STA Asks the Board to Protect the Heart of Programs That Serve the Children of Scarsdale
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- Written by Joe Vaughn
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What is the Scarsdale Teacher’s Association’s view of the proposed school budget? In short, they support it. Here are comments made by STA President Joe Vaughn at a recent meeting of the Board of Education.
My name in Joe Vaughan and I am speaking on behalf of the Scarsdale Teachers Association as the President of the Association.
I would like to begin by applauding the Board on its transparent and thorough process in constructing this budget. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the potential outcomes of the process, for those that have been paying attention to the process, the steps, progressions, guiding philosophies and principles of this process have been clear from the start. Balancing the fiscal stewardship of the Scarsdale Schools with the educational stewardship of the Scarsdale Schools is no mean feat. The Board has the unenviable responsibility of balancing the interests of the taxpayers with the interests of our students and hopefully find alignment between these interests.
A school budget is as much a fiscal document as it is a statement about a community’s values. The community of Scarsdale has always been rightly known to value education. A YES vote for the school budget has always been seen as an investment in the future, a recognition in the centrality of supporting the students of the Scarsdale Schools as a shared community value.
Dr. Drew Patrick and his team have presented three budgets for consideration to this Board. We view the original budget presented by Dr. Patrick on February 5th as a forward-looking budget that seeks to advance the educational objective of the District. Based on feedback from the Board and community input, the budget presented by his team on March 4th pares back the ambition of the Central Office team and is more a status quo measure with targeted attempts to push the educational mission forward. This budget was their attempt to balance the educational needs of the District with what they heard from the members of the Board and some of the community as the potential fiscal difficulty of a budget above the misguided regressive, political construct that is the tax cap law. The budget presented on March 11th further pares this budget, and in the STA’s view it is clear that the March 11th proposal allows a budget to maintain the excellence of our schools but will have direct impact on the experience of our students. As one clear example of many in this budget was evident on slide 15 from Budget Study Session 3 that lists cut after cut that would need to occur in Arts Enrichment programs. Our schools have always prided ourselves in bringing the broader world into our schools and classrooms and to see this cut in arts funding made me not recognize our shared values in this proposal even as I understood the rationale fiscally for why this cut over other cuts.
During Budget Study Session 2, the Board of Education tasked Dr. Patrick and his team to look for those cuts and withdrawals. I think that this was a prudent thing to do, to rightfully know the consequences of making those additional changes. The STA would argue that those cuts and withdrawals go too far as these changes impact the opportunities of young people of Scarsdale. Also, during Budget Study Session 2, the Board tasked Dr. Patrick with showing what would be needed to get under the cap. Once again, this was prudent for the Board to want to know this information to make good, transparent decisions. Hopefully, this Board agrees though that the cuts listed as necessary to get under the cap in slides 31 – 34 of the Budget Study Session 3 presentation are not ones that best support the needs of children.
In response to this presentation, it was suggested that the budget proposal in Budget Study Session 3 did not cut enough because it didn’t yet ‘cut into the muscle.’ I would disagree and say that the cuts and withdrawals presented in the March 11 budget while supporting the core programming absolutely do begin to affect children negatively. But more importantly, I question the basic presumption of the argument that cutting into the muscle is a worthy goal of this process. If we think physically, our muscles allow the human body to propel itself forward, to laugh, to dance, to run, to see, to live a life that is filled with joy and meaning. Why would we want to cut into that which allows us to achieve our potential? The heart is also a muscle, and the heart must be protected just as the STA asks the Board of Education to protect the heart of the programs that serve the interests of children with excellence here in Scarsdale.
The STA supports the Superintendent’s original budget proposal on February 5th as best reflecting the values of the schools. We are not myopic though to fiscal pressures that we all presently face, so, if such a budget is not practically possible, we would join with our partners in the Scarsdale PTC in supporting the budget presented as a more modest step forward than originally presented, and we support the requests of our PTA partners asking for restoration of specific elements to the budget. The STA believes that supporting any other budget that is more restrictive will have negative consequences for students.
