An April 15 Board of Education work session enabled residents to offer feedback regarding the proposed 2002-03 school budget. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stephen Leitman and his staff have carefully pruned the budget and are awaiting a green light from the board.

According to Dr. Leitman, the proposed budget does include funds for curriculum development. K-12 committees will continue to align the curriculum with New York State standards with emphasis on the district's goals of reading, writing and critical thinking. "Staff development will continue to assist staff to add new strategies for implementing curriculum while differentiating instruction for the needs of students. Staff development is also crucial for the planned implementation of middle school restructuring and full-day kindergarten in the 2003-2004 school year," he added.

Director of Transportation Tom Cross was on hand to answer questions regarding the status of the district's bus fleet while John Powell, assistant superintendent of Business and Finance, examined the increased costs of various insurance programs, including BOCES and workers' compensation.

School Board President Ken Monaghan reiterated that the proposal is still under review, pointing out that this year the district faces a variety of challenges in developing a budget that addresses instructional and capital needs while still maintaining fiscal responsibility.

The fiscal prudence Monaghan spoke of has resulted in the deferral of several district programs, including the middle school writing center and a foreign language program in the lower grades. Because state aid, which represents 5.63 percent of the budget, has significantly decreased, Monaghan urged residents to write their local legislators requesting improved state funding for education.

Following a series of budget work sessions, board members said the proposal has "evolved into a financially sound document that accomplishes several budgetary goals" and allocates the necessary funds to enable students to exceed state standards through the various educational programs.

The ultimate goal, they said, is to continually upgrade and improve the existing educational program, which maintains the district's class size policy, accommodates growth, supports and extends instructional programs, continues to implement capital improvement projects and introduces new instructional initiatives. Some initiatives include a professional development program with nearby Adelphi University, a district-wide curriculum writing initiative, the implementation of instructional support teams in all district schools, middle school restructuring and recruitment.

The budget will also provide for the continuation of the district's ongoing program initiative plan for a third year. Funding for the fourth year of the five-year capital improvement plan, instituted to complement the improvements funded by the December 1998 bond referendum, is also supported. The board and district administration have reviewed, analyzed and scrutinized the budget to develop a reasonable proposal that will maintain the high quality of educational programs that the Garden City school district is known for.

As in past years, the instructional portion of the budget (60.9 percent) is where the heaviest spending is. The instructional program ensures that students will have opportunities to reach their potential and be prepared academically and socially for the 21st century. Residents are reminded to take advantage of the opportunity to vote on the budget Tuesday, May 21 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the high school gym.

Residents of the Garden City Union Free School District may vote if they meet the following legal qualifications: a US citizen, 18 years old or older by May 21, a resident within the school district for 30 days preceding the vote and able to be registered in the district.

Applications for absentee ballots are available to qualified registered voters from the District Clerk in Room 1 of the Administration Building, 56 Cathedral Avenue, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The ballot must be received no later than 5 p.m. on May 21. The District Clerk will send ballots to those residents the Board of Elections certified as "permanently disabled." Call 294-3010 for further information.

Monday, May 13 - Public Hearing

8:15 p.m. in high school

Tuesday, May 14 - Voter Registration

4-10 p.m. in high school cafeteria

Tuesday, May 21 - Budget Vote

7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in high school gym