Dozens of Port Washington School District staff members received tenure or were honored for their upcoming retirements, followed by a school budget hearing and presentation on district technology use during a school board meeting on May 6.
Over 35 teachers, administrators and other Port Washington School District staff received tenure, while 18 others were recognized for their upcoming retirements.
Among the dozens of staff members across the district receiving tenure was Paul D. Schreiber High School principal Kathryn Behr, who joined the district over three years ago after working as an assistant principal at Jericho High School.
“Dr. Behr makes it her business to know every student and their story,” said Linda Kulla, the co-president of the Schreiber High School Home and School Association. “The Schreiber students are her children whom she guides and nurtures. She relishes in their successes like the boys basketball team finishing second in the state finals, and she consoles them in their losses.”
Kulla said Behr leads the high school with calmness, strength, empathy, and, above all else, a smile. Kulla and other speakers at the board meeting also thanked the dedication of the 37 other staff members across the district receiving tenure, and 18 staff members soon retiring.
Following a reception for the tenured and retiring staff members, the Port Washington Board of Education returned to its regular meeting for a brief hearing on the adopted 2025-2026 budget and a presentation about the district’s use of technology in the classroom.
The school board adopted a $199 million budget on April 22, which voters will decide on in an election on May 20. The nearly $200 million budget is approximately $4.5 million, or 2.28% higher than the 2024-2025 school year budget. The tax levy increase for the upcoming school year will be at the state-mandated limit of 3.39%.
According to a calculation by Scheps Media LI using the district’s enrollment data and proposed budget, if the voters pass the budget on Tuesday, May 20, the Port Washington School District would spend around $37,000 per pupil in the upcoming school year.
During the May 6 budget hearing, Kathleen Manuel, assistant superintendent of business at Port Washington School District, said the adopted budget would allocate $4.2 million for capital repair projects including roof and chimney repairs at the high school and Salem Elementary School, bleacher repairs at Weber Middle School and flooring replacement across the district.
With no attendees commenting on the budget, the school board closed the budget hearing and listened to a presentation on the district’s instructional technological needs.
Sean Feeney, assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction and assessment at the Port Washington School District, detailed how programs used across grade levels in the district, including Google Classroom, which organizes assignments and feedback, or EdPuzzle, which provides interactive assessments during video lectures and other learning activities, enhance student learning.
“In today’s world, technological fluency is not optional; it is foundational,” Feeney said.
Feeney also said that technological devices and programs alone will not change students’ learning experiences, but how teachers implement them in the classroom will.
When considering how to handle issues like too much screen time, especially for younger students, or not using devices productively, Feeney said the district should establish clear and balanced device usage guidelines and support teachers in professional development.
Feeney also said the district should evaluate the implications of the state’s mobile device ban for the upcoming school year and continue to monitor device usage data when making future decisions.
Voting for the Port Washington School District 2025-2026 budget and trustee election, where incumbent Deborah Brooks and newcomer Jessica Melwani are running unopposed, will occur at Weber Middle School from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20.