Thank you for your time and service to the community. Know that the STA values our partnership with the Board in meeting the needs of our students.
SHS Senior Receives Mental Health Award
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Rick YangThe Jed Foundation (JED) has selected 17-year-old Rick Yang, a senior at Scarsdale High School in Scarsdale, New York, for the 2024 Student Voice of Mental Health Award. He was chosen among dozens of high school and undergraduate applicants to receive this distinguished national award, which recognizes students who lead advocacy projects to establish youth mental health support systems and encourage help-seeking in their school communities.
The Jed Foundation (JED) announced today that students Rick Yang and Areli Rosales are the recipients of the 2024 Student Voice of Mental Health Awards (SVMHA). Each year, JED honors one high school student and one college student doing outstanding work to create communities of care in their schools. Award recipients are raising mental health awareness by leading initiatives, encouraging their peers to reach out for help, and building support systems for youth mental health and suicide prevention.
Rick Yang (he/him/his) is a senior at Scarsdale High School in Scarsdale, New York, and describes himself as a “mental health champion” who experienced feelings of isolation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual learning. He identifies as Chinese-American and has experienced the cultural struggles associated with help-seeking for mental health issues, prompting him to begin his advocacy work. The 17-year-old is the co-founder and CEO of “Frontiers of Fulfillment,” a nonprofit that operates in more than 30 states and impacts thousands of people through advocacy and lobbying workshops that ensure youth voices are heard in local, state, and federal mental health policymaking. In his school community, Rick organized and implemented “SchoolSight: A Comprehensive Mental Health Vision” an initiative that seeks to implement evidence-based mental well-being interventions throughout Westchester County. Rick will be attending Harvard University in the fall.
The Scarsdale Schools recently signed an agreement with the JED Foundation a non-profit whose mission is to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for the nation's teens and young adults.
Scarsdale Foundation Offers Scholarship Aid
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Students who graduated from Scarsdale High School or lived in Scarsdale during their high school years and who have completed their first, second, or third years of college are invited to apply to the Scarsdale Foundation for tuition assistance. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the Foundation awarded need-based grants totaling $206,500 to 41 students attending private and state-supported colleges and universities.
Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year should be submitted online from the Scarsdale Foundation’s website: www.scarsdalefoundation.org (click on the College Scholarships link). Completed applications must be submitted by Saturday, June 1, 2024. Questions should be directed to Scholarship Committee Chairs Seema Jaggi or Wendy MacMillan at: scarsdalefoundationscholarship@gmail.com.
The Foundation welcomes contributions from the community to augment the funds available for distribution each year. Contributions may be donated to a specially earmarked Scholarship Fund of the Scarsdale Foundation, enabling the Foundation to carry on the tradition of helping students in need pursue a college education. Donations may be made online by visiting the Foundation’s website or mailed to the Scarsdale Foundation at P.O. Box 542, Scarsdale, NY 10583.
The Foundation also hosts the Scarsdale Bowl Dinner where Scarsdale individuals are recognized for their volunteer service to the community. The Scarsdale Bowl will be presented to the 2024 recipient on Thursday, April 11, 2024 at the Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club..
For more information regarding the work of the Scarsdale Foundation, please visit its website: www.scarsdalefoundation.org.
Contacts:
Seema Jaggi and Wendy MacMillan scarsdalefoundationscholarship@gmail.com.
