS OUT.
IN THE EXPANSION BASEMENT, YOU'VE GOT, AGAIN, THE BOILER CARPENTRY AREA AND STORAGE, WHICH IS SORELY NEEDED IN THE BUILDING, THE CAFETERIA, IN THE KITCHEN.
JUST A REMINDER, WE ADDED THAT FULL KITCHEN BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM ONE OF THE VERY EARLY SIWANOY COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD.
I KNOW FOLKS HAVE HAVE ASKED ABOUT THAT SINCE.
THAT IS IN THERE RIGHT NOW DUE TO FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
LOOKING AT THE GROUND LEVEL THEN, WE GET THE CHANCE THEN TO REPURPOSE AND REARRANGE SOME THINGS.
AGAIN, NONE OF THIS IS SET IN STONE, BUT JUST SOME THOUGHTS THAT WE HAD INITIALLY.
WHAT ARE CURRENTLY THE KINDERGARTEN ROOMS COULD BE REPURPOSED FOR MUSIC AND ART, POTENTIALLY, WHERE STUDENTS ARE ONLY IN THERE FOR 45 MINUTES AT A TIME AS OPPOSED TO A FULL DAY.
WE CERTAINLY WOULD STILL NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR CUSTODIAN OFFICE.
WE COULD TURN THE CURRENT NURSE'S OFFICE INTO A FLES OFFICE SINCE THE FLES TEACHER DOESN'T HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE.
THEY DO NEED SPACE FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, SO THAT COULD BECOME A FLES OFFICE.
THEN WHAT IS CURRENTLY THE FACULTY ROOM COULD BECOME A CONFERENCE ROOM.
IT'S VERY SMALL, BUT THE BUILDING DOESN'T HAVE A CONFERENCE ROOM.
FOR MEETINGS WITH PARENTS, FOR MEETING FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, FOR MEETINGS WITH COLLABORATIVE TEACHERS, ETC, SO IT COULD BE A CONFERENCE ROOM.
THE CURRENT PSYCHOLOGIST OFFICE COULD BECOME ACTUALLY THE PTA STORAGE ROOM.
THAT'S A SHOUT OUT TO DAVE SPERRANO, RIGHT THERE.
HE DID ASK THAT WE CONSIDER THEM.
BUT IT'S A SMALL SPACE THAT AGAIN, IT'S NOT AIR CONDITIONED, IT'S NOT HEATED, DOESN'T HAVE WINDOWS.
IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A PERFECT STORAGE SPACE.
THE CURRENT STORAGE ROOM COULD BECOME [OVERLAPPING]
>> PROBABLY WAS DESIGNED AS A STORAGE SPACE WHEN THE BUILDING WAS BUILT.
THE CURRENT STORAGE ROOM COULD THEN CONVERT INTO A LARGER FACULTY ROOM AND WORK ROOM, WHICH THEY DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A WORK ROOM.
THEY'VE GOT A COPIER ON ONE END OF THE BUILDING AND THE STAFF ROOM ON THE OTHER.
THIS COULD HOUSE ALL THAT TOGETHER.
THE CURRENT MUSIC ROOM COULD BECOME A READING RESOURCE ROOM POTENTIALLY FOR SMALL INTERVENTIONS, SMALL GROUP INTERVENTIONS.
THE CLASSROOM NEXT TO THAT, THAT WOULD LOSE SPACE BECAUSE OF THE ELEVATOR COULD THEN
[02:55:01]
BECOME MAYBE A MUSIC LESSON AND INSTRUMENT STORAGE ROOM, SO DEDICATED FOR MUSIC PURPOSES.AGAIN, ACROSS THAT, YOU'D HAVE YOUR ART NEW MUSIC ROOM.
THAT WOULD MAKE FULL USE OF THE SPACE.
WITH WHAT WE HAVE NOW, PLUS AGAIN, ONE SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS ADDED TO THE BUILDING THAT WOULD MAKE COMPLETE USE OF THIS.
