May 2016 Budget Newsletter - Ichabod Crane Central School District

ICHABOD
CRANE
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
„ Safety Efforts
„ Budget Components
„ School Bus Proposition
„ Budget Questions & Answers
„ Voter Information
CHATHAM • GHENT • NASSAU • KINDERHOOK • STUYVESANT • SCHODACK • STOCKPORT
www.ichabodcrane.org
MAY 2016
SCHOOL BUDGET
VOTE
TUESDAY
MAY 17
8 a.m.– 9 p.m.
Ichabod Crane
High School Gymnasium
2016-2017
BUDGET SUMMARY
Proposed Budget:
$38,133,987
Budget-to-Budget Increase:
$581,987 (1.55%)
Tax Levy Increase:
0.67%
(At the tax levy limit)
VOTERS TO DECIDE
ON TWO SEPARATE
PROPOSITIONS
SAVE THE DATE:
TUESDAY, MAY 10
u PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING
7:00 p.m.
ICHABOD CRANE
HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY
Ichabod Crane fifth grade (and one fourth grade) students recently engaged in a SmARTSchools arts
integration program called “Through My Eyes: Bolivia” featuring Sasha Sicurella, artist, educator and
founding director of the I AM: International Foundation. Over six weeks, Ms. Sicurella took our students
on an adventure in which they explored identity and gained a sense of diversity and cultural awareness
through storytelling, visual presentations and collaborative art-making activities that included drawing,
painting, collage, creative writing and self-portrait photography. This was the second SmARTSchools
teaching artist residency brought to IC students this year through the support of the Berkshire Taconic
and Ellsworth Kelly Foundations.
BUDGET MEETS THE TAX LEVY LIMIT
Proposed Budget Focuses on Expanding
Student Supports & District Enhancements
O
n Tuesday, May 17, Ichabod Crane
Central School District residents will
decide on a $38,133,987 proposed budget
for the 2016-17 school year that not only
maintains all current programs, but provides increased student support in special
education, enhancements to programs, and
the purchase of new equipment to meet
students’ needs.
The budget represents a 1.55 percent
increase in spending, the lowest budget-to-budget increase since the 2012-13
budget. The estimated tax levy increase
is 0.67 percent, which is at the district’s
allowable tax levy limit calculated under
the state’s tax cap guidelines and the lowest
in four years.
In addition to voting on the proposed
budget, residents will also consider a proposition to purchase school buses and elect
three members to the Board of Education.
The final state budget allocates
$14,192,620 in State Aid to Ichabod Crane
for 2016-17 – an increase of $515,052
over the current year. The District also
received $923,896 in foundation aid due
to the elimination of the Gap Elimination
Adjustment (GEA). For years, legislators,
school officials and Boards of Education
had been calling for full elimination of
(Continued on page 4)
ICHABOD CRANE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Two IC Odyssey of the Mind Teams Take 5th Place in the State!
I
chabod Crane Middle School’s two Odyssey of the Mind
teams finished in fifth place in the State Tournament at
Binghamton State University on Saturday, April 2.
The team of sixth graders Andrea Payne, Samara Regan,
Lillian Gould, Analisa Martino, Natalie Allen and Skylar
Scace, coached by Laura Michell-Regan and Maite Ascasibar
performed to the problem “Something Fishy.” The team gave
an outstanding performance of their Long Term Problem
solution. Scoring from their performance and spontaneous
solutions placed them fifth among 16 competitors.
The team of eighth graders Alex Regan, Kristjan Bruno
and Ben Seaman, seventh graders Tim Balon and Nicholas
Gould and fourth grader Julen Payne, coached by Laura
Michell-Regan and Christopher Gould, performed to the
problem “No Cycle Recycle.” Their excellent performance
combined with their spontaneous problem score resulted
in a fifth place finish in a field of 15 teams.
Congratulations to these teams and all of our teams who
participated in the Odyssey of the Mind program this year.
You have filled our Rider Pride!
