W.H. school district prepares for budget vote

A week before the May 17 budget vote, the West Hempstead school board settled the long-stalled teachers' contract and renewed schools Superintendent John Hogan's contract for three years. While significant events for the school district, residents who attend the May 10 board meeting were more concerned about the budget — particularly about the way some local businesses are encouraging resident to vote it down on Tuesday.

Barbara Hafner, president of the West Hempstead Education Association, told board members she's seen businesses putting up signs denouncing the budget, and claimed they are doing so because they don't understand the consequences of failing a budget.

"Every child deserves an education," Hafner said. "Our local businesses don't support our educational system."

Josephine DeMarco, PTSA co-president, echoed Hafner's sentiments, saying she is "disgusted, disappointed and offended" by these actions.

"I would like to know why they simply think my children don't deserve the activities," DeMarco said, "activities their children to get in other schools or their children have received in the past. Voting down the budget will hurt not only the West Hempstead schools, but it will hurt the West Hempstead community."

Hogan assured meeting attendees that board members and district administrators have done their best to publicize the budget and explain the consequences of a contingency budget.

“This board has been out in public," Hogan said. "We've done our best to be responsive. There are some difficult decisions that were made [but] I remain optimistic.”

Teacher contract settlement

In a statement released by Deputy Superintendent Richard Cunningham on Thursday, the board outlined the settlement it reached with the teachers' union and called the agreement "one of the most financially responsible teacher contracts in New York state."

The union, which represents some 225 teachers and teaching assistants, agreed to forgo annual step increases and any potential salary advancement through additional educational attainment for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 fiscal years. They also accepted that no retroactive pay is due for the two years since the contract expired in 2009. Teachers will receive raises of 2 percent in 2011-12 and 1.75 percent in 2012-13.

"By agreeing to a 'hard freeze' on step, the faculty of the West Hempstead school district has helped save millions of dollars in potential salary increase well beyond the life of this contract," the statement read.

Hafner, the union president, said she hopes money coming to the board from the union will be used to restore some programs that have been cut and teachers who were laid off. She also told the board, "It's pretty clear cut that we need to do things differently" to prevent stalled negotiations and difficult contract settlements.

In an ad submitted to the Herald, the union said it agreed to settle the contract for a number of reasons: "Because we care about the education of the children in this community, because we believe in the best educational and extra-curricular programs for our students, because we care about the West Hempstead community and the taxpayers, because we care, WHEA gave back."

It reiterated its hope that the board will use the savings to restore programs and positions and added, "It is our hope that the West Hempstead community appreciates the sacrifice made by the members of WHEA."