W. HEMPSTEAD School Board Elections / Budget Votes

Approve West Hempstead's school budget

      The Herald endorses the West Hempstead School District's 2007-08 budget proposal. We believe that the Board of Education, Superintendent Carol Eisenberg and Assistant Superintendent Rich Cunningham have put together a comprehensive plan that minimizes residents' tax burden without having to cut corners at students' expense.
      The proposed increase in the tax levy is less than 1 percent, which, according to Cunningham, could be even lower when the levy is set in August. The district has come up with inventive ways to bring revenue into the schools and cut costs by joining forces with neighboring school districts. In the meantime, the budget allows for expansion that we believe will benefit students.
      If the budget passes, the schools will be able to increase staff for elementary and special education classes, provide new science textbooks, make curriculum improvements and train faculty to use new classroom data to strengthen student performance. The buildings and athletic fields will also benefit. The George Washington school will get new flooring and carpeting in some classrooms, as well as new security cameras along New York Avenue. The Cornwell Avenue School will get a new gym floor. West Hempstead High School will have its track resurfaced and it gym floor refinished, and there will be new tabletops in the science labs. These are just a few of the upgrades the budget has in store.
      The Herald also endorses Proposition 2, a transportation referendum that would adjust the mileage range for fourth- and fifth-grade students eligible for busing. It would reduce the minimum distance to three-quarters of a mile, which would match the mileage requirements for students in grades K through 3. Under the current budget, a third-grade student who lives less than a mile from school can be picked up by public transportation, but his or her fifth-grade sibling cannot. Not only does adjusting the mileage by way of this referendum make sense, but it would come at no additional cost to taxpayers.
      We believe the proposed budget and Proposition 2 have been soundly developed, are fiscally responsible and are important for the continued success of West Hempstead schools. Voters should say yes to both.

Caufield for West Hempstead trustee

      During Janice Caufield's nine years on the West Hempstead school board, the district has made dramatic improvement, both academically and financially, and we encourage voters to reward Caufield with another term as trustee.
      This year the board approved a budget establishing a tax levy increase of less than 1 percent over the current budget without sacrificing any programs that benefit students. Caufield worked with board members on joining cooperative programs with neighboring school districts to help cut the costs of utilities and other non-instructional operations. The board has also sought and received grants from the state, and found inventive ways to increase revenue for the district.
      Caufield is clearly dedicated to the district, routinely lending a hand with extracurricular activities at the schools. She helped the high school create 13 Advanced Placement courses, and 25 other courses that can be taken for college credit. She has also helped raise the school's athletic profile with the addition of wrestling and lacrosse teams.
      Caufield has expressed her desire to improve the schools in two major areas: communication with residents, and technology. She believes that the school board needs to do a better job of involving the community in its day-to-day operations, and keeping residents abreast of its decisions. She also has vowed to upgrade the school's computer systems to better train a technologically savvy student body.
      Tony Brita is a smart candidate who has a lot of fresh ideas and is enthusiastic about serving the public. But we believe West Hempstead schools are on the right track, and we enthusiastically endorse Caufield.