Safety Efforts Earn Ichabod Crane CSD Safety Excellence Award
T
he Utica National Insurance Company has recognized
Ichabod Crane CSD’s safety efforts for another year
with its Safety Excellence Award. Utica National recently
presented the District with a “Platinum with Honors” level
award during the 36th annual school safety seminar held
in Saratoga. As part of this recognition, Ichabod Crane
received a certificate commemorating its ongoing safety
efforts and a $500 award for use in furthering those efforts.
Ichaod Crane CSD earned the Gold with Honor level in 2015
and the Gold level in 2014.
districts that receive recognition through this program
have demonstrated and documented how various safety
issues are being addressed or would be addressed should
an emergency arise.
Utica National insures more than 300 school districts
in upstate New York for property and liability insurance.
“This recognition belongs to all of our employees who work
hard every day to ensure the safety of our students, staff
and buildings,” said Superintendent of Schools George
Zini. “We are pleased that Utica National has recognized
our efforts once again.”
Utica National’s School Safety Excellence Award Program
has three levels – titanium (the highest level), platinum,
and gold – in which schools can earn a meritorious distinction by meeting specific criteria to enhance overall safety.
Through the program, schools with their own transportation, schools with contract transportation, and BOCES
are evaluated using specific, quantifiable surveys. Categories include bullying prevention programs, playground
safety, transportation protocols, and fire safety. School
Superintendent Zini also recognizes Ichabod Crane Director of Facilities and Operations Steven Marotta, Questar III
Health & Safety Specialist Patrick Paratore and Business
Manager Michael Brennan for their work to ensure Ichabod
Crane met the requirements to be considered for this
year’s program.
2
REVENUES:
Where money comes from to pay for Ichabod Crane schools
Proposed
Revenue Budget 2015–16
2016–17 Change ($) Change (%)
Tax Levy
$22,302,988 $22,451,460 $148,472
0.67%
State Aid
13,677,568
14,192,620 $515,052
3.77%
Other: Rents,
Tuitions, Misc.
921,444
889,907
-$31,537
-3.42%
Appropriated
Fund Balance
650,000
600,000
-$50,000
0.00%
Grand Totals $37,552,000 $38,133,987 $581,987
1.55%
Revenues:
Other
2.33%
State Aid
37.22%
Appropriated
Fund Balance
1.57%
Expenses:
Transportation
5.11%
General Support
11.03%
Employee
Benefits
28.38%
Tax Levy
58.88%
Instruction
51.48%
Debt Service
4%
EXPENSES:
How money is spent for Ichabod Crane schools
Proposed
Account Group
2015–16
$4,204,966 $203,384
5.08%
Instructions
18,676,971
19,630,921 $953,950
5.11%
1,911,767
1,949,712 $37,945
1.98%
Employee Benefits10,893,327
10,821,401 -$71,926
-0.66%
1,526,987 -$541,366
-26.17%
Debt Service
2,068,353
Grand Totals
37,552,000
By law, school districts must divide their
budget into three components—program,
administrative and capital—and compare
them to last year’s amounts. Ichabod Crane’s
three-part budget breaks down as follows:
PROGRAM 2015-162016-17
Amount
$29,226,976$29,729,585
% of total
77.83%
77.96%
INCLUDES: salaries and benefits of teachers,
guidance counselors, aides, nurses, social
workers, psychologists, speech therapists,
etc.; teaching supplies, equipment and
textbooks; library and instructional computer
funds; athletics; and transportation (except
bus purchases).
ADMINISTRATIVE2015-16
2016-17
Amount
$3,080,514$3,173,747
% of total
8.20%
8.32%
INCLUDES: salaries and benefits of
administrators, supervisors and administrative
clerical staff; public information and printing;
insurance costs; legal expenses; and Board of
Education expenses.
CAPITAL
2015-162016-17
Amount
$5,244,510$5,230,655
% of total
13.97%
13.72%
INCLUDES: debt service on buildings;
bus purchases; tax certiorari and courtordered costs; operation and maintenance
costs, including salaries and benefits of
custodial staff, supplies, utilities, repairs
and renovations.