WE COULD USE THIS BUILDING FULLY WITH ONE ADDED SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS, WITH WHAT WE HAVE NOW IN STUDENT ENROLLMENT, WHAT WE HAVE IN PROGRAM ENROLLMENT, THE ADD OF ONE TEACHER WITH ONE SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS, BUT WE HAVE 812 SPECIAL EDUCATIONS IN THE DISTRICT NOW.
THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A MOVE OF WHAT WE HAVE, OR AS WE KNOW FROM TRACY'S PRESENTATION, WE'RE ALSO ADDING AN 812 CLASS NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO THREE 812 CLASSES JUST NEXT YEAR AND WE ANTICIPATE GROWTH.
I FEEL CONFIDENT THERE WILL NEVER BE A WASTED SPACE IN THIS BUILDING, AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL HAVE THE STAFF TO SUPPORT WHATEVER PROGRAM WE PUT IN THIS BUILDING BASED ON JUST WHAT WE KNOW NOW.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT BEFORE I MOVE ON TO ELEVATORS? GREAT. NONE OF THIS IS SET IN STONE, BUT I THINK IT'S A FAIR ILLUSTRATION OF HOW THE BUILDING CAN BE REPURPOSED.
THE FINAL PIECE I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS.
I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN LEVEL IS THIS QUESTION ABOUT ELEVATORS, BECAUSE WE HAVE ASKED THE ARCHITECTS.
WE'VE GONE BACK MULTIPLE TIMES.
I WENT BACK MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER LAST WEEK JUST SO I COULD TRY TO GET A CLEAR EXPLANATION.
THE TWO QUESTIONS THAT WE MOST OFTEN GET IS, COULD YOU PUT THEM ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING? THEN WHY COULDN'T THEY GO ON THE BACK BEHIND THE WINGS AND NOT LOSE CLASSROOM SPACE? CHRIS, I'M SORRY, I'M GOING TO TAKE THE MICROPHONE AND HEAD OVER THE BOARD BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO POINT TO IT.
THE MAIN ISSUE IS, THE STAIRCASES ARE HERE IN THIS AREA OF THE BUILDING.
IN ORDER TO PUT THE ELEVATORS IN, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE LANDINGS THAT THOSE STAIRS CONNECT, WHICH MEANS YOU NEED VESTIBULE SPACE ON EITHER SIDE OF IT BECAUSE THEY'RE SPLIT LEVEL.
THE WAY IT'S DESIGNED RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE VESTIBULE AND ELEVATOR WOULD BE TAKING SPACE OUT OF THESE CLASSROOMS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
YOU COULDN'T PUT THE ELEVATOR ITSELF OUT IN THESE OPEN SPACES HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GAINING ACCESS TO THE LANDINGS.
WE MAY ACTUALLY NEED TO EXTEND THE VESTIBULES OUT TO THOSE AREAS IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BECAUSE WHAT YOU CAN'T TELL FROM THIS IS THE GYM AND THE LIBRARY WINGS ARE AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL FROM THOSE LANDINGS.
THERE'S THE MAIN FLOOR LANDING, THERE'S THE UPPER FLOOR LANDING, THERE'S THE BASEMENT LANDING, AND THESE TWO WINGS ARE OFFSET FROM THOSE. THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VESTIBULE TO GET FROM THE UPPER LEVEL AND BASEMENT PLUS YOU NEED STOPS AT THE HALFWAY IN BETWEEN LEVEL.
YOU CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TOUCH THAT BY PUTTING AN ELEVATOR ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD CONNECT IT TO THE WINGS.
THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING IS REALLY OUT FOR THAT PURPOSE.
YOU CAN PUT IT WHERE IT'S PROJECTED HERE WITH SOME EXPANSIONS SO THAT YOU CAN GET TO THOSE WING LEVELS.
YOU COULD PUT IT ON THE BACK OF THE FRONT CLASSROOMS, BUT THE SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN.
YOU WOULD NEED VESTIBULE SPACE TO ACCESS THE LANDINGS ON BOTH SIDES AND ALSO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE OFFSET LANDINGS ON THE WINGS.
IF YOU'RE IN THE BUILDING, YOU WALK IT, IT STARTS TO MAKE SENSE.
