We understand the importance of balancing fiscal responsibility with the need to provide quality education and services to our students. We will continue to gather input from the community and make necessary adjustments to ensure we meet our strategic and annual goals. Thank you for your continued support and engagement.
For the budget to budget slideshow presentation from the Feb. 10 BOE meeting, click here.
Curriculum discussions and mandates:
Our district is committed to providing a high-quality education that prepares our students for life in the 21st century. We are aligning our curriculum with the New York State standards and the Portrait of a Graduate. This will ensure that our instructional programs meet state requirements and support the holistic development of each student.
We are focusing on several key areas:
- Whole Child Approach: Addressing each student as an individual and supporting their overall well-being.
- Student Attendance: Continuing efforts to improve and encourage regular attendance.
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Implementing initiatives to support students’ social and emotional needs.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Actively working on our DEI plan, with recommendations expected later this spring.
- Communication: Utilizing Parent Square for more efficient communication with parents and the community.
- Wellness: Prioritizing wellness for both students and staff.
- Cell Phone Policy: Reviewing recommendations from the cell phone task force, with potential changes to the current policy.
Health and Safety Timelines:
We have a comprehensive facilities maintenance plan to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for our students and staff. Key projects include:
- Summer 2025: Construction of safety vestibules at Lincoln Elementary, Glen-Worden Elementary, Glendaal Elementary, and the middle school. Also, installation of a new boiler at Lincoln Elementary.
- Second Season of 2026: Construction of safety vestibules at Sacandaga Elementary and the high school, combined with other work at these schools.
- Fall 2025: Required water testing.
Carry-Forward Budget:
The carry-forward budget shows the economic impact of carrying the programs and support services that are in the 2024-25 budget forward into 2025–2026. The carry-forward budget is $69.2 million, representing a 6.33% increase from the previous year. Key drivers of this increase include health and dental insurance costs, salary and wages, special education needs, and summer school funding. We are also seeing a decrease in debt service and out-of-district transportation costs. A tax levy increase of 11.79% would be required to balance the budget. The impact on taxpayers would be an estimated $400 for a home assessed at $160,000 and nearly $500 for an assessed home of $200,000, not including STAR exemptions. The tax cap is 3.25%, which results in an allowable levy increase of $1,085,180. The gap to the cap is $2,853,022.
Additional Budget Proposition:
- Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Upgrade Project: $2.6 million, with no tax increase due to funding from National Grid rebates, NYSERDA funding, building aid, and transportation aid.
Superintendent’s Budget Development Strategy:
- Gather input from Board of Education members on negotiables and non-negotiables.
- Focus on district strategic and annual goals, mandates, and class size targets.
- Consider reductions in staffing if necessary to meet budget constraints.
Next Steps:
- Further discussions and decisions on the proposed budget and tax levy will continue.
- The school board has to advise the district whether to stay under, at, or exceed the tax cap by March 1, 2025. The Board can change their decision up until the time the budget is adopted.