What do these school initiatives mean for you?

Tuesday May 16 saw the Lynbrook Board of Education budget pass with an impressive 77 percent of the vote. Three additional propositions were also passed — so what exactly are they, and how will they benefit Lynbrook students?

Proposition 2 authorized an expenditure of up to $464,179 of the Technology Reserve. A Technology Reserve proposition is nearly always on the ballot to keep Lynbrook schools up to date, and has no additional impact to taxpayers. This year, the money will go to replacing nearly 20-year-old wiring at Marion Street and West End elementary schools. In addition, the district is looking to implement an electronic door system — meaning the doors would be controlled by a card swipe system that helps ensure that only authorized individuals can enter the school. This recurring proposition allows the district to update and replace the devices and networks that students, teachers, and administration alike rely on.

“In the past, we've replaced our entire network operation center with it,” said Paul Lynch of the technology reserves proposition, who will be succeeding Dr. Melissa Burak as Lynbrook superintendent on July 1. “We’ve replaced our entire wireless infrastructure with it. So that's where it's very useful.”

Proposition 3 will allow an expenditure of $1.77 million from the facilities reserve to keep school resources up to date. Similarly to Proposition 2, Proposition 3 is vital to schools’ wellbeing and is therefore almost always on the ballot. This year, the money will fund the replacement of all classroom doors at both Marion and West End — which are currently at least 70 years old, if not originals. The money will also go to renovating the elevator in Lynbrook High School and a student bathroom in South Middle. Finally, the money will also update school tennis and basketball courts.

“There are cracks showing, and that's where our tennis team plays,” Lynch said. And the blacktops aren’t only for the tennis and basketball teams — community members often use the courts for exercise or leisure.

“So it's for the students, but also for the community at large,” he added.

Proposition 4, unlike the yearly propositions 2 and 3, is a long term plan. It authorizes the use of $2.5 million over the next 5 years to update school grounds as necessary, and confirms that the grounds reserve will continue to run at least through 2028. Lynch explains that reserves cannot run indefinitely — the district must periodically check in with Lynbrook constituents to make sure they still approve of the program. The grounds reserve, which was created in 2018, was due for its reapproval.

“Now it's time to ask to check in with the voters,” Lynch said. “Do you still want to have this reserve in existence? As you saw on Tuesday night they overwhelmingly approved, ‘yes, that is something we want.’”

None of these propositions have additional effects on Lynbrook taxpayers.

“For 30 years, the Board has been managing their reserves,” Lynch said. “This is the benefit of that — we can maintain a lot of our infrastructure without additional burden to the taxpayer.”

To learn more about the Lynbrook School Board budget and propositions, visit lynbrookschools.org.