THEY'RE EITHER GOING TO BE HERE OR THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE CLASSROOMS, EITHER WAY, YOU'RE LOSING CLASSROOM SPACE TO ACCESS THE LANDINGS DUE TO THE VESTIBULES NEEDED.
>> THERE'S GOING TO BE THAT CONNECTOR.
RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT'S USED FOR STORAGE ON TOP OF THE GYM.
THE CONNECTOR ON TOP OF THE GYM SO THAT WAY PEOPLE COULD CONNECT TO THE NEW ADDITION.
>> THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A CONNECTION ON BOTH LEVELS.
>> RIGHT. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE IS A PATH THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE A BALCONY.
[03:00:13]
>> BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD TO 5.2 WHEN DARA COMES BACK.
I DO WANT TO AGAIN, THANK EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAS GIVEN FEEDBACK ON THE PLANS, DURING THE PROCESS ON HOW WE'RE PUTTING THE PROPOSITIONS TOGETHER, SO I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE AGAIN, FOR THEIR INPUT.
>> WHILE WE'RE WAITING TO, I'LL JUST ADD FOR THE BOARD'S AWARENESS.
NOW THAT WE'RE AT THIS NEXT PHASE OF ADOPTING PROPOSITIONS TONIGHT.
WE'RE WORKING THEN ON THE PLAN OF HOW WE WILL ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY FROM THIS POINT OUT TO INFORM FOLKS TO SOME OF THE POINTS THAT WE'RE THERE.
WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT FOLKS HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS.
WE'RE REACHING OUT TO ALL THE DIFFERENT FORMAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, PTAS, ETC.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT.
AS WE SAID EARLIER, WE'LL BE PUTTING TOGETHER A BOND FOCUS, A BUDGET FOCUS.
WE LAUNCHED THE SIWANOY VIDEO TODAY.
WE'LL BE PUTTING TOGETHER A VIDEO ON THE HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL SO FOLKS CAN UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS THERE.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ALSO CONNECTING TO GET ON THE PODCAST.
>> THANK YOU, THE 803 PODCAST.
HOPEFULLY LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO HEAR ABOUT THIS AND REALLY COME TO UNDERSTAND THE DETAILS OF THE PROJECT SO THEY CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION.
>> THIS RESOLUTION WAS ATTACHED OR FOUR DOCS THAT WERE RELEASED, CORRECT?
>> IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN ACTUALLY READING THROUGH IT LINE BY LINE IT WILL HAVE.
BECAUSE I WON'T BE READING IT THIS EVENING.
>> BECAUSE IT'S VERY LONG, AND WE READ IT ON OUR OWN.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO PASS THE RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE SUBMISSION OF FOUR BOND PROPOSITIONS AT THE ANNUAL DISTRICT MEETING AND ELECTION?
>> NON OPPOSE. THE RESOLUTION PASSES. THANK YOU.
[5.3 Calling for the Annual School District Budget Vote and Member Election]
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CALL FOR THE ANNUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET VOTE AND MEMBER ELECTION?>> DON'T FORGET HANDS TO HELP VALERIE OUT.
>> YEAH. THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE FORMALITIES RELATED TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> 7:00 A.M. TO 9:00 P.M. ALL IN FAVOR?
>> MOTION CARRIES. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO
[5.4 Motion to Enter into an Agreement with Sarah Lawrence College for Swimming Pool Rental]
ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE FOR THE SWIMMING POOL RENTAL?>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS IS PART OF, WHAT MR. TOM SPOKE ABOUT JUST HAVING [OVERLAPPING].
>> CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS WITH EITHER SWIMMING POOL OR THE ICE HODGE, JUST TO MAKE SURE OUR ATHLETES ARE GETTING THE LOCATIONS TO PLAY THEIR SPORTS.
>> WE HAVE SEVERAL FOR SECOND READING.
>> SEVERAL FOR SECOND READING, BUT SOME FOR FIRST READING AS WELL.
>> ARE WE LOOKING TO WAIVE THE THIRD READING ON THESE?
