55.0°,
Overcast Oyster Bay-East Norwich S.D. adopts proposed 2020-21 school budget
The Board of Education of the Oyster Bay East Norwich Central School District adopted a proposed budget of $60,128,038 for the 2020-2021 school year. The estimated tax levy increase, which is the amount of money needed from taxpayers to close the budget, is 1.53 percent.
An orchestra program would begin at Vernon School through the Fine and Performing Arts Dept. if the budget is passed. Additionally, a Mandarin language elective would be taught by a part-time teacher under the World Languages Department for students in ninth through twelfth grade. The budget also includes the hiring of one full-time fourth-grade teacher, necessary to adhere to required class sizes, while accommodating a growing number of students and a part-time high school science teacher to support the district’s growing science research program.
“I applaud our Board of Education for being sensitive to the needs of the community and for preserving all instructional programs and for supporting several enhancements to benefit student learning,” said Dr. Laura Seinfeld, the superintendent of OBEN. “I also commend their efforts in reducing the number of capital improvement projects and enhancements originally planned in order to minimize the burden on our taxpayers during this unprecedented time.”
Proposition Two- Technology Reserve Fund
The proposition is for the approval of the release of existing funds from the Technology Reserve Fund — at no additional cost to taxpayers — to finance the third phase of the District's 1:1 technology initiative. During this phase, mobile devices would be issued to four more grade levels for students to use as a primary instructional tool. This includes incoming students in grades six, seven, 11 and 12.
Proposition Three- Capital Reserve Fund
The Board of Education, in its effort to preserve instructional programs and enhancements, decided to reduce the number of capital improvement projects from three to two, according to district officials. They include the replacement of two playground surfaces at Vernon and air conditioning in the high school gymnasium. Voters will be asked to vote on releasing existing funds from the Capital Reserve Fund, which would be no additional cost to taxpayer, to finance these improvements.
Proposition Four- Reduction in Transportation Limits
Proposition Four is a separate referendum that must be put up for public vote before it can be added to the budget because it involves an additional expense. Residents will decide whether to reduce the mileage eligibility limits from 1.25 miles to zero, also known as universal busing, for K-6 students and from 1.25 miles to .5 miles for students in grades seven through 12 at a cost of $160,063 for the 2020-2021 school year. This proposition markedly increases transportation eligibility for students and puts the district in line with mileage limits in neighboring districts at an average cost of $40 per household for the 2020-2021 school year.
With the expenditure from proposition four, the total budget would be $60,288,101, the budget-to-budget increase would be 2.62 percent and the tax levy increase would be 1.83 percent. The district would still be within its allowable tax levy limit of 2.05 percent because the additional expense was already taken into account when planning the proposed spending plan.
Residents are encouraged to visit the budget page on the district’s website at www.obenschools.org for further information and updates.
