Westbury School District Superintendent Dr. Mary Lagnado presented the proposed 2015-’16 budget at the Feb. 12 board of education meeting. The proposed budget of $129,368,994 is an increase of 4.57 percent from last year, with a 2 percent lax levy.
The district is still waiting to hear how much state aid they will receive, but Lagnado anticipated receiving $38.6 million (up from $37.7 from last year).
As an additional source of revenue, Lagnado is proposing taking $10.5 million out of the school’s reserves, to make sure the district will be able to add at least 17.8 full time instructional employees to meet the demands of the growing enrollment.
“Some reserves we no longer can keep. One of those is the tax certiary that was set up two years ago. We also have a retirement reserve and that will be given up,” said Lagnado.
In her presentation, Lagnado said she expects the district’s 2015-’16 enrollment (minus pre-K) to be 5,331 students; a 3.5 percent increase from the 2014-’15 school year, which amounts to 179 extra children.
“We must have these new teachers. We need them. If our children are going to achieve, we need the teachers and personnel,” Lagnado emphasized.
Lagnado says that if the state allocates additional state aid that projected, she would like to add another eight instructional staff and four administrative positions.
“It’s a growing challenge with the numbers of students. Logistically if we want students to achieve, we need instructional staff to carry that charge,” Lagnado said.
The proposed budget also takes into consideration the reconfiguration of grades 1 to 5 for Park Avenue, Drexel Avenue and Powells Lane schools. The district is proposing spending $5 million more in instructional programs than last year and will be cutting costs for administrative and capital components.
