001We've been sitting here for an hour. >> How How about now? Okay. Good evening everybody. I'd like to call the regular meeting to order and uh have you stand for the flag salute. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay, thank you for that. Um, can I get a motion to approve tonight's meeting agenda? >> A motion. >> Can I get a second? >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Okay, Pearl. Any blue cards? No blue cards. We'll move on to item D, special presentations to the board. Staff recognition five and 10 years. Good. We'll have everybody come out. Are we ready? Okay, we are >> start there. Right. Work
002our way up. All right. We are here to celebrate our staff members who have 10 years of service with the district and five years of service with the district. We are going to start with those teachers who have five years of service. So, when I call your name, come on up. go around the horn and then you can come back down and set. All right. So, five just scanning for a second. Okay. Five years of service. We have James Donahghue. >> I can't believe it's been five years already. That went by fast. Now I know why you said hi. >> Nathan Drabo. Jim. >> Oh, I forgot. You're gonna go see Jordan and then you're gonna come back and sit. >> Jennifer Fellows. Mary Lou Green. >> Ashley Medina. Did I say it right? Ashley,
003>> Amy Reer, >> I never know last names, but I know the faces and I know the first names. >> Thank you. Grayson Shel Shelton All right. Those staff members with 10 years of service to the district. James Chittenden, I don't believe he's here. No, he's not here. Okay. Thomas Kolabuffo. Where's he going? >> Where is he going? >> Oh my. >> Oh, >> no. Smart. Smart girl. >> WHAT DO YOU MEAN? >> WELL DONE. RIGHT. I guess. Yeah. Smart. S smart people. >> I should have waited for him to go last. I just should have. Stupid. >> I know. All right. back. Michelle Darusi. >> Did I get it right? My fanatics. Kimberly Havens. So formal Kimberly. Nope. It's written Kimberly Danielle House. Kelly Mita. and Regina Patterson. And then those staff members who
004could not be with us tonight for 10 years we have Emily Basile, James Chittenden, Patricia Beltranelli, Terresa Hunnled, Travis Knight, Tonia Leforest, Mercedes Lewis, Lisa Peterson, Donna Royer, Melanie Sheridan, Mitch Stander, and Mary Kate Walker. And for those with five years who could not be with us are Brian Benson, Alex Kadana, Amanda Essel, Cassandra Hansen, Tabitha Krauss, Michelle Maxwell, Sarah Van Martyr, and Vzy Gowry Vzy. Thank you to everyone for your years of service. If we could get a group picture, five years together and then 10 years together and then there are cookies and water. Help yourself. And thank you very much. Plenty of cookies if you want to bring the individual cookies home. Help yourself. Lot of cookies. Lot of cookies. Okay, if I could get everybody to return to their seats. We've got
005Moren's next up. right there. >> I remember when it was year one. Oh, what is that? >> All right. >> Thank you, sir. >> Okay, Moren, whenever you're ready. Floor is yours. >> Floor is yours. >> All right. And I was given a deadline. I got to be kind of quick, >> which is fine. And everybody >> heard all of these before, so that helps, too. I wanted to start by reviewing our fiscal stress scores. These come out every year. They're done by the controllers's office. Um they have a monitoring system that they've put together which basically they're identifying issues that are supposed to indicate budgetary solveny. They um do it through different expenditure reports that we submit to them. They do it for the cities, the towns, the villages and the school districts. Um
006the system indicates scores for financial and environmental stress points. They have key drivers for fiscal stress. Basically your year on fund balances, operating deficits or surpluses, cash cash position, and if you have any reliance on short-term debt. The environmental indicators which are more so out of our control are your economically disadvantaged students, class sizes, teacher turnover rates, change in property values, our voter approval rates, and if we have ELLL students, this is the um how the scoring rolls. But if you're under 29.9, so under 30, you don't have a designation. And generally most districts are under 30 right now. These are our scores over the last five years. We have no score. We've gone down on our fiscal score. We are hanging at 20 on our environmental score, which I was kind of surprised at
007with the um the budget going down last year. And this is the part why I like to show it to everybody. They have 669 schools in these graphs. 48 of them are considered Central New York schools and 224 of them are considered medium upstate schools. So this gives us comparisons of Central Square over those other three sets of districts. So um fund balance we're generally lower than the than the mo most of them and the same with our total um fund balance as a percentage of gross expenditures. Obviously one is low the other's low. um our operating surplus deficit we were very tight last year coming in remember it was a really tiny so that's hence the and cash investments to current liabilities we're good to go on that front the fifth indicator is the
008cash as a percentage of monthly expenditures so far we're still hanging tight at 121.5% and so Our stress score is zero. The um the school general schools is six. Central New York schools is 8.4 and medium schools is 6.2. So we really are in decent shape as far as the indicators go this year. Our environmental indicators are economically disadvantaged students. Central Square is at 49%. All schools are lower at 447 and Central New York and medium upstate schools are lower. So we are a little bit higher than the average. Our teacher to student ratio is a touch higher than the averages and our turnover rate is actually not lower than the average. So that's a nice score there. Um the change in property values, this is a nice one too. Our property values have continued