Administrative
8.32%
2016–17 Change ($) Change (%)
General Support $4,001,582
Transportation
Three-Part Budget
$38,133,987 $581,987
3
1.55%
Program
77.96%
Capital
13.72%
2016–2017 Proposed Budget: Questions and Answers
Q. Is the proposed budget within the tax levy cap?
A: Yes. Ichabod Crane Central School District’s tax levy limit for 2016-17 is
$22,451,460 or an increase of 0.67 percent. This is at the District’s “tax levy
limit” under the state’s tax cap calculation and is the lowest in four years.
A. The 2016-17 state budget finally puts an end to the Gap Elimination
Adjustment (GEA), which diverted more than $11 million from Ichabod
Crane schools over the last six years. With the elimination of the GEA,
$923,896 will be restored to the District in foundation aid.
Q. Is Ichabod Crane Central School District getting an increase in
state aid in the coming year? If so, how much?
A. Yes. Ichabod Crane is expecting a state aid increase of $515,052 over
the current year for a total of $14,192,620 in state aid for the 2016-17
school year. State aid accounts for 37 percent of the district’s revenue. The
additional state aid allows the District to maintain all the programs and
services currently delivered in 2015-16 and provides additional student
supports and enhancements through increased staff, programs, and the
purchase of new equipment and services.
Q. If the budget is defeated on May 17, what options does the
Board of Education have?
A. If the proposed budget is defeated by voters on May 17, the Board of
Education will have three options: present the same budget to voters a
second time, present a revised budget to voters, or adopt a contingent
budget. If the budget is defeated a second time, the board must adopt
a contingent budget. In addition, with the property tax levy limit or “cap”
law in effect, under a contingent budget the district can levy a tax no
greater than that of the prior year’s budget—essentially a zero percent
tax levy increase. For Ichabod Crane, a contingent budget would be
$37,689,524, which would mean the district would have to cut $444,463
from the proposed budget.
Q. How is the Gap Elimination Adjustment affecting Ichabod Crane’s
school budget?
PROPOSED BUDGET ...
(Continued from page 1)
the GEA. Over the last six years, the GEA
had diverted more than $11 million from
Ichabod Crane schools.
“We are pleased the Gap Elimination
Adjustment has ended and funding the
District is supposed to receive has been
restored,” Superintendent George Zini said.
“Because of that, we are able to provide
additional enhancements to programs and
our facilities.”
Zini said the District will see savings
from 2015-16 to 2016-17 in the areas of
one-time expenses in the 2015-16 budget (fitness equipment, MS Library walls,
equipment purchases for STEM and
Facilities & Maintenance upgrades), and
decrease in debt service and pension costs.
The District faces increased costs in the
areas of health insurance, contractual
obligations and special education to meet
increased needs.
The proposed budget includes the following changes:
Staffing
• Reduction of two Grade 3 teaching
positions due to 20 fewer students in
third grade next year. One third grade
position to move to Grade 4 and the
other position will be eliminated
• Eliminate 2.0 FTE Teaching Assistants
at the Primary School due to decreased
student needs
• Add a 1.0 FTE Grade 1 Special Ed
Teacher at the Primary School
• Add an Instructional Technology
Curriculum Liaison (stipend position)
• Eliminate six part-time Lunch and
Recess Monitor positions at the Primary
and Middle Schools and increase substitute teaching expenses
Educational Programs & Support
• Increase supply & equipment codes at
the High School for new elective courses
in Organic Chemistry, Forensics, and
Technology Education
• Increase for summer curriculum writing
• Offer PSAT exams for all grade 10
students
• Implement an online credit recovery
program for at risk High School students
• Replace calculators at the Middle and
High Schools
• Increase codes for 8th Grade Moving Up
Ceremony and High School Graduation
Ceremony to reflect increased costs for
these events
• Increase supply codes for Academic
Intervention Services at the Primary
4
School, Special Education and ESL
Districtwide
• Increase Music Dept. code for fees and
dues
• Large paper storage cart at the
Elementary/Middle School for large
rolls of paper
Facilities and Maintenance
• Replacement and purchase of student
desks at all schools
• Replacement and purchase of bookcases
in the Elem/Middle School Library
• Replacement of window shades and
blinds at Elem/Middle & High Schools
• Convert Middle School faculty room
back to an Art room and relocate faculty room
• High School roof repairs and new floor
tile in two corridors
• Paving repairs in selected areas
• Transportation building repairs: HVAC,
Interior Doors and Masonry
Residents are encouraged to attend the
Public Budget Hearing on Tuesday, May
10 at 7 p.m. at Ichabod Crane High School.