>> I'D SAY THAT'S UP TO THE BOARD.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT ANY PARTICULAR URGENCY, BUT CERTAINLY WOULD WELCOME THAT IF YOU'D PREFER.
I DON'T KNOW, SID IF YOU'VE GOT A PREFERENCE ON THESE?
>> I DON'T FEEL STRONGLY. I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE WERE ANY REAL COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE THAT WE WERE ADDRESSING IN THIS MEETING,
[03:05:01]
GIVING PEOPLE ANOTHER CHANCE TO GET AT IT.>> DIDN'T LOOK TO HAVE A LOT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN YOUR RED LINE.
>> THERE ARE A NUMBER OF UPDATES BASED ON CHANGES IN LAW SINCE THE LAST TIME OR REGULATIONS SINCE THE LAST TIME THEY WERE REVIEWED.
>> RIGHT. I'D SAY IF THE BOARD WAS COMFORTABLE, WE CERTAINLY WOULD BE HAPPY TO FOR THE BOARD TO WAIVE THIRD READINGS ON THESE IF FOLKS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH A CHANGE.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON ANY OF THESE, SO IT'D BE GREAT TO GET THEM MOVED FORWARD AND IN PLACE.
>> I SAY MOTION TO WAIVE SECOND READING?
>> I'M SORRY. MOTION TO WAIVE THE THIRD READING AND APPROVE THIS POLICY.
>> I THINK WAIVE IS ONE MOTION AND THEN ADOPT IS THE SECOND.
I THINK YOU CAN DO 6.1 THROUGH 6.12.
[6.1 Policy 5661 - Wellness (Second Reading)]
[6.2 Policy 5683 - Evacuation, Lockdown and Emergency Dismissal Drills (Second Reading)]
[6.3 Policy 6121 - Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (Second Reading)]
[6.4 Policy 6214 - Incidental Teaching (Second Reading)]
[6.5 Policy 6550 - Leaves of Absence (Second Reading)]
[6.6 Policy 7350 - Timeout and Physical Restraint (Second Reading)]
[6.7 Policy 7512 - Student Physicals (Second Reading)]
[6.8 Policy 7513 - Medication and Personal Care Items (Second Reading)]
[6.9 Policy 7521 - Students with Life-Threatening Health Conditions (Second Reading)]
[6.10 Policy 7530 - Child Abuse and Maltreatment (Second Reading)]
[6.11 Policy 7670 - Due Process Complaints: Selection and Board Appointment of Impartial Hearing Officers (Second Reading)]
[6.12 Policy 8450 - Home, Hospital, or Institutional Instruction (Homebound Instruction) (Second Reading)]
>> DO I HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE THIRD READING ON POLICY 6.1-6.12?
>> DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE?
>> JUST WANT TO THANK [OVERLAPPING] THE ENTIRE POLICY COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY PUT A LOT OF PRE WORK INTO THESE POLICES BEFORE COMING TO THEM AND.
>> THE ADMINISTRATION PUT IN A TON OF WORK.
>> BUT SID DOES A LOT OF PRE WORK TOO WHEN WE GET ONTO THE MEETINGS.
>> I LOVE THAT ALL THE POLICIES ARE BEING REVIEWED BECAUSE, THINGS DO CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR DUE TO LAW CHANGES, AND IT IS A COMMON PRACTICE TO ALWAYS, EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE A FULL REVIEW, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS.
YOU'VE TAKEN THAT ON WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE COMMITTEE, SO THANK YOU, TO EVERYONE WHO'S IN THAT COMMITTEE.
>> WE WERE TALKING AT OUR LAST MEETING WHERE WE THINK WE'RE ON TRACK TO GET ALL THEM DONE THAT WE PLAN TO FOR THIS YEAR.
>> YES. THE REMAINING ONES ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA ACTUALLY WILL COMPLETE THE AUDIT.
VALERIE HAS BEEN JUST A KEY, HUGE PART OF THAT AS WELL.
I'M NOT GOING TO CALL IT A LABOR OF LOVE.
IT WILL BE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. IT'S GREAT.