009to increase year-over-year. We have a steady increase versus other areas of the country of the state go up, they go down, they go up, they go down. Our voter approval rating here obviously was lower this year that it did when it didn't pass. And we don't even score in the ELLL because we don't have any um English language learners that stay very long. Our environmental score were higher than the averages and that's due to obviously the scoring of the the vote last year is bringing us up a little bit. These are I pulled out the stress scores of our county and we're kind of right in the middle. We have no stress score and three of the other districts have no four of them have none. Um a few of them are popping in the
0106.7. That is one score on one indicator. Um Fulton is our outlier. They um they kind of having a bad set of time frame right now. And you can see um um the prior year and the year prior to that. So fiscally, as far as the stress scores go, we stand pretty good. I did look um the controller came out with a when these went in the paper I think it was last month he basically said that um only a total of 31 school districts 4.6% scored and we're designated in fiscal stress and it's up from 22 districts the year before 3.3%. Um and he thinks that it's because of falling into the wake of the COVID pandemic that um the number of districts designated fiscal stress because of fund balance you usage is going
011to increase to slowly get us adjusted to the end of the pandemic funding and that's exactly what's happening with most districts. Any questions on that? I just want to review the property tax quick tax cap quick before we look at the budget presentation. This came into effect. Um the cap is used to limit the amount of the levy that a school district can set across the um district. It's not about the assessed value and it's not about the tax rate. So, it's only about the levy, the piece that we set. I keep this in here even because it's old, but I like the percentages. I think it's interesting. This is the entire state, the way school districts receive funding. And interesting that state aid is 36% and property taxes is 54%. Because we're the exact
012opposite of that. our funding is dependent on the state aid versus so we're not like the good majority of the state this is the calculation and these are the components involved I obviously won't go through it but this is why I feel like it's a total misrepresentation when people say it's a 2% tax cap if you look at the way this is calculated can I do my little thing there's a number right here um allowable levy growth factor um can go up up to 2%. That's the only part that has the 2% across this entire calculation. So that is just totally misrepresented when it comes to how these are calculated. this year our tax cap I won't go through the calculation but we get a um growth factor put in there pilots are put in
013there and the big pieces is the capital tax levy exclusions and the add-ons which is essentially our capital projects and our debt. So when you go through and you add in your projects versus the debt, it goes in and out and we're starting to come to even because most of our building project is it is done and our finals have been submitted. So our building aid is starting to match our debt. So that being said, our maximum allowable is 2.99%. So, what what does that mean for our residents and our um people? The 2.99% would be the levy increase, which is the piece that the school district has control of, which is the blue. The town assessors, and we have 11 townships that we tax across, are in charge of the assessments, and then New
014York State is in charge of the equalization rates, and each town has its own equalization rate. So when we look at this right now on the left hand side over here we estimate I mean what's it March I make this estimate based on the assessment being the same as it is right now and the equalization rates being the same right now over here when we actually levy the taxes in August and the other two factors are updated we consistently are a lot lower some of it is absorbed board by increases in the assessed values over time and the equalization rates changing accordingly. So right now if we're looking at the 2.99% it it gives us a 12.98 based off of our rate right now is at 12.6. So what that basically means is 38 cents
015per thousand. So on a $100,000 home, $38 would be the increase at 2.99. This comes from our um forecast five. Central Square is the second column right here. Um I'm going too fast. So we're about half of what the others are. So we're right here and this is our county. So, some levies are lower, some much higher. Fulton and Phoenix are way up there. And then APW and Sandy Creek are down, but they're also so much smaller than we are. So, we kind of hang right with Central Square, um, Hannibal, Mexico. We're kind of in the mix between the rest of the county. And this is our tax rate every year. Um, we've definitely lost ground on the rate with not going to the cap for the last four years now, I think it is.
016So, that's kind of what happens when you don't go to the cap. Your rate doesn't stay um level, so to speak, and we're losing rate as we go forward. Does anybody have any questions on property tax cap? The only thing we have at our disposal at all would be if we want to go over the cap, we have to get a 60% voter approval. And very few districts do that across the state. And the ones that do actually don't have a a good um percentage of passing. All right. our budget proposals. We are looking at potentially a budget of 106 million and change. It is a 3 um I keep pushing the wrong button. It's a 3.28% increase over the 102. This is the budget year we're in right now. And again, um, state aid
017is our big driver. And as you can see, the state aid, it's actually enough to change the percentage with how small our packages this year as far as our state aid money. Um, and the tax levy is staying essentially the same and we are going to designate some fund balance to help make up some of the difference. So, our state aid, all of our budget is detailed here. State aid is about 63 million. Um, our miscellaneous is about 6 million appropriated $3 million and the tax levy here at $2.99 for 34 million, but it's a $106 million and change budget. On the expenditure side, we have to present balancing budgets. Um we have it shown in the six categories that we generally deal with the salary and fridge benefits being the bulk of our budget.
