School Board Uses Federal Funds to Restore Some Cuts
An infusion of federal funds from the recently enacted stimulus package has filtered down to the Huntington School District, allowing trustees to restore several faculty positions and programs cut during the 2009/10 budget development process.
At Tuesday night’s Huntington School Board meeting, trustees decided to use the federal monies to restore two elementary grade level teaching positions to the budget along with 1.4 secondary level faculty posts. Also restored were two elementary librarian positions, funding for the district’s arts-in-education program and monies to keep the Huntington High School library open during after school hours.
The use of grant monies will allow for the restoration of the dual language coordinator/Spanish-as-a-second language teacher and the high school special education chairperson positions. Trustees also approved a reallocation of funds within the existing budget to cover the restoration of three coordinator positions in the physical education and humanities departments.
Trustees also refined and reduced other budget lines to offset some new spending, including the elimination of about $15,000 that had been earmarked for the purchase of a new security vehicle. The Town of Huntington has indicated it will be donating a surplus vehicle to the district.
Some of the federal funds that were sent to New York helped restore a proposed large cut in state aid to local school districts, including Huntington. The district also received $479,633 in additional monies from the federal stimulus package. The federal government established rules on the use of these funds, requiring districts to devote the monies to supporting the “educational mission” of the school system and either saving or creating jobs.
As a result of the budget moves, year-to-year spending is expected to increase by a little more than one percent. The tax rate increase is estimated at 2.89 percent. Trustees will adopt a budget next Monday night (April 20) at their meeting at Jack Abrams Intermediate School at 7:30 p.m. Voters will cast ballots on the spending plan on Tuesday, May 19 at Huntington High School from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Restoring the elementary librarian positions will allow for the establishment of a new educational program for second, third and fourth graders. On the intermediate level, librarians will teach six or seven additional classes each week, working with fourth graders engaged in independent study projects. On the primary level, librarians will cover eight additional classes a week, working with second graders in creative storytelling and with third graders in literature and creative writing, including group culminating projects.
The SEARCH program for fifth and sixth graders and Math Olympiad will also continue on the intermediate level. The arts-in-education program will see a restoration of $40,000 in funds to support a wide range of performances and trips for students on all grade levels.
Trustees also authorized a retirement incentive for teachers who had previously bypassed it. The action is expected to produce a financial savings for the district.
“The School Board has worked hard to strike a balance between providing an exceptional educational and co-curricular program and keeping the tax increase as low as possible during these difficult economic times,” Superintendent John J. Finello said.
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