Budget
The annual school budget vote and Board of Education elections will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, 7:00am-9:00pm.
At its April 11 meeting, the Board of Education adopted the 2019-20 school budget, which totals $94,755,161 and reflects a 3.2% budget-to-budget increase and a 3.72% tax levy increase. The tax levy increase remains within the cap due to the increase in the consumer price index and capital exclusions.
“This year, as we reviewed program and operational needs for 2019-2020 and beyond, we looked for opportunities to fill in gaps and tie key short-term goals with our long-term strategic plan,” says Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Pritchard. “A key piece of this effort has been reimagining how to utilize our current staff more effectively and leveraging efficiencies found elsewhere to create new positions to address emerging needs.”
Specifically, the proposed 2019-20 school budget includes:
- The creation of prevention centers at South Orangetown Middle School and Tappan Zee High School, each staffed by a dedicated prevention counselor to provide enhanced supports for students and their families;
- The addition of one elementary school counselor to serve students at both William O. Schaefer Elementary School and Cottage Lane Elementary School;
- The addition of a Director of Safety, Security and Compliance focused on student and staff safety;
- The addition of a Coordinator of Data, Assessment and Accountability to inform data-driven decision-making and meet reporting requirements; and,
- More classroom redesigns to promote innovative and collaborative teaching and learning.
“The budget adopted by our Board of Education will support SOCSD in meeting the academic, social and emotional needs of students, complying with state and federal regulations, and making program enhancements,” Dr. Pritchard notes. “It reflects both a more creative approach to utilizing our limited resources for maximum long-term impact and our commitment to minimizing the burden on our taxpayers.”
Upcoming public events:
- Tuesday, May 7 at 7:30pm, SOMS Library: Board of Education Regular Meeting and Public Hearing on the 2019-20 Proposed Budget. Community members may ask questions regarding the budget at this meeting.
- Tuesday, May 21, 7:00am-9:00pm: Annual Budget Vote and Board of Education Election
For information regarding voter registration, absentee ballots and polling locations, click here to go to the Voter Information page.
Questions about the budget? Email [email protected].
2019-20 Budget Materials
Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view forms posted below in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) and may be downloaded free from the Adobe website. Unable to access the forms? Please contact the Business Office for assistance.
Board of Education Election
This year, elections will be held for two Board of Education seats. Board of Education members serve unpaid, three-year terms; the term for both vacancies is July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2022. Following are the candidates’ names in the order they will appear on the ballot, based on a random selection process administered by the District Clerk:
Seat 1: Rosemary Pitruzzella (incumbent) and Cara Stepanian
Seat 2: Daniel Lamadrid (incumbent)
Upcoming public event:
- The South Orangetown PTAs will be hosting a Candidates Forum on Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00pm in the Tappan Zee High School Library. Community members are invited to meet the candidates and ask questions.
Questions regarding the Board of Education Elections? Please contact District Clerk Kathy Muscari: [email protected] or (845) 680-1012.