018um about 8% of our budget is wi with Bosei services debt service is a small percentage and our other and our fuel and utilities are also small and these are the details of the that budget and these the detail of these expenditures is available online it's on the web if people want to look at it the details of So, as we were saying, um, the salary and benefits makes up 72% of the entire budget. So, I try to go through these quick and just show you it's staff and bene and we have a lot of staff. I feel like because we're have a small feel to us and because the elementaryaries, you know, feel small, people don't realize just how big we are and how much staff we have. So this is just the elementary
019staff. Classroom teachers, UPK, special ed overlays that um AAS and curriculum consultants overlay that at the middle school and the high school. This is the staff that we have there. and then the the special ed overlays at the elementary and middle school and the high school with between the teachers um the bridges program and we have speech OT and psyches and then now we have mental health that also overlays over all the ele elementary school and high school with the counselors the social workers and the um social worker assistants. So, our total teaching staff that's inside that contract is right now at 332.5 positions. Our teaching assistants, this one is a what we goes up and down every board meeting. You see them on your personnel um pages, but we currently well when I did
020this last, it's changed it's changing tonight in the board bagget. We have 126 and the bulk of those are special ed. We have very few building TAs and then we have a set of them that are at in at the UBK level and that's required. Um we have one at the health office at the middle school and the high school and some of our 12 month sisops are TAs. So they kind of like move out of the the other positions and move into >> and Moren I think it's important that people understand that we've had months where we've had eight students transfer in all of which had IEPs that required a onetoone by law. So we had to have eight teaching assistants right then and there. >> And that's what you see every month when
021you get on the personnel pages that you are looking at to approve. It's basically kids coming and going. It's what's driving it. This is our buildings and grounds units. We have 47 custo custodial staff, six grounds and five maintenance. The grounds and the maintenance workers go are across the entire district. our building clerical. We have district office clerical, transportation, that number changes too. It goes up and down monthly, but it's usually ranges around 90. Our non-instructional supervisors is a small unit that has supervisory um that would be your food service director, your facilities director, technology people are in there, and then we have nurses and monitors across the district. And these up on the right is the individual contracts. And then down here are the admin of that. This um 12 positions are supported by
022grants and the rest of the positions are in the general fund budget. So what we're doing to get into the budget that we're proposing to bring to you tonight, our plan is to keep the programs in place. We are not adding anything and we're just trying to maintain the progress that we've had. This is going to be tough given that there's such a small increase in state aid. So the budget increase is small. Um we're doing that by adding some re um some reserves and some use of revenues and with some um declining and eliminations based on basically enrollments. We're following our enrollment projection too. So hopefully not hurting program and courses but trying to follow the number so to speak. So it's a budget increase of 3.28 with a tax levy increase of 2.99.
023We're going to use inner fund transfer from debt service to 790,000. Health insurance. This is the end of it. 156341. That's why it's such a funky number because that's all that's left. Um and use of reserves. So these again are oneshots. We've been doing this for a couple years now, trying to get us past the the state aid issues, but that doesn't seem to be changing. So, when you're looking at the budget, I just want to be clear about where these different things stand out. So, these are the oneshots that are here, here, and here. And then this is the 3.28% which is the budget increase. Yeah, Moren, I it it's really kind of concerning that we've we've got to go back into the reserves one more year. I mean, I talked about it earlier
024that that I'm not comfortable with that. um in that at some point the day of reckoning is coming and and then if you look at your slide from the previous presentation where our reserve funds is not really at at par with other schools I I I you know if if it's to build a budget and you don't think that we're going to actually use it that's one thing but if if >> there's h it's half and half you hope that you build enough um what do you want to say cushion in the budget and like I always say I stand up here you like to have 2% in the revenue, 2% in the expenditures. And 4% is not a lot. Even though it's big numbers in terms of, you know, millions, but it's not when
025you think about it, like if you think, you know, something was going to be a dollar and it's a dollar two, you don't think about it, but it's just 2% more, you know. So, yeah, it's concerning. We also have are trying to um decrease some of the expenditures. Let me show you that first to try to um push some of it together on the revenue and the expenditure side. Um again, a tax levia 299 which that's obviously much lower than it's been the last few years now that the capital projects have come on. This I put in here again just what the 299 represents if people are looking at these slides separately or um so it's basically $38 per 100,000 of assessment. This is our enrollment decline. This is without UPK. So it's it's a
026little bit um smaller than the numbers that we normally say out loud you know but um we and with the live birth data that's currently exists they will go out to the four years and we are still considering I mean are supposed to decline depending on what and when micron happens right now based on birth rates in our school district there isn't going to be any increase so we we made the administration Everybody worked really hard to come up with reductions that really don't impact programming but follow the declining enrollments. And this is also in there. Um the eliminations of some positions, two elementary, two at TA level, two middle school, two high school, and a special ed position. That's part of why between some of these changes and the um we got quite a