For more information about the budget,
please visit www.ichabodcrane.org.
What You’ll See on the Ballot
PROPOSITION 1
Shall the Board of Education of the Kinderhook Central School District,
Columbia and Rensselaer Counties, New York be authorized to expend
the total amount of $38,133,987 during the school year 2016-2017 and
to levy the necessary tax therefore?
PROPOSITION 2
Shall the Board of Education of the Kinderhook Central School
District, Columbia and Rensselaer Counties, New York be authorized
to (1) acquire four (4) SCHOOL BUSES, at a maximum aggregate cost
of $394,297; (2) expend such sum for such purpose; (3) levy of the
necessary tax therefore (and to pay interest thereon), to be levied and
collected in annual installments in such years and in such amounts
as may be determined by the Board of Education taking into account
state aid; and (4) in anticipation of the collection of such tax, issuance
of bonds and notes of the District at one time or from time to time in the
principal amount not to exceed $394,297?
SCHOOL BUS PURCHASE PROPOSITION
A separate proposition on the May 17 ballot seeks voter approval to purchase
four (4) school buses at a cost not to exceed $394,297. The bus purchase is
part of an ongoing bus replacement plan designed to keep the district’s fleet
in safe, working order.
The school bus proposition breaks down as follows:
• $63,335 for the purchase of one (1) 21-passenger handicap accessible bus
• $113,385 for the purchase of one (1) 72-passenger bus
• $235,777 for the purchase of two (2) 72-passenger buses
• -$18,200 trade in for six (7) buses
• $394,297 bus proposition total
Because the District is eligible to receive approximately 58 percent State Aid on
the purchase of these buses, the actual cost to the District will be significantly
less than the amount requiring voter approval. This reduces the local taxpayer
share to $167,576, which would be paid for through a Bond Anticipation Notice
(BAN) over five years.
If approved by voters, the bus proposition
would allow the District to trade in seven (7)
buses that have become too costly for the
district to maintain. Those buses are four
(4) 2004 buses with an average mileage
of 137,229 and three (3) 2005 buses with
an average mileage of 151,272. The State
Education Department recommends that districts replace small buses every five to seven
years and large buses every 10 years.
5
Property Tax Rebate
N
ew York State’s new Property Tax
Rebate replaces the more wellknown property tax freeze credit that
provided property tax rebate checks to
eligible taxpayers in 2014 and 2015.
This rebate applies to the years 2016
through 2019 and is for homeowners
who receive the STAR exemption and
who live in school districts that pass
budgets at or below their tax levy cap.
Because the Ichabod Crane Central
School District stayed within its tax cap
this year, eligible taxpayers making less
than $200,000 a year should receive a
rebate check for $185 from New York
State in the fall.
BUS PURCHASE Q&A
Why does the district purchase buses
on a regular basis?
The proposed bus purchase is part of an ongoing
bus replacement plan designed to ensure student
safety and control repair and maintenance costs on
older buses. The replacement plan has also helped
the district establish an excellent safety record with
the New York State Department of Transportation.
