But with that in mind, both the West Hempstead and Malverne school boards have crafted tight, fiscally sound budgets that keep existing staffing levels and programs intact while keeping a close eye on the bottom line. For that reason, the Herald urges both communities to vote yes for their school budgets.
The $42,856,186 West Hempstead district budget is a 7.2 percent increase over this year, which raises the tax levy by 10.3 percent. The district was faced with myriad uncontainable costs, including a nearly $425,000 rise in transportation costs. The district has also added lines for special-education faculty and academic intervention services, necessary items in order for the district to meet federal No Child Left Behind standards.
If residents attended budget hearings, they would see that the board carefully considered every line. Some parents insisted that the board reinstate funding, which was initially cut, for students (typically one or two) to attend highly selective Cultural Arts classes at BOCES, at a cost of about $11,000 per student -- no small sum, but still, a drop in the bucket of the total budget. The board did so.
In the Malverne School District, voters will be asked to approve a $35.2 million budget, a 6.2 percent increase over this year's budget, which will raise the total tax levy by 8 percent. This district, too, was faced with pension and health-insurance increases and increasing transportation costs. The district kept all existing programs intact but did not add new programs.
In order to attract and keep a superintendent, the board raised the pay for the position by about $50,000. A former Malverne principal, Dr. Mary Ellen Freeley, accepted the position recently, and seems energetic and ready to take on the challenges of the district.
School districts are faced with tough choices. It's clear that district parents and residents want to keep programs for students, raise test scores, meet state and federal standards and keep and attract excellent staff. But they are also faced with contractual obligations, state and federal unfunded mandates and the stress of performing on standardized tests, the results of which are publicized and compared in highly competitive Nassau County.
The boards in these districts are doing their best -- raising test scores, meeting mandates, attracting staff, creating programs. The Herald urges you to support them.
Vote for Caufield in West Hempstead
The West Hempstead School Board has three seats up for re-election this year, with only one contested. Longtime board member Martin Kaye and the board's newest member, Davis Whelpley, are running unopposed. The two bring different talents to the board: Kaye is a well-spoken, passionate advocate for funding and policy reform in Washington and Albany, while Whelpley is out in the community, attending meetings, meeting parents and teachers, and bringing their concerns back to the board. The district is lucky to have them.
The contested race pits six-year board member Janice Caufield against West Hempstead parent Douglas Rodriguez, who also ran for an open seat last year. We believe both of these candidates care deeply about the district and are committed to its students. Rodriguez believes the district needs to communicate better with the residents of West Hempstead about the budget, test scores and what's going on in the district. We agree with him.
But we also believe that the job of a challenger is to clearly articulate why an incumbent is not serving residents as he or she should. Caufield is in the schools, organizing projects, chairing committees, attending every board meeting and keeping up to date on ongoing educational issues. The Herald believes she is doing her job on the school board and endorses her for another term. At the same time, we hope Mr. Rodriguez stays involves and, perhaps, becomes more involved.
