Submitted by Nicole Nagel

Why would you propose an increase in a time like this? If you have other teachers retiring you don’t need that much. You just increased our property taxes a year ago. Why do you think you have the right to ask for more money? You can learn how to deal without a raise.

Can’t you run Professional Development by lead teachers in your buildings? Why are you paying for it? In my building PD’s are rarely done from outside people. We pull from our pool of teachers with the knowledge and expertise in areas we need PD in. Professional development doesn’t always mean guest speakers, special classes, etc.

How much have you saved on busses during the quarantine? Electric? Office supplies? Bathroom supplies? Kitchen supplies? None of this is being used. So you’re saving money there. Also, substitute teachers aren’t getting paid. So why with all of the above that you are saving, and I am SURE there is more from where you’re saving, are you asking for this astronomical amount?

Response:

Thank you for your comments.

The 2020-2021 Wappingers CSD annual budget is the spending plan that includes many areas and functions.  Some are instructional while others are non-instructional - however, all are relevant to the operations of the school district.  These areas include salaries and related benefits, contractual expenses, and supplies.  Every year the budget is broken down by areas that are non-negotiable (ie: NYS mandated expenses for retirement, various insurances, student tuition payments, salaries secured by bargaining units and the associated benefits, expenses related to District debt payments, etc.), somewhat negotiable (ie: professional development, contracted services at the building level, etc.) and negotiable (ie: supplies, equipment, leases of equipment, etc.) as evidenced on slide 7 in the Superintendent's Recommended Budget presentation from 4/20/2020 (https://www.wappingersschools.org/cms/lib/NY01001463/Centricity/Domain/20/Supt%20Recommended%20Budget%202020-2021_April%2020%202020.pdf).  As part of the budgetary process, the somewhat negotiable and negotiable areas are reviewed.  Reductions in these two areas of the budget were made for 2020-2021.  The work continues and we believe that State funding has yet to be finalized.

Professional Development is important at WCSD and for our students.  However, we are also mindful of the costs involved with such training.  The turn keying of the experiences by staff who attend to their building level colleagues is vital to keeping the costs in this area as low as possible.   

We do anticipate seeing savings from the school shut down but we also expect increased costs as well.  As we move through this Extended Pause as mandated from NYS, essential functions do continue in our school buildings.  We are not shut down.  These include Continuity of Learning, Distribution of Meals, and Childcare;  http://www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/coronavirus/nysed-covid-19-essential-services-3-23-20.pdf.

We must continue the upkeep to our buildings and grounds as we prepare for the upcoming school year both instructional and non-instructional.  We are carefully watching what this pandemic means for WCSD financially and what effect it will have on future budgets. Any savings that were to occur during this present school year will have a greater impact on the 2021-2022 school year since it will roll over in the Fund Balance. 

We encourage you to review the annual budget calendar and all of the work done concerning the budget at https://www.wappingersschools.org/Page/28791