O.B.’s budget needed to move forward with mission

The Board of Education for the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District approved a preliminary budget for 2023-2024 of $64,414,491 on Tuesday. It will be up to voters on May 16 to decide whether to approve it. 

Superintendent Francesco Ianni said the district needs the budget approval to forge forward with its mission — to continue to make Oyster Bay one of the best and most innovative school districts in the nation. 

“I am confident we are fulfilling that mission every day with the caliber of students we have today,” he said. “Our graduating class will be attending impressive colleges like Brown, U Penn, and NYU. That says a lot of who we are as a district and the community we have.”

The difference between last year’s adopted budget and this year’s is roughly $2 million. Crafting the 2023-2024 budget was difficult this year, Ianni said, due to the low level of state aid the district traditionally receives but more importantly, inflation. Last year the consumer price index was 4.7 percent but this year it rose to 8 percent, meaning a large increase in costs for the district. State aid rose by roughly $129,000. 

In order to maintain all programs and services, the district needed to set its tax levy — the amount a school district can propose as part of its annual revenue budget — at roughly $57 million, or 2.34 percent, Ianni said. 

“Seventy-five percent of the budget is for salary and benefits, which is already set,” he explained. “There is $14 million in benefits. When creating our budget, we stay focused on what students need and look at the details.”

There were three priorities when creating the budget, Ianni said: to provide students with what they will need to be successful; to be fiscally responsible; and to focus on the future.

“Some people can have a myopic view,” he said. “If we don’t do maintenance each year five years from now it will be a very expensive capital project. All together we try to look at the future keeping an eye on it in order to make our present very strong. You have to look at the future to define the present, to know what’s negotiable and what isn’t.” 

Two propositions on the ballot

Proposition two asks voters to allow for the district to utilize no more than $200,000 from its technology reserve fund for board approved projects. The district is seeking to continue the implementation of its technology plans with upgrades, including i-Pads for kindergarteners,  Chromebooks for third grade students, and the purchase of interactive boards. If the proposition passes, there will be no cost taxpayers. 

Proposition three, which also would not cost taxpayers, asks voters to approve of capital improvements throughout the district estimated at $750,000, which include: 

At the high school: a main entrance seating wall; sound and lighting upgrades in the auditorium; tennis court lighting and a new marquee sign.

At James Vernon: library’s heating ventilation, air conditioning and ceiling and lighting replacements, which would be partially funded with preliminary grant approval. 

At the stadium: concrete and miscellaneous building repairs.

And at the administration building: HVAC replacement.

School board trustee race

There are two open seats and four people running. Laurie Kowalsky, the board’s president, is running for a third term. Caitlin Amatrudo, William Henry and Nicole Verdone are running for the first time. Henry did not attend the Meet the Candidates Night on Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.

Kowalsky, 57, an intellectual property attorney, said she is proud to be on a board that passed universal busing, increased the graduation rate, instituted a golf program, the creation of an orchestra, and increased security district-wide by hiring more security guards. 

But she believes there is more work to be done. “We need to improve our test scores,” she said. “I’d like to see more coding at the elementary school.”

She’s running again, to continue her work on the board. She has a deep understanding of the district’s needs and challenges, she added. Kowalsky wants to see more research opportunities available and more internships. 

Amatrudo, 35, a registered intensive care nurse, said as a lifelong resident and an Oyster Bay High School graduate she has a deep connection to the community. 

Amatrudo is a member of the district’s Site Based Team where she brainstorms ideas for improvements. 

Learning is different than it was when she was in school, she said. Amatrudo’s committed to keeping up with the ever-changing society, including with technology. She also wants to be sure there are advanced placement and honor classes available at the high school. She also wants all children to receive a good education. 

“We live in a diverse community,” Amatrudo said. “I want to make sure all children’s educational needs are met.” 

Verdone, 40, a special education teacher, is committed to making the district’s curriculum accessible to all students — special education, English language learners and high achievers. She wants to be sure no one falls between the cracks. 

The reason why voters should choose her, Verdone said, is because as a teacher she has insight into education, which non of the current trustees have. 

“There is a need for improvement,” Verdone said. “I want to work alongside teachers with their professional development, have curriculum training for parents so they can help their children at home, especially now with the Common Core. The way things are taught now is different than when we learned it.”

She’d also like to have enrichment programs available for high achievers by increasing the availability of advanced placement and honor courses. And in her commitment to providing opportunities for all students, Verdone said she wants to create partnerships with local universities for dual enrollment programs so students will receive college credits while in high school.