W.H. budget café brainstorms district spending

On Jan. 16, the West Hempstead school district held its second budget café this year in preparing parents and administrators for its 2014-2015 budget, keeping in mind last year’s cutbacks, which most notably resulted in an eight period school day for middle and high school students.

“The main things we talked about [at the café] were what were the strengths and the weaknesses in the district,” said Deputy Superintendent Richard Cunningham. “And what opportunities are out there for us and what are the threats in what we’re doing.”
In conjunction with the district’s first budget café on Nov. 21, Cunningham said administrators held this public forum, welcoming concerned parents and teachers to discuss ways of cutting spending before Gov. Andrew Cuomo rolls out his proposed 2014-15 budget this week, to gauge “the pulse or tone of the community” when it comes to allocating their schools’ budget.

According to a questionnaire given to café guests, the West Hempstead district received about $8,031,209 in state aid with a .88 percent budget increase for the 2013-14 academic year, racking up a $2,712,263 shortage in funds.

In light of last year’s severe budget cuts, in which administrators chose to eliminate one period from the daily 9-period schedule at West Hempstead Middle School and High School — consolidating lunch periods and music classes into a single period — Cunningham said the district carved out some benefits with its spending plan, specifically the development of its Rising Stars program, keeping Chestnut Street School open and cutting transportation costs.

While the 8-day schedule posed some advantages — providing students with almost 1,000 more minutes of learning in all major subjects, along with educators earning an extra 125 minutes of instruction, and reducing the district’s expenditures by $80,000 — Cunningham said café guests determined that reinstating ninth period is a high priority for the 2014-15 budget.

Cunningham also said administrators and parents at last week’s café discussed launching a long-awaited Pre-K program for the district, one week after Gov. Cuomo announced his initiative to fund full-day preschool statewide.

After two sessions, Cunningham said the district won’t be able to make any changes until the budget vote on May 20.