Carle Place School District residents will vote on the school’s $58,689,234 budget proposal on May 20.
The school board adopted its proposed budget, which includes a 1.99% tax levy increase, at its March 3 meeting.
The tax levy increase is under the 2.39% tax cap and the budget is $1,503,216, more than this year’s $57,186,018 financial plan for a 2.63% increase.
The tax levy increase would result in an additional $180.90 annual property tax payment for the average district family, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business Joanna DeMartino.The district spends $44,293.76 per pupil, according to calculations by Schneps Media LI.
Though the budget adoption meeting was largely uneventful, it follows a string of budget information sessions that have included contentious public comments.
Some residents have requested that the board decrease teacher benefits or only pay for students to take public transportation to school instead of private school buses to decrease costs, both of which the board had said they could not legally agree to due to state law.
Residents had previously also questioned the necessity of certain capital improvements despite the board showing photos of spaces in the school nearly falling apart, as well as technology upgrades, including to the district’s core switches, which ensure proper WiFi connection in school buildings, and digital learning software, which the district said would prevent internet blackouts and were necessary to support students’ digital learning.
Read more: Carle Place holds second budget meeting
However, the district did make one change to next year’s proposal due to public feedback.
Superintendent Ted Cannone announced that, due to previous public comments on the importance of small class sizes, there would be five sections, or classrooms, for fourth grade during the 25-26 school year instead of four.
Voters will also see a proposition asking for their approval for the district to take $3,738,700 from its capital reserve to fund five capital projects across the district, including renovations to the high school girls’ gym roof, districtwide security updates, and upgrades to the middle/high school’s fire alarms.
Voters will vote on one open school board seat, which Lawrence F. Zaino, Jr. currently holds. According to the district clerk, April 21 in the filing deadline for candidates.
Read more: Carle Place presents on instructional staffing, building level costs
Despite the importance of budget adoption, the district’s student-athletes stole the show Thursday night.
Three students from nearly 10 middle school girls’ and boys’ teams were presented with teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship awards for their work during the recent season.
“We’re really honoring core values that are going to guide them far beyond their middle school, high school, and college days,” said Justin Block, the district’s athletic director, to the dozens of families and teachers gathered to honor their students. “If you look in this room right now, this is the future of sports. We talk about the big names we have – At some point, they were trained by our middle school coaches and teachers.”
The district will hold a budget hearing on May 8 prior to the May 20 election, which will be held in the Carle Place High School multipurpose room between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. All those who wish to vote need to be registered with the Nassau County Board of Elections.