WE DO HAVE A FEW MORE LINGERING POLICIES OUT THERE, BUT CERTAINLY THE VOLUME AND THE PRESSURE TO GET THROUGH THEM, I THINK WE'VE DONE THE YEOMAN'S WORK AT THIS POINT.
>> DO I HAVE A MOTION TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> TO WAIVE THE THIRD ERROR. ALL IN FAVOR TO WAIVE THE THIRD READING?
>> NOW, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE POLICIES 6.1 THROUGH 6.12?
>> THAT'S RIGHT. SID GETS GETS TO MOVE THAT ONE.
>> WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE ACTION, WE JUST WANT TO REVIEW.
>> WE JUST DISCUSS 6.13 TO 6.16.
[6.13 Policy 7150 - Remote Instruction (First Reading)]
REMOTE INSTRUCTION, THAT WAS A NEW REQUIRED POLICY FOR US, JUST TO PUT IN PLACE PARAMETERS.
SHOULD WE EVER HAVE TO, GOD FORBID, SHOULD WE EVER HAVE TO SHIFT TO REMOTE INSTRUCTION THAT WE HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE.
IT'S ALSO CROSS REFERENCED IN OUR SCHOOL SAFETY PLANS, WHICH JIM AND HIS DEPARTMENT WORK TO ADD THAT IN EARLIER THIS YEAR.
BASICALLY, THIS IS REALLY MOST PARALLELING THE STATE'S REGULATORY LANGUAGE AND DEFINITIONS AROUND EMERGENCY REMOTE INSTRUCTION PLANS.
THAT'S ABOUT THAT. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.
[6.14 Policy 7220 - Graduation Requirements (First Reading)]
AGAIN, THIS IS VERY MUCH UPDATING TO MATCH CURRENT PRACTICE.>> THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES AND A LOT OF FLEXIBILITIES GRANTED IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHETHER IT WAS CREATING NEW PATHWAY OPTIONS FOR DIPLOMAS OR THE CHANGES IN WAIVERS RELATIVE TO THE PANDEMIC AND ALL THE CHANGES FOLLOWING THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE NEW CHANGES COMING UP TO GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND GRADUATION MEASURES, AS THE STATE IS CALLING THEM.
REALLY, THIS WAS JUST ELIMINATE WHAT WAS NO LONGER NEEDED.
GET IT DOWN TO A PLACE THAT WAS REALLY JUST SIMPLIFIED AND THAT SHOULD ALSO CARRY US
[03:10:03]
THROUGH ANY UPCOMING CHANGES TO THE DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO BACK AND CONTINUE TO CHANGE.SIMPLIFICATION. SPORTS AND THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM.
[6.15 Policy 7420 - Sports and Athletic Programs (First Reading)]
JUST AGAIN, GOOD CHANCE TO UPDATE AND REFINE.HERE IT WAS SOME TWEAKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICY MATCHED OUR CURRENT PRACTICE, CERTAINLY WAS ALSO A GREAT DOUBLE CHECK THAT OUR CURRENT PRACTICES ARE UP TO DATE AND IN COMPLIANCE.
THIS WAS REALLY MORE ABOUT JUST ADJUSTING, LIKE I SAID, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATELY, GIVING THEM THE FRAMEWORK AND POLICY ON WHICH TO THEN ADMINISTER THE ATHLETICS PROGRAMS IN A SAFE AND CONSISTENT MANNER.
THEN FINALLY, STUDENT VOTER REGISTRATION.
[6.16 Policy 7440 - Student Voter Registration (First Reading)]
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE STATE IMPLEMENTED REQUIREMENTS AROUND THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND WE'VE BEEN IN COMPLIANCE EVER SINCE.AGAIN, IT WAS JUST UPDATING OF SOME LANGUAGE PER THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM KEEN AND BEAN.
THIS JUST OUTLINES OUR OBLIGATION TO INVITE STUDENTS TO REGISTER OR PRE REGISTER ON THEIR 16TH, 17TH OR 18TH BIRTHDAY AND TO PROMOTE, CIVIC INVOLVEMENT BY ENCOURAGING STUDENTS PROVIDING PATHWAYS FOR THEM TO GET REGISTERED TO VOTE.
