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CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. Voters, parents, staff and students of the Croton-Harmon School District were presented with a lengthy list of possible cuts from the 2012-13 budget on Tuesday night.
During what was billed as the World Café, community members discussed the most acceptable way to trim $800,000 from the districts budget, and generate ideas on how to raise additional revenue.
Attendees were asked to answer four questions about programming cuts and revenue generation. They were asked about things like which programs were considered sacred and must be maintained at all costs and how can the district generate additional revenue to support the school budget?
Two of the most mentioned items of savings and revenue included cutting administration and creating revenue through corporate sponsorship. The vast complexity of laws relating to education and labor made the going difficult, as common sense suggestions like incorporating more part-time staff or pay-to-play athletics could potentially be illegal or untenable for school districts.
The cuts were asking you to give feedback on are not easy, theyre not happy, said Terry Lukin, Croton-Harmon school board member. Some of the possible areas of cuts include a second grade teacher at Carrie E. Tompkins, a fourth grade teacher at CET, an assistant coach, a music teacher, a part-time clerical position, security monitors for athletic events and lengthening the cycle of technology replacements.
For the most part, the crowd agreed that the district should not cut programs which directly affect students, but the tiny district had some trouble identifying programs which wouldnt be missed. World Café participants were asked to write directly on their table cloth the answers to the questions. One sacred program list included math, athletics, foreign language, science and music, at least two of which are on the districts proposed budget cut list.
District officials reminded residents that the district could be in the same position next year under the new tax cap law. School Board President Karen Zevin said that nothing will change until either the stock market improves to where the pension is not giving school districts the hit, unfunded mandates are addressed, and I mean big ones by the legislators, she said. Zevin said that sources which used to generate revenue, like interest bearing savings accounts, have all but dried up.
We have to go to the next meeting, said district parent Elinore O'Connell. "But I dont think theyre wasting our time.
The next Croton-Harmon School District meeting is on Monday, Feb. 13, where the results of the World Café will be presented to the public.
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