027few retirees this year. That's helping us be able to have a budget that's only going up 3.38%. Because obviously we have to like push that at some point. >> Yeah. And it to me it doesn't it it doesn't help that you've eliminated nine positions but still have to still have to take almost $3 million out of reserves. So that >> Yeah. That >> I mean between >> state aid what was it? It's going up foundation a is going up $400,000. I mean it's it's not >> right. >> Yeah. And that even even if we got to 2% right. So let's let's say we all said a little prayer and we got 2%. We're still not making up that >> no >> that three million. I mean, we continue to try to, you know, put cost
028savings measures in, but at this point, we're trying to, I guess, we're supplementing it, wanting to use our rainy day funds before we really impact the programming. >> Did I read that right is going up 13%. >> Yes, but that's not You have to be very careful of that. It's it is, but a lot of that is on us. We are starting to send a lot more students to Boseies because we we are you know I always say pushing that but that's a good thing. So we encourage it. So there's a lot more students going to Boseies. >> Um there's a lot there's kids in PEC now that that didn't used to be. We have kids in synergy programs that are um virtual programs that that didn't used to be. There's just a lot more
029things going there. So the actual administrative budget I think was going up 3 point something that we saw the presentation from Jeremy. So but a lot of our increase is due to our use. >> We're seeing more intense behavioral issues that we cannot house that in a traditional school setting. Boseies has a slew of staff members and and behavioral supports that it would cost a component district a million dollars to run a program like that. However, it's very expensive and you get aid on it when you're sending, you know, Boseies, but you got to come up with bill that first. But we're seeing more students with these extreme behaviors than we've seen in a long time and they're in both programs. I guess my concern with that is we're increasing 3% with our budget, but
030one of the big line items is going up 13% that we have to pay out. So, we have to make up for that someplace else. >> Yep. >> Oh, yeah. >> And that's where we're making, you know, if you go back to the biggest cost drivers for as on the expenditure side are the positions, you know, because that's includes benefits too. These are smaller. some of these ch Bosey's changes. Um we're just getting rid of some of the software that we use forecast five so we won't have any nice graphs anymore going forward. Um and our instructional te specialists were adjusting the time down a little bit that we need them. Um we are going to um there's some clubs that have low participation so we are no longer going to do paid advisors for
031them. It doesn't mean that the clubs can't exist, but um the adviserss won't be paid positions by us. Um athletics at this point, some of these are numbers, so they're not necessarily set in stone, but um the AD is feels that the modified soccer numbers aren't going to be there, so we might get a position there. And the same the last time we spoke to Mark Woods about the music that the numbers he had, we were looking at combining the JV and the varsity winter guards and the middle school and the high school drum lines. Again, these are some things that we'll have to keep assessing as time goes by and the numbers come in because the numbers weren't accurate. So, the numbers for combining the and it's important to say before we get a
032100 phone calls that we hit pause on combining the drum line because the original numbers we got were in the 20s, not 63. If you combine them two together, you can't have 63 kids in the gym doing combined drum line. So, we're still looking at that. Um there's going I should I should go back but one of the elementary positions and one of the TA positions that we are quote saying that we're saving or reducing are actually due to um Aeron's changing the UPK grant which that's another presentation for another another time but those two positions will move over there and be supported by the grant and the bulk of the UPK we're looking at having full day So, we are going to be that eliminates the UPK midday run. So, that's a nice um
033reduction there and we're proposing that we don't supply um district portion of overnight field trips that we don't pay for it. So, we analyzed the field trips a year ago. Out of the I think there was like 23 overnight trips, the bulk of them used coach busing, but there was about eight of them that used the district busing. So that we would ask that they pay for the busing even if they use the district. And then um we're looking at having three um special patrols officers across the four elementary. >> We have one that's retiring at the end of this year again. It's coming with Yeah. So everything is due to um declining enrollment. We're trying to follow all the numbers and make our savings where we can without totally touching the programs. So this
034is kind of our last spots that we went. So we're still hoping future I mean we're going to have to continue to do capital projects. 27 2027 should be our next project. Um, we need to we still look at and bounce around long-term plans for CSI. Um, that's always out there. And then the biggie is Micron. I mean, if Micron goes the way it's supposed to go and we double in student population, that totally changes the game. So, >> I guess, you know, to piggyback on what Steve was saying, >> um, and thank you, Moren, you know, you know, you you do everything you can to try to bring these together, these numbers together with, you know, the pennies that the state is giving us. And so, just to clarify, the 400 was for foundation
