March 2008--From the Office of Public Information, Mamaroneck Union Free School District/ 914-220-3070 
BOARD BRIEFS
Topics included below:
Mamaroneck Schools Foundation
High School Student Report
Tax certioraris
Staff Honors
Study Session Report on Proposed Budget
Property Tax Reform
District Health Services
Camera Surveillance System
Future Meeting Dates

§         Mamaroneck Schools Foundation: Edie Roth, on behalf of the Foundation, presented the Board with 31 grants totaling $270,000 in the areas of science and technology, literacy, the arts, enrichment, physical education, special education and some community grants. Since 1996, the Foundation has awarded over $2 million for over 200 grants! The Board thanked the Foundation for their dedication and hard work.

§         MHS Student Report: Jodi Miller and Charlotte Gardiner recapped many exciting events in the last few weeks including: PACE New Plays, Semi-Royal Shakespeare performances partially interrupted by the bomb threats, All County Jazz Band concert, Harlem Wizards event and the Senior Citizens Prom which was new this year and a great success.  Upcoming events include: Mr. MHS, efforts by the ECO club to promote student involvement in the environment, Pi Day celebration on 3/14, the Junior Prom on 3/18, a student council forum on 3/26, an alumni event sponsored by the Planning Council and featuring MHS ‘02 grad, Matt Sax, performing his  show “Clay” on 3/27 for high schoolers and adults, and the Team Amici preparations for the MS Walk on 4/13 (see www.wewalk4ms.org). Congratulations to the Hockey team and Coach Chiapperelli for their outstanding season, playing in the state quarterfinals and losing 4-3 in overtime. Senior and team captain, Brian Conner, leading goal scorer in Section 1, received a special award from the NY Rangers.
 

§         Tax Certioraris: The board approved these court-ordered tax certioraris: $29,067.53 and $205,942.24. 

§         Staff Honors: Chris Ward, Hommocks Science teacher, was very active in the “Teaching and Learning Celebration” sponsored by Channel 13 held in NYC last weekend. Chris served several terms as Chair of the Educational Service Advisory Council and helped plan the celebration and brought some of his colleagues to the conference.

§         Superintendent’s Proposed Budget for 2008-2009: Janet Buchbinder reported on the study session of March 4 at which the proposed budget was presented to the Board and community. Before introducing the numbers in the budget, Dr. Fried reviewed the district goals of student learning, community involvement and fiscal responsibility. The assistant superintendents spoke further about the story behind the numbers by elaborating on the district’s progress toward meeting this year’s goals.
The budget as proposed would be an increase of 9.57 % over last year’s budget and a 9.85 % tax increase. Dr. Fried recognized that the Board was interested in lowering the increase but cautioned that we must keep sight of our educational goals while doing so. The budget process will continue at budget study sessions with full public participation. See the full report of the March 4 study session on the board page of the website, www.mamkschools.org
Update from Saturday budget study session: The administration presented additional reductions of $1.6 million at the meeting on Saturday, March 15. The board and administrators then reviewed most major line items throughout the budget and continued to raise questions about where there might be additional cost savings or opportunities to reduce expenses. The administration will continue to review the numbers and refine the budget in order to present a smaller bottom line at a March 25 study session, 7:30pm in the tiered classroom at the high school. All budget meetings are being shown on LMC-TV.

§         Property Tax Reform Proposal was the focus of the New York State Legislative Conference, sponsored by the New York State School Boards Association (NYSBBA) and attended by Janet Buchbinder in early March.  Recognizing that increasing property taxes are a statewide issue, former Governor Spitzer in January proposed a cap on school property taxes and created the NY State Commission on Property Tax Relief to come up with preliminary recommendations by May 15 with a final report to the governor and state legislature by December 15. Thomas Suozzi, Nassau County Executive, was appointed chairman of the Commission. Mr. Suozzi cited five reasons for high property taxes: waste, unfunded and under funded state mandates, inadequate state aid, too many government entities which can add costs, and insufficient growth to expand the tax base. Suozzi and his Commission are touring New York State to engage communities in conversations about how best to approach property tax reform.  NYSBBA has stated that a property tax cap is not sustainable unless it is coupled with a plan to reduce unfunded state mandates and other costs over which local boards have little or no control. Ms. Buchbinder and other Westchester school board members visited legislators including George Latimer to share their concerns about the current proposed state budget. Westchester school districts are concerned about regional inequities that negatively impact the amount of school aid sent to Westchester. Other concerns include seeking an exemption from the Wicks Law and that preschool special education evaluation costs not get shifted to local districts from the county. For more information about the work of the Commission Property Tax Relief and to submit your ideas on this issue, visit their website at www.cptr.state.ny.us/

§         District Health Services. Karen Cofino, school nurse coordinator, and Dr. Ann Engelland, the district physician, did a presentation on school health services which outlined the many responsibilities of our school nurses and their challenges given the increase in the number of required vaccines and mandated screenings, the increase in record keeping, and the increase in the emotional and medical needs of students.

§         Board approves Camera Surveillance System for High School. Given recent events the board approved a process which will allow the district to fund the installation of a camera surveillance system in the high school from the current year’s budget. Although funds to phase in a surveillance system were included in the superintendent’s proposed budget, this action by the board allows the project to move forward more quickly.

Important Meetings and Dates regarding the 2008-2009 School Budget

Tuesday, March 25, 7:30pm – MHS Tiered Classroom
Tuesday, April 8, 7:30 pm – MHS Tiered Classroom (Budget Adoption and Tenure Awards)
Wednesday, May 14, 7-10am and 4-9pm —VOTER REGISTRATION DAY
Tuesday, May 20, 7am to 9pm –BUDGET VOTE AND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION