Which path do you think district should take?
Schools host community forum to seek input on future of education
2 comments below
When Shoreham-Wading River school officials asked for input from the public on what the district's education priorities should be, expectations were somewhat limited.
Historically, very few district residents have shown up at board meetings and other district forums. So when more than 40 people attended the community forum at Miller Avenue School Tuesday, district officials admit they were pleasantly surprised.
"This is the largest turnout I've seen for anything we've done, so I'm very happy," school board president Scott Ericson said afterward. "Certainly in this district, it takes something significant to get people's attention."
That something is the prognosis for New York State's current budget, something superintendent Harriet Copel called dire. Next week, Gov. David Paterson will release his initial budget plan for the year. Dr. Copel told the assembled group she expects there to be a lot less money available for state aid. As the school district heads into budget season, the task of replacing that lost money will be an immense challenge, she said.
Making the concerns of putting a budget together even greater is the fact that the district's proposed budgets have been voted down nine of the past 20 years. Should that happen again in May, Dr. Copel said, the district would be operating on a contingency budget with no increase in expenditures across the board.
To do that while accounting for increased or static amounts in contract obligations, state mandates, building and school operations and other necessities, Dr. Copel said, would require wholesale cuts of close to 5 percent.
If a program is cut from this year's budget, she said, it will not return for the foreseeable future. So, she added, "we want to frame the conversation not as what we can't cut, but what we must keep."
Most of the discussion Tuesday centered on whether community members should focus on what kind of cuts should be had or, rather, on an educational campaign to see the budget passed in May.
Former board member Lisa Kelly, one of the facilitators Tuesday night, warned against making significant cuts.
"After we cut all the fat, all that's left is meat and bones," she said. "Then, it's what part of your body do you want to cut off?"
Dr. Copel said the district could cut back far enough to only meet state mandates and requirements but that she believes the district's students deserve a more robust educational experience.
Dr. Copel and Mr. Ericson urged participants to attend the district's budget sessions as well.
"I hope it's the beginning of people getting engaged," Mr. Ericson said.
The district will host another community forum at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Wading River Elementary School.
jwilliams@northshoresun.com
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2 comments found
Football? : 1/16/2010
Why single out Football? How about G/B Basketball, Softball, Soccer.. etc.. etc... Let's get real here. There is no reason in the world that budgets are increasing in this district by over 5% year after year. This Board and Superintendent better realize that the people who pay the taxes are suffering. While school employees are guaranteed raises, we the working blue collar workers out here are not. We cannot afford spending increase nor tax increase. If they haven't taken notice yet, the economy still sucks, and weekly another 2-3 homes in this district are going into foreclosure. Wake up SWR.. we do not have a bottomless checkbook, as you seem to think we do out here! Let's see some constraint on your expenditures, a real foreign language they need to learn!
football : 1/16/2010
Has anyone considered looking into the football program as to its success as a team and character building and also how much this program is costing the district? Is football a drain on the district? How committed is the team and has anyone won any scholarships from playing football in this district?