035aid. That was based on the 1%. >> Yes. >> And so, that possibly could double. We're not talking about millions of dollars, but that could is that not there. We're not getting 2% potentially anymore. >> I haven't heard much of anything. Have you Tom? >> No. Okay. >> I mean, they're really not say it's I can't believe how quiet the whole thing has been. >> Yes. For it's, you know, been a crazy election year. >> And so was that was that like last year the 2% was a safe harbor? Is 1% the safe harbor this year or did we actually get 1%? >> I don't know. So this this is it right here. So this is this 400,000 is the 1%. So it would be another 400,000 if it went up to 2%. Which obviously
036>> would be great, but it's still not saving us anything. >> We would, you know, we put it right here and hopefully not use this 400,000. It's not that significant that it's going to change anything >> big. Our actual total state aid P package is going up 2.36% because of the expense expense based aids that are driving. >> Yeah. Aiden, you're right. It all drives, you know, the more you spend, the more you get, but you got to remember you're spending it to get it. >> Yeah. You're still spending a percentage out of the budget. So, >> um, and I guess so based on your last slide about, you know, well, if Micron Hap happens as, you know, as it's supposed to and we get all the extra students, it changes the game. But we're
037at least five years out from that. And so, you know, to piggyback on what Steve said, it's concerning because, you know, it's one last shot, one-time things from the reserves, but we've we've got to we've got to bridge at least five years, and that's if the benefit, you know, that's if that actually >> occurs as we hope it does. Um, you know, going forward, again, I share the same concerns. You know, when I started on the board, when Steve and I started on the board, you always had the 3 million out of the reserves. It was always there. But when you looked at when you looked at the budget versus the actual the actual was almost always zero for what you actually used from the reserves and that's changed drastically and so you know that's
038I guess that just want to >> that big concern there >> yeah huge concern absolutely so that's where you know where is your where do you call it on your rainy day so to speak you know what I mean do you use it all up when do you you know you go half and half keep going a few years in hopes that and I mean we're not the only ones that Everybody's get becoming, you know, in this situation. I think I heard FM he said like this is not sustainable. We've never put this type of fund balance towards it and it's, you know, >> very little minuscule amount on state aid. But with the cap, >> it it does, >> right? Right. >> But it's also a misnomer because we get the on board, right?
039the newspaper being on the school board and on the cover it was two months ago it had you know the state education budget increased 3.5% and I even had people that came to my house and saw it on the counter were like oh that must make you happy you know that's that's much better than the 2% you got last year I was like no actually we are only getting one right >> you know I I don't know where the other 3.5% increases are going but >> yeah but I think and it's don't quote me on these numbers but of the 700 districts I think like 240 of them are on the safe harbor which is the 1% this year. So I mean the bulk of a lot of the districts, you know, they're all losing
040population and that's one of the big drivers of the foundation aid formula >> and that's not going to stop happening with >> not no not and not unless they change it. And obviously they keep changing little pieces of it but I think they're going to have to like really revisit that whole pie of how they're going to do it. >> Well, right. But if that's a third of the school districts of the state, you know, are getting 1%. Yeah. >> And it's and they're saying the biggest driver of that is because they're losing people. Well, how are you supposed to attract people when you're taking money from the education system? >> And what they do is they come back and say that's your own fault for not taxing as high as the cap was. Although
041the fact that we went two straight years with a 0% tax increase, they almost look at us like we were stupid for doing that. When really we were doing that for the community, but they think that we left millions. And now the community is hurting because we left that money on the table. >> Well, and it I mean to some extent that's a fact, right? I mean we knew that it it's a fact we did leave money on the table, but the reasoning behind it what we thought was, you know, ethically and morally and >> I think at the time I mean everybody had we all had the co money, right? So it wasn't like it was just a thought of here in this room. It was kind of like the trend, you know, like
042districts all like act together in what they do and how they, you know, >> but I do think it's important though, Moren, because I know a lot of districts that they put out the referendum for a capital reserve, which means you have to put that out to the voters. We didn't feel comfortable to say, "Hey, we have great state aid that we're getting." Yeah. >> We have an abundance of money that we can put in um unencumbered funds, right? Like this is great. We didn't say, "Hey, we're gonna pass the hat around and hit you up at that." We went two straight years without doing it. But a lot of districts still went all the way to their cap >> or at least half. I mean, anything they got >> to their cap and they
043built up these reserves. So, if we were in a different spot and we had four years to get to the big numbers of COVID, if we never did that, we'd be sitting like some of the smaller districts with $20 million in reserves saying it's not a problem, right? But we did it the right way. And as a result of that, >> the right way for our constituent community. >> Yeah. >> Um Okay. >> And that's part of your why you are all here as board members. I mean, >> but it's responsibility of the community, too. >> It's still shocking that the twothirds of the, you know, I'm assuming that a third, again, you have the numbers, but a third of the districts are getting two or 3%. And these other districts that are getting the
044high stuff to make it average out to 3.5. >> I mean, >> yeah. And a lot of that though the 3.5 is the the expense based aids. Okay. So like that. So if you look at our we're at 2.38 if when you count the whole package. That's the whole package. So you've got a capital projects statewide in there are driving up the building aid depending on the expense aid. Like oh well but you're getting that but yeah but we have to >> we have to buy it. We have to pay for that with it first. >> And what are we paying for both these? 85% 80%. What's our >> our It's down to 76% is our >> Yeah. So 26 of every $100 or 724 of every $100 is coming out of that budget. It's