PTC Encourages Community to Vote YES on the Proposed 2024-25 School Budget
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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(The following statement on the proposed budget for Scarsdale Schools, 2024-25 was submitted by the PT Council Executive and Budget Study Committees)
The Scarsdale Parent-Teacher Council Executive Committee (the “PTC EC”) and Budget Study Chairs (“Budget Study”) thank the District Administration (the “Administration”) and Board of Education (the “BOE”) for their work thus far on the Proposed Budget for 2024-25 (the “Budget”). The PTC EC and Budget Study generally support the Proposed Scarsdale Schools’ Budget 2024-25 (March 11 version). We would like to emphasize, however, that certain reductions and cuts made during the budget-planning process to arrive at the current Budget may affect levels of student experience and support, and will defer aspects related to important initiatives, such as Safety and Security and the High School Auditorium. The PTC EC and Budget Study would like to highlight that the March 4 version includes items that more fully support the ongoing needs of our District as well as better maintain the current level of student experience. For the community, please note that the tax impact of adopting the March 4 version is an increase of approximately $126 per median assessed home in Scarsdale over the majority-BOE endorsed March 11 version. The PTC EC and Budget Study further note that, as per the Administration, implementing the additional cuts necessary to achieve a Budget below the Tax Cap would have significant negative impacts on the current level of student support and quality of experience. We encourage the community to support a budget that provides sufficient resources for our schools and ask that all eligible voters VOTE YES on the presented Budget on May 21, 2024 at Scarsdale Middle School.
The PTC EC and Budget Study strongly support the norms of small elementary class size, robust student support at all levels, differentiated teaching and learning, and the development of the whole child. We support and encourage initiatives related to student mental health, wellness, and belonging; we strongly encourage ongoing professional development and work with the school community to further these significant and essential aspects of the student experience. The PTC EC and Budget Study endorse a continued commitment to the development of innovative, best-in-class curriculum practices. We further encourage the Administration to provide additional history, context, and rationale for curricular changes and enhancements in order to bring the community along in its process. We would like to highlight the need to benchmark best-in-class curriculum practices with other comparable schools in order for the community to understand the types of curricular offerings at cutting-edge NYS public schools, as well as to identify metrics by which the success of new programs will be evaluated.
Process
The PTC EC and Budget Study strongly encourage the BOE and Administration to articulate and elaborate on the rationale and framework behind the decisions made. We acknowledge the external pressures on budget-planning this year, which include: high inflation, potential loss of state aid, several years of tight budgeting, a state-mandated tax cap, and the inability to use reserves to close the gap next year. We further acknowledge the challenges facing the BOE as it seeks to maintain the excellence of our schools while being mindful of the financial strain that increased taxes may place on residents. The PTC EC and Budget Study continue to advocate for proactive outreach on the part of the BOE to the community and suggest the BOE create opportunities to hear from the public on our shared values and hopes for the Scarsdale Schools. Additionally, we request that the Administration share the long-term and short-term strategic plan, belonging survey results, special education plan five years out, a capital projects’ plan and financial plan. PTC acknowledges that the strategic plan is in process, the belonging survey has been completed and results are being coalesced, and that the Assistant Superintendent for Business plans to organize a financial forecast sometime in the Fall of 2024. As PTC seeks to encourage voter participation and support for the Budget, we emphasize that the community would benefit from understanding the nuances of the BOE and Administration’s budget-planning process.
Facilities’ Planning
As District Facilities and Buildings continue to age, the PTC EC and Budget Study would like to emphasize the importance of addressing the specific physical spaces at each school that need updating or renovation. One such area is outdoor playgrounds at some of the elementary schools, which need to be maintained and updated both for safety and to meet changing student needs. Another aspect of facilities’ work that the PTC EC would like to emphasize is attention to increased air cooling spaces in the schools. In addition, PTC strongly encourages continued consideration of planning, resources, and advocacy in order to address flood mitigation at the schools. We appreciate that the high school auditorium (a highly used performance, community event, and classroom space) project was included in the Bond last spring, and we look forward to updates on the progress of the work. We do realize that due to budgetary constraints, the District cannot tackle all capital improvement projects at the seven schools simultaneously. The PTC EC would like to emphasize the importance of a comprehensive timeline to understand what the District has identified as priorities, when it is anticipated the items will be addressed, and how they will be prioritized and financed.
