Schools face 'massive cuts'

Local schools already reeling after last year’s reduction in school aid were hit with the news last week that Gov. David Paterson plans deep cuts across the board for the 2010-11 year.

“It’s devastating, it’s horrible,” said Sewanhaka Superintendent Warren Meierdiercks. “Words cannot describe how upset we are with this possible cut. It’s our hope it does not materialize.”

In the three districts that touch Franklin Square and Elmont, a total of more than $6 million could be cut if the governor’s budget is approved, not including several Valley Stream districts that include schools in Franklin Square. The Sewanhaka Central High School District stands to lose the most, with a possible cut of $3.6 million. The Elmont School District could lose up to $1.9 million, while Franklin Square could be out more than $650,000.

The specter of cuts has administrative leaders scrambling to try to reconcile programs — and teaching staffs — with budgets that were already been slashed to the bone this year. The local result was a group of extremely frustrated district employees, who had no answers as to what the future might hold.

“At this point, until we have a meeting with the board, I have no idea where this could eventually wind up,” Meierdiercks said last week. “Obviously, if this budget stays where it is, that would mean massive cuts in programs and staff.” He added that the next school board meeting, and the school board’s subsequent budget meeting on Feb. 2, were likely to be “stressful.”

While Sewanhaka — one of three central high school districts in the county — faced the largest possible losses, elementary administrators were equally upset with what they perceived as an unconscionable slight from Albany. “When the cuts are this deep and they’re multi-year cuts, eventually they’re going to hit the classroom,” said Patrick Manley, Franklin Square’s assistant superintendent for finance. “We’re trying to limit the impact on students, but it’s eventually going to hit [them].”

Franklin Square, like many other districts, has already examined what needs to be done to tighten its belt for the time being. At the most recent Board of Education meeting, Interim Superintendent Anthony Pecorale received the board’s approval to take out revenue anticipatory notes as a method of keeping the district’s coffers full while it awaits funds that have been withheld by the state to arrive from the governor’s office.

While Pecorale said that the notes would not be used for the time being — the district received notice on Jan. 19 that the withheld funds were being returned — he was prepared to use them in the event the governor was forced to withhold payments again.

Looking into the future, Pecorale saw difficult decisions ahead for the district. “There’s no question there’s going to be a reduction of staff,” he said. “I suspect we’re going to lose at least three or four classroom teachers, and that’s going to mean larger class sizes.”

Manley said that parents would likely notice a number of issues right off the bat if the aid reduction was approved in Albany. Revenue spent on technology, including new computers, classroom Smart Boards and other learning tools would likely not be replaced, and building improvements are also likely to be put off.

“Right off the bat, all else being equal, that reduction in state aid equals an increase in taxes of almost 3 percent,” Manley said. “That’s really making us make difficult choices.”

Asked what parents could do to help their local districts, administrators agreed that the answer was to contact local Assembly members and senators and voice their displeasure with school cuts.”What [parents] should be doing is speaking and writing to the legislators that represent them, and the governor, and tell them just how devastating this will be,” Meierdiercks said. “Whatever the taxpayers can do to rally our legislators to prevent this cut, the district would really appreciate it.”

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