045not coming from the state. >> Right. >> Yeah. And we don't have control over that number. We don't have, you know, it's it's always been my rub on this is that, you know, the Boseis budget doesn't get voted on. They just hand us a bill, right? This is what we can do. this what we can't do, >> you know, and and their overall support. And what really puts us behind is that you can't out of the property tax levy, we can't tax our way out of the money that's required, >> Right. Because we we're not in the position if it was flipped like everybody else. If you know 69% of our budget was tax levy, so we can we can go out and that will gain us some up. But when it's only that amount,
046you know, the raise of $4 million between, you know, 23 and 27, right? It's it's not it's not a lot of money. And we could go six six to 8%. I've run the numbers. I'm retired now. I've run the numbers. You you're not taxing. You're not taxing your way out of this this this dilemma. you know, as a as a as a result of the state aid in relationship to our overall budget >> only going up 1 or 2% when everything else I would love that buses are only only going up 1% fuel, healthc care cost, everything that's associated with the district. I said that before your two presentations ago, I don't see a lot of ones and twos. >> I see a lot of fives and sevens, >> right? >> Well, anyone that goes
047to the grocery store. >> Yeah. And and to me the telling sign is that you've cut nine positions and you're still >> need more money. >> You still need more money >> and it's the worst possible time. It's like the planets aligned in a bad way in the fact that we have record lows of numbers of students in our area in upstate New York or in New York and the whole region that are going to college to be teachers. We have far less people that want to go into administration and or definitely district office. And so you have districts right now like us that are in the negotiation times right now that are trying to entice a very small candidate pool to come to their district because at the end of the day what the
048parents want the most is when they say to their kids, hey, how was school today? Well, you know what's that? Is my son learning? Is my daughter learning? Are they reading on grade level at the end of third grade? Because they're four times less likely to graduate from college if they're not at another nine times if they come from poverty. That's what they want. They want the best teachers. They want the best administrators that are hiring the best teachers that are handling situations. And we have we we're all fighting for the same small candidate pool. When I started as a teacher, ask Aaron, we were in the same pool coming out of college. There were literally there would be 175 to 200 applicants for two positions. And you fought like hell. You you were in
049a suit. You you were ready to go. Like you knew what you you volunteered for every committee knowing you weren't getting paid for it. Now it's flip-flopped. Teachers are working harder than they ever have because they've got the gaps between the struggling students and the higher level students like a Grand Canyon. Teachers are expected to literally plan 10 lessons for one lesson because that's how differentiated they need to do. They're working harder than ever and the state's giving us far less to be able to to compensate. So, we're going to get through it. I'm confident we're going to get through it. Um I I'm I am confident too that the co or that the co Jesus that uh the the micron numbers will come but we just have about four or five years to really
050have some difficult decisions before that. >> Well to your point Tom if the numbers hopefully do come and we do see a rise with the children we still have the limited applicant pool that we want to attract. So yeah, >> questions. >> I always say no, I need solutions. >> This is such great news all the time. >> I don't want people think it's doom and gloom. Like we're still sending the same numbers of those kids to both. When you see them get off the bus, they're super excited. Heavy equipment, nursing, it's amazing programs, cosmetology, like these kids, they don't realize what we're going through. And they're getting a top class education. they've got a a well-rounded I mean looking at the opportunities that our students have um they're involved in many things and DECA
051and and so yes we've been through times like this we'll continue to readjust and and how we're doing certain things so that the most important the students are having least impact. No. And I and I think that, you know, if all you have to do is look at the test numbers from last year, I mean, when we scored the best out of the other nine, you know, out of the nine component districts within, you know, what we have, you know, we're we're we're doing very well as a district. Um, and it's just, you know, you just wish the state would support it a little bit more because it's it's our tax dollars, too. I mean, I don't know. >> And that's why we really don't want to touch the program because it's working right now,
052>> right? It's working. >> It's working. So, we want to keep it. >> Yep. So, we're just gonna try to >> try to keep going. >> Yep. >> Okay. On to item E. Can I get a motion for item E in its entirety? >> A motion. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Okay. On to item F, consent agenda. Could I get a motion to accept that in its entirety? >> A motion. Any discussion? All those in favor. >> Okay. On to item G. We'll start with I'm sorry. Uh start with student board member report. >> All right. Uh first of all, DECA states competition was held in Rochester from March 4th to March 6th. Central Square had 14 students in attendance, five top 10 placements, and three top seven placements that have the opportunity
