Board Completes Budget Talks and Appoints New Ass't Superintendent for Business

Andrew Lennon was appointed Assistant Superintendent for BusinessThe Board reached closure on discussions around the 2023-24 school budget and a separate bond offering to fund a $4.75 mm renovation of the high school auditorium at their final budget study session on March 27, 2023.

The proposed $177,774,187 budget represents a 2.59% budget to budget increase and a 1.93% increase in the tax levy. By moving the expense of the auditorium to a bond, the district avoided a tax increase that would have exceeded the tax cap.

The budget and bond votes will be held on Tuesday May 16, 2023.

The PTC Executive Committee and the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale both presented extensive analyses and comments on the budget and you can see the PTC statement here and the LWVS statement here.

Several others also commented on the budget, all voicing their support.

Rachel Krisbergh commented for the Greenacres PTA who “strongly supports the 2023-24 school budget.” She said they stand behind expanding mental health initiatives and funding the high school auditorium. She said, “We encourage the board to engage and educate the community on the importance of this project.”

President Elect of the SHS PTA Beth Cukier spoke for the PTA Executive Committee. They endorsed the separate bond proposition for the auditorium to “to spread the cost over several years to match the useful life of the auditorium.” She said, “This has been a priority for over a decade and addresses needed repairs, acoustic and lighting improvements, seating, dressing rooms and accessibility.” She said the auditorium will be utilized by all students, as well as parents, alumni and community members and will provide a “significant benefit to our students and community in the years to come.” The PTA also support the repair of the leaking band room roof and funding for the high school deans to travel to colleges and conferences.

Cukier said that in the future the PTA would like to see funding for the following:

-Improved wi-fi and cell phone signals
-A study and remediation of flooding at Butler Field, the storage room near auditorium and the parking lots near the creek.
-Upgraded furniture for instructional spaces in classrooms and the library
-Funding for student clubs and activities
-An addition of 1.0 FTE custodian for afternoons and Saturdays to supplement the cleaning staff.

SMS Treasurer Erika Rublin spoke on behalf of the SMS Executive Committee and budget chairs in support of the budget and the bond. She said, “The broader community will benefit from the improved SHS auditorium, including acoustics, rigging, aesthetics and water mitigation. They also support the SMS staffing proposal, (.6 increase) and 113.6 total FTE’s as well as funding for DEI initiatives, social and emotional support of students, advances in-district opportunities for students with disabilities, accounting and human resources software, upgrades facilities, funds a transportation study, and maintains the SMS house system.

Commenting, Board President Amber Yusuf said she would like to look at the flooding in the parking lot in the future. Board Member Jim Dugan said he was grateful for the process this year, and hoped the Board would be able to stay below the tax cap in the future and be mindful of the choices that tax cap forces on the district.

In other news, the Board appointed Andrew Lennon as Assistant Superintendent for Business, replacing Stuart Mattey who will retire at the end of the school year. Lennon now works in Chappaqua and attended the Board of Education meeting and thanked the Board for his appointment.