AS SOON AS THEY ARE FIRST ELIGIBLE TO DO SO, THEY ARE POSITIONED READY TO BE EDUCATED AND FULLY REGISTERED VOTERS. THAT'S IT.
>> SURE. LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS GOING FORWARD.
[7.1 Motion to Approve Schedule A - Instructional]
[7.2 Motion to Approve Schedule B - Extra Duty Appointments]
[7.3 Motion to Approve Schedule C - Instructional]
[7.4 Motion to Approve Schedule C - Non-Instructional]
[8.1 Motion to Approve Schedule D - Committee on Special Education (Confidential)]
>> DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 7.1 THROUGH 8.1 AS A CONSENT AGENDA?
>> I WAS LIKE, THAT'S ALL OF US? [LAUGHTER] THOSE ARE APPROVED.
[9.1 New Business]
>> I THINK I WENT ALL THE WAY.
>> I WENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH 8.1.
>> VERY QUICKLY FOR NEW BUSINESS.
ONE LAST THING IN THE BOARD'S FOLDER.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT PUBLICLY, GET LAST FEEDBACK BEFORE WE LOOK TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION.
STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY THE LEGISLATORS ADDED A REQUIREMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1, THAT ALL BOARDS OF EDUCATION HAVE STUDENT EX OFFICIAL MEMBERS.
A POLICY IS NOT REQUIRED, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE GOTTEN POLICY SAMPLES, AND WE'LL BE CONSIDERING THAT THROUGH THE POLICY COMMITTEE AND UPCOMING MEETINGS.
BUT MR. LLEWELLYN AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON WHAT WE THINK WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE PLAN TO IMPLEMENT THIS AT PELHAM.
THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY JUST FOR FEEDBACK.
IT'S NOTHING YOU HAVE TO ACT ON BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY JUST A PROCESS THAT WOULD BE ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE BUILDING.
BUT WE WANTED TO GET YOUR CONSENSUS ON THIS AS WE'D LIKE TO START MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS WITH AN APPLICATION FOR INTERESTED CANDIDATES LIKELY IN [OVERLAPPING].
>> DUE BY MAY. WE'D LIKE TO LAUNCH IT IN APRIL WITH A DUE DATE IN MAY, WHICH WOULD GIVE THEM THE ABILITY, AS YOU'LL SEE IN THE OUTLINE TO ESTABLISH A SMALL COMMITTEE THAT WOULD THEN INTERVIEW CANDIDATES TO BE SELECTED AS BOARD REPS, AND IT WOULD ALSO OUTLINE THEIR EXPECTATIONS.
>> YOU HAVE TO BE A JUNIOR OR A SENIOR AND AT LEAST HAVE SPENT A YEAR IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
YOU COULD BE FROM STUDENT GOVERNMENT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE.
>> CORRECT. A LOT OF THIS CAME FROM OUR EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH, EXPERIENCE IN OTHER DISTRICTS AND HOW IT'S BEEN HANDLED, RESEARCHED AND SPEAKING WITH OTHER DISTRICTS WHO ARE ALSO GRAPPLING WITH HOW THEY WANT TO IMPLEMENT.
>> I HAVE LESS OF A QUESTION ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS, WHICH MAKES SENSE MORE OF JUST A PRACTICAL QUESTION, WHICH IS, ARE REALLY EXPECTING OR ASKING THESE STUDENTS TO STAY TILL, HOW LONG WE GOT?
>> 10:51 TO HEAR JIM TALK ABOUT THE TAX CLAP.
>> WELL, CERTAINLY, THEY WOULD BE WELCOME.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS, AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BOARDS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY HOPE THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES ARE.
[03:15:01]
I KNOW LATELY WE'VE BEEN ELIMINATING OUR REPORT SECTION.BUT THE WAY I'VE SEEN IT, WHEN I WAS A PRINCIPAL IN LAKELAND, WE ACTUALLY HAD A LONGSTANDING PRACTICE.
THE STUDENTS WOULD OFTEN COME TO THE BEGINNING PART OF THE MEETING.