The Proposed Budget and Overview
The March 11 Proposed Budget, which was endorsed by the majority of the BOE, totals $184,822,125 for a budget-to-budget difference of $7,047,938 and 3.96%. The Projected Increase in Tax Levy is 4.39% and the Projected Tax Levy Limit is 3.63% putting this Budget at $1,231,466 above the NYS Tax Cap. The estimated tax impact in dollar amount for a median assessed home in Scarsdale is approximately $1,045 with a decrease in the dollar amount for a median assessed home in Mamaroneck at approximately ($2,372).
The PTC EC and Budget Study note, as per discussion during the Budget Study sessions, that our reserves have been declining, and we ask that the BOE and Administration maintain safe reserve levels in order to preserve the integrity of the overall economic health of the District. Regarding District Reserves, the PTC notes, as per the Administration, that “Reserves and Fund Balance provide the District with financial stability, cash flow/liquidity, and demonstrate general fiscal health.” In addition, according to Andrew Lennon, declining reserves have “the potential to negatively impact a district’s credit rating, thereby increasing borrowing costs.”
The Budget exceeds the Tax Cap and thus requires a supermajority YES vote (60% of those who vote) to approve the Budget. If the first budget vote fails, and the BOE revisits the Budget to make further reductions, the PTC EC and Budget Study are deeply concerned that those cuts will be felt districtwide. Furthermore, if the budget vote fails a second time, our District will then have a Contingency Budget, which will require an additional $5.9 million in cuts below the Tax Cap, which would be $7.1 million in cuts from the current March 11 version of the Budget. The PTC EC and Budget Study strongly support a Budget that will provide sufficient resources for our schools and encourage all eligible voters to VOTE YES for the presented Budget on May 21st. The PT Council Executive Committee, in partnership with our Budget Study Chairs, will continue to engage in budget advocacy and disseminating voter information related to the May 21 community budget vote.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
The PT Council Executive Committee and Budget Study Chairs
Leah Dembitzer, PTC President
Meryl Satler, PTC President Elect
Jeanette Rosen, PTC Secretary
Rokaya Hassaballa, PTC Treasurer
Beth Cukier, SHS PTA President
Tina Lin, SMS PTA President
Ammr Vandal, Edgewood PTA Co-President
Jeanine Cole, Edgewood PTA Co-President
Jeannie Adashek, Fox Meadow PTA Co-President
Leena Gyftopoulos, Fox Meadow PTA Co-President
Jennifer Galeon, Greenacres PTA President
Deborah Bhatt, Heathcote PTA President
Erica German, Quaker Ridge PTA President
Irena Spiegel-Turner, PTC Budget Study Co-Chair
Ranjana Saini-Chandarana, PTC Budget Study Co-Chair
**You may read the full statement (with footnotes) here.**
The Sports Swap is Coming on Saturday March 16
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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The annual PT Council Sports Swap returns this year on Saturday, March 16, 2024, from 9:30am to 11:30am at Scarsdale Middle School! The best deals on sports equipment will be coming soon to Scarsdale Middle School.
PT Council will be accepting gently used sports equipment (no skis), musical instruments, and Raiders or Scarsdale youth sports clothing. This event is a great spring cleaning chance to rid your basements, attics, and garages of all those outgrown bicycles, baseball and softball bats, tennis racquets, lacrosse and field hockey sticks.
Merchandise drop off will be at Scarsdale Middle School, 134 Mamaroneck Road, from 6 to 8pm on Friday, March 15, 2024, and from 7:45 to 9:15am on Saturday, March 16, 2024 (before the Swap opens to shoppers).
Donors may obtain a receipt for tax purposes. All proceeds support the Scarsdale Council of Parent-Teacher Associations, the 501(c)(3) umbrella organization over all seven Scarsdale PTA units. PT Council informs and advises the PTAs as they fulfill their mission of promoting the welfare of their students.
If you have questions about this event, please send an email to our co-chairs Sara Farnsworth and Molly Pease at scarsdalesportsswap@gmail.com.