053to compete at the international level in Atlanta, Georgia at the end of April. And spring sports started yesterday, and we had some start today because we didn't have school yesterday. The theater program and student government members have the opportunity to go on a trip to New York City. April 8th through 9th to see Broadway shows and participate in workshops, which is really great for them. And this past weekend, Aubrey Green, Paige Ryder, and Cadence Williams competed at the indoor track and field state championship. Each girl placed in the top 10 for their individual event. And lastly, the theater program starts previews of the show lay miss tomorrow, second block, and full showings will be Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night of this week. That's all I have. Okay. Board members report. Anybody have anything they'd like
054to talk about? >> I do. >> Go ahead. I went to the um drum line show. >> I went to the drum line show on Saturday and um it it was very very nice, very wellrun. The music boosters always do a great job. Um lots of people, lots of raffles and so it was very good. Aaron and Christian were there. So yeah, it was very nice. >> Okay. And I um I know you all check your email every day, a couple times a day, but I did send out there's there's big changes coming. New York Inspires is is starting to get implemented. So I I took a couple presentations and condensed it down to like what you can expect as you know what the board's role and responsibilities are going to be and what what
055the administration's going to have to deal with that. But that's a really big thing that's coming down the pike. So, I just thought um I can kind of condense it down, take a look at it and see if you got any questions thing. But I'm really excited about it. Um I think a lot of it is really what we've been doing all along pathways and now we can really start applying um new ideas and new theories. it goes. It It was I I had a pleasure writing 24 hours in a truck two weekends ago with a retired elementary school teacher who I have the fondest admiration for. And her biggest thing was the model that we've been doing really needs to change. It really does. She goes, "It just doesn't it doesn't think that it's
056going to work anymore." So with that, you know, hopefully the state will get behind it with both policy and money. Is it too early to know how well we're positioned as a district to align with >> what's coming? >> Uh, I I think so. I mean, I I I'm look at >> Yeah. Well, >> how well we're positioned to be aligned as a district with what's coming with the changes as far as pathways for students and and what it should look like going forward. >> So, we so we are already kind of ahead of some other people. we currently are scheduling and some of the changes that we're making and the pathways that we have for kids. Yes, there's going to be more pathways, but we've we've started it. So, we've kind of worked out
057the kinks, but we are >> we already have some seals. >> Yeah, we already the seal of biiteracy, the seal the seal of civic readiness, the music um we just started this one, the IAP. Um but the way that so each level is kind of different. So the elementary the way we schedule share kids team all of that totally aligns with this. Okay. >> Middle schools teaming um the shifts that are being made at sixth grade totally aligns with this. And then all the work that we're doing with the tech side of things is going to be the other kind of pathways and that's continuing that work. So, um, once we know more from the state about it, like there's still some things that there's only certain parts of it that are out, like it's
058a phased in approach. Um, but we are we are aligned and >> they were saying like internship, job shadowing, college training. We've been doing that already here as a course. So, in so many ways, we're so much further ahead. We've been doing a lot of the things that they've been saying. They're calling it a portrait of a grad or so. They're calling it a Yeah. portrait of a graduate. We've been calling it the portrait of a Central Square graduate for the past nine years. If you look at them, they align perfectly about well-roundedness. The number of students we send to Bose is 185. So, it's like we can actually say we have these career pathways. We have districts in our county that don't have a business department, right? So, and we have the best business
059department and what they provide. So, in so many ways, the alignment's already there. >> Do do we anticipate a large change as far as graduation requirements? So, >> or too early to tell. >> Go ahead. >> Well, right now the credits are staying the same. Okay. So, as the state is looking at um changing some standards, the state's going to be prioritizing standards. So, rather than all of these standards, they're going to like shrink them a little bit for us. But that credit piece, they have not totally came out and said, "These are how many credits you're going to need to graduate." There still will be credits. One of them they do know is our kids in high school are going to be required to have a CTE credit which they do not have right
060now. That's a different requirement. Um we've got some courses or they might not they don't necessarily have to be courses but content that needs to be taught to kids. Um the financial literacy piece which we all know that are kids that need that, right? Like that's a big thing. And then a climate course. So those are phased in next year. Middle school and high school will have the personal f or I keep calling it personal finance, the financial literacy course. Elementary is going to have to have that information taught to the kids in some shape between kindergarten and fifth grade. >> We kind of know the topics, but we don't have the standards yet. So once we have um all of that and then the following year when elementary is it bringing in the financial
061literacy, the climate course will be in middle school and high school and then the following year after that will be elementary. So, um, so there's still information to to come to us to that we need to implement and make changes on, but, um, for the part that's out right now that has been approved and is moved, um, we are we're in a good shape. We're in good shape. And our teachers, we just did it yesterday, the teachers at every level were very, um, they were excited about it. they had time to work and um you know come up with some real life like what does this mean for me right like as a student why do I need to learn this right like I think our kids have all said that why do I need