DURING THE REPORT SECTION, THEY WOULD DO A STUDENT REPORT AND THEN THEY OFTEN WOULD BE WELCOMED TO HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO THEN GO ON.
I THINK IT BRINGS STUDENT VOICE.
IT BRINGS THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE STUDENT BODY ONTO THE BOARD.
IT IS ACTUALLY NICE IF YOU'RE DOING POLICIES THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE HIGH SCHOOL OR STUDENTS TO ACTUALLY THEN HAVE THEM TO WEIGH ON WEIGH IN ON, SO IT'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT, DO WE DO ANY REARRANGING OR RESTRUCTURING, ESSENTIALLY? BUT THAT'S ALSO PART OF WHAT THE POLICY REVIEW CAN HELP US THINK THROUGH, BECAUSE CERTAINLY, THEY'RE NOT EXPECTED OR ALLOWED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE WILL BE CONSTRAINTS ON THAT, BUT TO YOUR POINT, I THINK FROM A MERCY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT PLACE FOR THEM IN THE MEETING, BUT I WOULDN'T EXPECT THEM TO ENDURE UNTIL 11 O'CLOCK ON A SCHOOL NIGHT. MY FIRST THOUGHT.
>> I READ THE NESBA PUT OUT A DOCUMENT THAT OUTLINED WHAT THE THEIR GUIDELINES, BASICALLY AND HOW TO ADD STUDENT LIAISONS TO.
I READ THAT AND YOUR DOCUMENT HERE THAT MR. LLEWELLYN AND YOU PUT TOGETHER ALIGNS WITH THEIR RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES VERY CLOSELY, MODIFIED, OF COURSE, TO FIT WHAT WE DO HERE IN PELHAM AND TO FIT OUR STRUCTURE.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT DOCUMENT AND VERY CLEAR GUIDELINES FOR THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THESE STUDENTS AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE STUDENTS AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND THE SELECTION PROCESS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY CLEAR READ.
ANYBODY WHO WAS FILLING OUT THIS APPLICATION, I THINK WOULD HAVE A VERY CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTED AND, WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS WERE COMING INTO IT.
>> IS THERE ANY PLAN AROUND ALSO LIKE A EVALUATION, FEEDBACK, LIKE A LOOP? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE STARTING THIS.
I IMAGINE THERE'LL BE SOME LESSONS LEARNED OR HOW TO DO IT.
>> I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD EASILY FACILITATE IS JUST ONCE WE'VE GONE THROUGH A YEAR OF IT, FEEDBACK FROM THE STUDENTS, FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD.
DO WE WANT TO TWEAK PART OF IT? I THINK THAT BEING THE FIRST YEAR TOO, THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN THAT WE NEED TWO STUDENTS THIS YEAR, BUT THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A SOLID ROTATION.
BUT YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
STOP FEEDBACK LOOP OF SOME SORT AT THE END OF EACH YEAR.
>> I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A STUDENT AND HEARING STUDENT VOICES, ESPECIALLY A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, THEY DIRECTLY IMPACT THE STUDENTS AND SO TO HEAR WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE FOR THEM, THEY WOULD REMEMBER BETTER THAN I WOULD ABOUT THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, AND THEIR HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE AND HEARING FROM A STUDENT AND THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE OF BEING A STUDENT IN PELHAM, I THINK IS A VALUE ADD FOR US HERE IN THE BOARD AND MAKING THAT.
MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO NOT BE HERE UNTIL 11:00.
IF WE HAVE TO RESTRUCTURE CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR MEETINGS OCCASIONALLY SO THEY CAN BE HERE, I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE ADDITIVE FOR US.
>> THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL TALK TO MR. LLEWELLYN AND TELL HIM WE'RE GOOD TO GO FORWARD.
AS I SAID, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE POLICY AND SEE IF WE NEED TO FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO STRUCTURE ANYTHING MORE THERE, WE'LL MOVE AHEAD WITH THAT PROCESS TOO.
THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR ME FOR NEW BUSINESS.
>> WE DO HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DID NOT KNOW. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING].
>> DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN?
>> THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.