No budget questions?
I was quite surprised at last night’s Board meeting that no one asked a question about the budget proposal. I took it as a sign that people are happy with the proposal. Both presentations are now on the website under “Budget Info- educational plan and budget”.
Some quick highlights:
- Budget to Budget
- 4.86% with Hampton and Meadow projects
- 1.58% without the projects
- Tax Levy 2.44%
- 4th consecutive year at or below 2.5%
- Curricular enhancements
- Elementary World Language
- Keyboarding 3rd grade
- Expansion of ipad pilot for entire 6th grade, select 5th and 7th graders
- Double period of regents algebra for all 8th graders
- Switch regents Earth Science to 9th grade and Living environment to 10th grade
- Expand AP Science offerings
- Facilities
- New varsity girls softball at the HS
- Convert HS tennis courts to Parking lot
- Equipment
- New Cardio Vascular equipment for HS fitness center
- New Storage and cabinetry of HS Art Room
- Continue musical instrument replacement plan
- Various items for Science research program
- Capital
- Hampton Project
- Meadow Drive library expansion
Posted in Around the District 13 years, 8 months ago at 3:40 pm. 18 comments
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Nice to see that the school district has Senator Jack Martins’ support for the upcoming budget…….”The school budget were particularly hard this year. I want to congratulate all the school boards and superintendents who really did their best to put fiscally responsible budgets before voters this May. Among them was the Mineola School District. The superintendent and board has had to make some tough decisions but they did it to preserve the district’s excellent educational program.” (per Jack Martins website)
For clarity- We do not simply hand out ipads to students. There is a lot of curricular work that has to be done. Integrating technology into curriculum has to be supported by the professional development program in the school- that is why I suggested contacting Ms. Oliver. The district is required by law to comply with requests for technology and software. There is a budget line item every year that designates the mandated amount.
In answer to the question regarding the ipads and St. Aidan’s. Is your school supporting our school budget ? You may feel entitlement for the ipads but I hope that the school as a whole is supporting the budget! If they are not they should as your school will also be at a loss for many programs if the budget does not pass!
But you are the one issuing Ipad with my school tax money.
I would suggest that you speak with Ms. Oliver, principal of ST. Aidan’s
I was wondering if your ipad proposal is for 5-7th graders in the whole mineola school district? I will have a 5th and a 7th grader next year, and even though they attend St. Aidan School, I pay the same school taxes and my children should be entitled to the same things as yours. I think all the students should be treated equally!
Thanks,
Mary Wood
We still haven’t finalized any plans, if the South parking lot works better than that is what we will use.
Dr. Nagler (or if anyone could help answer),
I have a question concerning the levy and the school tax bills for 2011. This was discussed previously in one of your blog entries, but I did not fully understand the answer. I’d like to stress that I am not being facetious about the significant school bill increase—I am simply trying to understand how it works. I know this was not caused by Mineola, but rather Nassau’s flawed assessment system.
It has been explained that we must make these difficult district changes/sacrifices in order to keep the levy around 2.5% and prevent the school tax bills from skyrocketing. Yet, it appears our community is seeing school bills jump up nearly 20% over last year, as the tax rate set by the County was raised significantly. I understand that property assessments drastically declined and therefore the County had to jump up the tax rate to compensate, but it seems like they are collecting way over the amount that the Mineola School District requested (since we only had a modest budget increase).
I am just trying to understand why the tax rate did not increase only to the point where the tax bills as a whole would equal the same overall amount collected from the community as last year, plus whatever increase the district had asked for this year. Just to clarify, I am not talking about why someone’s individual school bill might be more or less than their neighbor’s bill (I understand that). I am referring to the community as a whole. If this district was trying to keep the reins around the increase of school monies needed from its residents, then why is the County collecting what appears to be well over that percentage? I could not find an answer online that explained it clearly to me. Thank you very much.
I also remember the “bus lane” proposal raising safety concerns due to the fact that walkers and student drivers will need to cross between buses before and after school to enter and exit the building. Will the loading buses stop traffic within the parking lot? I’m also afraid of what it will be like when you add buses to the morning mix of traffic in front of the school. Did you consider redesigning and using more space for bus traffic at the south end?
Thank you for your prompt reply. I am not able to make it to the board meetings, so I wasn’t sure if you went over these numbers before. A 2 Million dollar Hampton construction project that has an immediate 2 million dollar impact on this budget sounds like a no brainer.
Good job, Doc
I look forward to sending my children to Mineola schools.
James
By closing Cross Street this year, and moving the designated grades, we will realize a reduction of 15.2 FTE. That include 8 retirees as well as excessed staff. One principal position has already been eliminated. The impact on this budget is over 2,000,000 dollars in savings.
I have a question concerning the staffing at the two schools that are closing. How many administrator and teacher positions will we be eliminating through closures? Can those numbers be totaled by salaries? I assume this was one of the reasons we are closing two schools. I hope we are not just reassigning (burying) staff or switching titles around. I’m sorry for sounding like a sceptic, but I work for the State.
We will be eliminating the parking in front of the buildng to create a bus lane. The spaces gained in the tennis court conversion will replace those as well as provide additional parking.
The ipads in the fifth and seventh grade will be purchased with grant monies for children with IEP’s
Just one question…How can anyone who truly has the best interest in their child’s education at heart, and remains informed with FACTS, say no? Thank you and the board for putting together such a reasonable budget during these times. I am eager to see what our surrounding districts are going to get and maintain in their budgets. I already anticipate that they will not come close to us. I look forward to Mineola School District being the envy of our neighbors.
Congratulations on the tax levy. One question: the tennis courts, which haven’t been used as such for a long time, are now parking lots? For whom? The present sophomore class, as eighth graders, petitioned the BOE to make real tennis courts and a tennis team, like our neighboring schools. Student Council made a similar presentation to the BOE and the BOE seemed to have agreed.
Perhaps the majority of the room was speechless
Hi Dr Nagler
Could you please explain what you mean by select 5th and 7th graders will be receiving the IPad? How/who will be selecting the child/teacher to receive it? Would that really be in the best interest of that full grade, dividing children like that, leaving some feeling bad within the same grade in the same school? Thanks for any insight you can give me.
Lisa