School Board Approves Dean Field Renovation, Fox Meadow Office Renovation and More at March 11th Meeting

The Scarsdale School Board reviewed proposed changes to the preliminary school budget for 2015-16 at their March 11th meeting and came to consensus on carrying out extensive repairs at Dean Field at the high school, renovating and reorientating the office at Fox Meadow School and funding health care, pension and tax certiorari reserves and an undesignated fund balance.

The preliminary budget, proposed on February 11, 2015, called for a total budget of $148,139,127 which is actually $61,558 less than the prior year's budget, and comes in under the tax cap of 2.93%.

School enrollment is expected to decrease by 47 students for an overall student population of 4,775 students.

The meeting can be watched on the Scarsdale Cable Channel and on the school website --however, here are highlights from the meeting.

Staffing changes for next year:
2 undesignated teaching positions
Reduce 1.0 FLES teacher, add 2.5 reading teachers
Reduction of physical education coordinator
Addition of new ELA teacher
Add of a Special Education teacher at the Middle School
Reclassify the Athletic Director from teacher to administrator
Reclassify the Director of Technology from teaching to administrative

Civil Service Staffing:
Add a .25 FTE position for a secretary for Special Education
New Director of Operational Technology
New Technician
Reduction of purchasing agent – a .4 FTE
Restoration of .5 FT secretary at FM

Board Member Lee Maude remarked that since the district is moving the task of registering students to the main district office from the various schools, and the district has added new technology, she urge the administration to do a study of how much secretarial support is needed at each school.

Expenditures:

New phone system now estimated at $370,000

Dean Field Repairs: The Board discussed whether to fund the $750,000 project over three years or do all the work next year, and ultimately decided to include the entire project in the 2015-16 budget. Purvis explained that there are safety concerns, the soil is compacted, it is not draining properly, the field needs a new fence, and there is not enough room behind home plate. She said, there is "not a good place for kids to stand where they don't risk being hit by a ball. Though re-orienting the field would be ideal, there are wetlands at the far end of the field – which are good for drainage but would require a storm water management plan and would be a big project." About Dean Field, Suzanne Seiden said, "Dean Field has been on our list for years and is important to do." Scott Silberfein said, "I think we should fund it all this year."

The board decided that all the work should be done this coming year, and asked Purvis to give them options for coming up with the funding. She will examine the use of surplus funds to finance the work.

Butler Field: Also discussed was frozen drainage pipes on Butler Field. Purvis said that they don't know how much is needed to repair it and that they will need to wait for the ground to thaw to determine the cost. Again, surplus funds may be able to be used to pay for it.

Fox Meadow Office renovation and reorientation at $395,000: The office will be renovated, there will be a new window from the office to vestibule and a sight line so that people can be cleared before entering the school.

Balanced Literacy Consultant $82,100
Special education – 3-5 outplacements - $540,000
Transportation – new bus at $309,800
Reduction in fuel costs will pay for a new mini bus
Teen center to be funded at $65,000

Reserves:
Total reserves will be 10.1% of the budget
There will be $2,250,000 in the health reserve fund
$1,404,432 in retirement contribution reserve
Tax certiorari reserve at $3,493,011 – based on actual claims
The undesignated fund balance at $5,841659, or 3.94% is close to the maximum allowed at 4%.

The district will share in the cost of building a comfort station – or restroom, at the Middle School tennis courts at a cost of $50,000 to the school district.

Purvis recommended that the total fund balance should be at least 10% of the budget. Last year, Moody's gave the district a negative outlook and commented that our reserves were about to fall below 10%. Purvis said that this level is considered a "good stable number" for government entities.

$500,000 in surplus funds from this year will be put into the 2015-16 budget.

In addition to making these decisions, the administration posted an extensive list of questions and answers about the budget that can be viewed here: The document includes a chart of large class sizes by subject at the high school and shows that 10.4% of classes at the high school have more than 25 students.

A revised preliminary budget will be presented at the Board's next meeting on March 18 at 6:30 at Scarsdale High School.