Westbury’s best spellers and artists were in the spotlight at the district’s second April meeting.
All 56 students who participated in the district’s fourth annual spelling bee on March 13, were named by Superintendent Tahira A. DuPree Chase and some of the teachers involved in coordinating the competition. All those in attendance were honored with certificates.
“56 scholars demonstrated how well they could spell. It was such a nail biting experience,” Chase said to an enthusiastic crowd. “These spellers could participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee someday.”
The district also specifically recognized the top three students from each age grouping of the competition: honey bees, or kindergarteners, worker bees, or first through third graders, and bumble bees, or fourth through eighth graders.
After the spellers, most of whom were wearing their bright yellow bee participant shirts, took their seats, Nidla Keaveny, the chair of fine and performing arts, honored over 30 students, all kindergarten through 12th-graders whose artwork qualified to appear in the All County Exhibit.
All in attendance were then treated to student performances, including a group of fourth-graders dancing to a Brazilian piece they had prepared in February for Black History Month and another group dancing to Cynthia Erivo’s “Stand Up.”
“Park Avenue School did an amazing performance during Park History Month,” Chase said. “I asked if they would share it with the community because they did such an amazing job.”
“We have a lot to celebrate, to recognize in the Westbury School District,” Board President Robert Troiano said. “The most important thing about recognizing the scholars and staff is to create memories for young scholars.”
Before beginning the night’s student honors, the board took advantage of its large crowd to provide a third budget overview to the community before voting to adopt it later in the meeting.
“Since we have an audience of parents here, we thought we might take the opportunity to have Dr. Chase and her team present on the budget we are going to ask residents to vote on,” Troiano said to an auditorium full of students and parents.
The district’s $201,341,468 budget proposal remained unchanged from its presentation last week. The board’s proposal, which is up 1.22%, or $2,423,357, from this year, includes a 0% tax levy increase. This means that district families will continue to pay the same amount in school taxes, which amounts to $9,471.29 annually for the average household.
According to calculations by Schneps Media LI, the district spends $44,485.52 per student.
“This budget determines the direction of our district and was developed with a purpose. The purpose is to prepare our scholars for opportunities that don’t yet exist,” Chase said. “Many of us hear about jobs of the future, being 21st century ready, 22nd century ready. We want our scholars to be at the forefront of global experiences.”
Under the budget, voters will see Proposition Two, which asks them to approve the transfer of up to $8,370,433 from the district’s capital reserve to use for district construction, reconstruction, renovation, and equipping of school district buildings and other facilities.
The district plans to hold its budget hearing on May 6 and budget vote on May 20.