How does the district determine
when to replace a bus? Mileage is not the only consideration when determining which buses to remove from service and to
replace. The primary consideration is the age of the
bus. The average life span of a school bus in the
Northeast is roughly 10 to 12 years mostly due to
weather conditions. The salt mixture used on local
roads is corrosive to a bus’ structure. State law
requires buses to undergo rigorous safety inspections twice a year. If a school bus fails one of these
inspections, it must be taken off the road immediately and cannot be put back into service until it
meets the state’s standards. It costs much more
to maintain an older bus to the state’s standards
then it costs to maintain a new bus. New vehicles
also carry lower maintenance costs for the first five
years, when they are still under warranty.
ICHABOD
CRANE
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Non-Profit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #7
Valatie, NY
CHATHAM • GHENT • NASSAU • KINDERHOOK • STUYVESANT • SCHODACK • STOCKPORT
P.O. BOX 820 • VALATIE, NY 12184
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Anthony Welcome, President
John Chandler, Vice President
John Antalek
Tracy Farrell
Barbara-anne Johnson-Heimroth
Susan Ramos
Regina Rose
Michael Stead
Cheryl Trefzger
Postal Customer
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION
George Zini, Superintendent
Michael Brennan, Business Manager
Melissa Murray, Principal for APPR,
Curriculum & Instruction
DISTRICT OFFICE
518-758-7575
www.ichabodcrane.org
NON-DISCRIMINATION COMPLIANCE STATEMENT: The Ichabod Crane Central School District hereby advises students, parents, employees, and the general public that it offers educational opportunities including
vocational opportunities without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, handicap or religion. Inquiries regarding this non-discrimination policy may be directed to: Title IX Compliance Officer, Melissa Murray, and
Section 504 Compliance Officer, Robert McCloskey, at 758-7575, Ichabod Crane Central School District, Valatie, NY 12184. A copy of the “In Compliance with Section 1.4 (a)” is available in the Superintendent’s Office.
Produced by Questar III Communications Service
SAVE THE DATE: TUESDAY, MAY 10
u Public Budget Hearing . . . . . . . . . . . 7:00 p.m.
u Meet the Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 p.m.
ICHABOD CRANE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY
SCHOOL BUDGET VOTE & BOARD ELECTION
Tuesday • May 17 • 8 a.m.– 9 p.m.
Ichabod Crane High School Gymnasium
Voting will take place by scanning-type voting machines this year, as required by law.
VOTER INFORMATION
Voter Eligibility
You are eligible to vote if you are a U.S. citizen, 18 years old or older and a resident
of the school district for at least 30 days prior to the vote.
Voter Registration
You must be registered before you are permitted to vote. You are already registered if you have:
• Voted in a school election within the last four (4) years
• Voted in a general election from the address within the District within the last
four (4) years. Your name will appear on the Columbia or Rensselaer counties
voting list.
If you are unaware of your registration status, contact the District Clerk at 7587575, ext. 3001. Individuals may register to vote with the District Clerk from 8:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on school days at the office of the District Clerk in the Central
Office of the School District. An individual must be registered for at least five days
preceding an election in order to vote in that election.
Absentee Ballots
Absentee ballots are available to residents who will be out of town or unable to
vote in person because of illness or disability. You may request an absentee ballot
from the District Clerk’s office in the High School during normal business hours
(8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). For information, call 758-7575, ext. 3001. Deadline for requests
for absentee ballots: By mail – Until May 11, 4 p.m.; In person – Until May 16, 4
p.m.; Return deadline – May 17, 5 p.m.
Board Candidates
Featured Online
Three of the nine seats on
Ichabod Crane’s Board of
Education are up for election on May 17. Running
for these seats, in the order
they appear on the ballot,
are Michael Stead, Matthew
Nelson, Anthony Welcome
and Jeffrey Ouellette.
Candidate profiles can
be found online at
www.ichabodcrane.org.
Meet the board candidates
and learn about the budget
at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May
10, in the Ichabod Crane
High School Library.
For additional information, visit the District’s Website at WWW.ICHABODCRANE.ORG