In spite of mandated increases in the Empire Health Plan, the Employee Retirement System and the Teacher Retirement System totaling over $860,000 (these increases have been absorbed into the budget), the Island Trees Board of Education and district administrators are presenting a 2004-2005 school year budget that represents a budget-to-budget increase of 4.5 percent. This is one of the lowest budget increases being presented by any school district in Nassau County. Last year, the 2003-2004 school year budget-to-budget increase was 4.98 percent, once again one of the lowest in the county.

This year's budget offers a complete K-12 educational program. The budget includes financing for: continuing with a nine-period day in the middle and high school; All-Day Kindergarten; the Island Trees/SCOPE Preschool Program; Summer Preschool Program; extensive summer program offerings; district-wide music and sports programs; bus transportation; academic intervention services; textbooks, workbooks, library books, supplies and equipment; computer technology and career educational offerings. Additional college level Advanced Placement course opportunities have been expanded in the high school, bringing the total number of Advanced Placement courses to 13. College English with CW Post and College Spanish and French with Adelphi are also included in this budget.

In addition, the budget contains the funds for the district-wide transportation, special educational and also includes health and speech services for resident students attending private and parochial schools.

The necessary funds to cover the salaries of all civil service personnel, teaching and related educational personnel, administrators, substitutes and aides are also in this budget.

The District Budget Newsletter will be mailed to the homes of all residents in the Island Trees School District. The board of education encourages all residents to review the budget and if they have any questions are invited to attend the budget hearing to be held at the Geneva N. Gallow School on Tuesday, May 4 at 8 p.m.