Residents Heading to the Polls May 19
Residents are encouraged to head to the polls Tuesday, May 19, to vote on their respective 2009-2010 school budgets and trustees.
Floral Park-Bellerose Elementary School District
Residents are being asked to consider the Floral Park-Bellerose Elementary School District’s budget of $26,395,722, which carries a budget-to-budget increase of 5.33 percent to fund the playground replacements and other capital projects currently on the table and a projected tax levy increase of 2.80 percent. The tax levy increase is subject to adjustment, pending final state aid allocations, school officials note.
Highlights of the proposed budget include an expenditure of $840,000 to improve student/staff health and safety. Capital projects at John Lewis Childs School and Floral Park-Bellerose School include the replacement of 17-year-old playgrounds, including rubberized safety surfaces, classroom floor tile replacements, ceiling and lighting replacements, improved safety glass in the interior stairwell doors, masonry work to help prevent leaks, plumbing backflow controls and steam heating equipment replacement.
School officials note that all projects will be eligible for a reimbursement of approximately $373,800 in state aid or 44.5 percent of the final cost. Approximately $260,000 in bond debt will be retired this June .
The district also intends to continue with green cleaning initiatives, purchase SMARTBoards for all second grade classes and replace 10-year-old computers for third- and fourth-grade student use as well as expand literature and non-fiction classroom libraries.
Further, the proposed transportation proposition will amend fifth and sixth grade eligibility for bus transportation from the current one-mile limitation to one-half mile for the 2009-2010 school year at no additional expense to the district.
Voting will take place Tuesday, May 19 between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. at both voting districts: District No. 1 – John Lewis Childs School (10 Elizabeth Street) and District No. 2 – Floral Park-Bellerose School (2 Larch Avenue).
Sewanhaka Central High School District
Residents are being asked to consider the Sewanhaka Central High School District’s budget of $150,667,035, which carries with it a budget-to-budget increase is 1.84 percent and a tax levy of 3.44 percent.
Voting will take place Tuesday, May 19, between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. at both voting districts: District No. 1 – John Lewis Childs School (10 Elizabeth Street) and District No. 2 – Floral Park-Bellerose School (2 Larch Avenue).
Elmont School District (Stewart Manor and South Floral Park)
Residents are being asked to consider the Elmont Union Free School District’s budget of $71,226,777, which carries with it a budget-to-budget increase of 3.3 percent and a tax levy increase of 2.3 percent or $64 more a year in school taxes for the average Elmont home, which has been valued at $420,000. According to school officials, the Elmont district ranks third among the 57 school districts in Nassau for least spending.
Highlights of the proposed budget include an electrical service upgrade at the Elmont Road School as well as masonry and univent rehabilitation at Covert Avenue School, along with the replacement of roof areas and windows. Moreover, two large student buses will also be replaced. This budget will also help implement a new, district-wide science series for all grades and an enhanced district-wide enrichment program. SMARTBoards will be installed in every first grade classroom, resource room and library throughout the district. Further, a speech teacher and a part-time psychologist will also be funded through this budget.
Voting will take place Tuesday, May 19, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Visit www.elmontschools.org for the latest budget and voting information. Residents should be advised that changes have been made to polling locations and postcards have been mailed with more information. Questions? Call 326-5500.