062to learn this I mean I still say that about algebra but um but there are so how do you how do you bring that to kids so that they want to be here and they want to go to that class um so that's kind of the shift that's coming but it takes time and you know really kind of thinking differently. How can you find people out there, those community partners that can come in and make it real for the kids? Like, wow, this is really a job, right? Like, I could do this for for a career. Um, so, but the teachers at all different levels, we broke up and they were all very receptive to it and excited about what can, you know, where we can go now. like our hands aren't as tied in
063some places to you have to do this or you have to do that, right? So, um and once both the federal government and the state government get on the same page, then um >> even better when things are decoupled, we can sunset things. >> Understood. >> Thank you. I know. >> Unburn. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you so much for that. It was um a a great impromptu status of how things um are going. I'm I'm excited about it. But anytime you have an opportunity to kind of clear the slate and come up with your own ideas, I have a bigger um confidence in the 328 people that work here to come up with what a Central Square student should have when they walk across to get their graduation certificate than anybody in the federal
064or state government. Personal personal thing. And I'll I'll stop with that. If I just Tom, I think it's important too because when we went through that process, we sought input from all the stakeholders for the portrait of a central square graduate, right? And it was funny because it was like two or three or four years later that New York put out their portrait of a graduate and it literally looked like they copied it from our website. >> Um, and so that just that was seven years ago. >> That just goes to show like we didn't have that guidance. Now, all the other districts have similar things, too. And some of them probably were doing what we were doing before, but it just goes to show that the community, the students, the administrators, the teachers here
065already knew that. We didn't need the state to tell us that. In fact, we knew it better than the state did, you know, and so it is it's frustrating that it's constant. It seems like, you know, we we if they would just give us the money and the latitude to do what we need to do, we would be getting it done at a much much faster pace. >> If you have kids that struggle in integrated algebra because they can't get it in a book in math class, if part of that math can be taught when they're in residential structures and they're doing sloping slope for for a roof of a shed they're building. That's the way that's reimagining how to do it and that's it's bringing back the excitement and that's what the teachers are
066excited about. They're not handcuffed to very rigid regions requirements. It's it's reimagining. There'll still be regions courses if students, you know, for the more, you know, um rigorous uh course opportunities, of course, but it's not going to be prevent kids because they struggle taking a test, >> right? >> Yep. >> Yes, you're up next. >> Uh just a a great little announcement. Um, Bascll has always paid for anything that comes with overtime because Basal is before and after school daycare program. They're now in all of our buildings. They were uh YMCA was in uh Brewerton for the longest time. It's Basel across the board and um and it's been it's been good. Um, however, we had to shut down um, Bascal in the summer after August 14 to make the rooms weren't getting cleaned the
067way that they needed to get clean. Uh, staffing was is becoming an issue for Bascal. However, we're able to pick that up, so there's no break. So, starting on the Monday the 17th of August, they'll be operating out of CSI paying the full cost for 100% of the overtime pay for us to be able to have a custodian down there. None of it will fall on the district. Basel pays 100% of that, which is which is great. It's a win-win. There were a lot of frustrated moms that called me up um and uh we were able to come to a good agreement with Bascal, so that's good. Um the other thing is um Winter Guard was amazing. Not this Saturday, Saturday before. We hadn't had a board meeting in a while, but they had 42
068schools, which was a record. It was it was long. Uh I mean, I didn't even get for the first two hours, but it was six hours. It was so impressive. And and the families come out and you couldn't have Winterguard Drumland without all those parent volunteers that are running around doing all the things, selling the food, rolling out that special carpet, the whole nine yards. So hats off to them. Um our winter guard traveled to Corning uh Payton Post High School to compete in the Winter Guard International Corning Regional. They competed against seven other guards from New York and Pennsylvania and they finished first place and became the regional champions for their class and five out of the seven competing were high school guards. Our guard consisted um of many students. This will be posted
069for the sake of time. There's if I said all of them, I got 150 students to name here. Thankfully, um Emma said the students from DECA, so she took care of that part for me. Um overall, we had a great sports uh season. Um the uh um um drawing a blank bowling um Noah the with our >> unified bowling drawing a blank unified bowling is great if anybody isn't familiar the last thing I'll say is unified sports are where you have the gened students with um some high need special education students and it's amazing to see what they get out of that but what's what's also great is for the parents that have children with that um that are have, you know, very challenging um special ed needs. To be able to see them on
070a team, to be able to be out there like any other kid, it's it's a wonderful thing. And for me, I that really means a lot to see that. It's a great community. Again, we're I I can't believe I was just talking with our student board rep. Spring is here and before you know it, we're going to be shaking hands at graduation. It's been a long year winterwise. The weather we still knock on wood. I'm not even going to say it. I was going to say how many we have left, but we're in good shape. So, that uh that concludes the report. >> Okay. Thanks, Tom. I am going to make a motion that the Central Square School District Board of Education hereby approves the library proposition resolution. Got to get a second. >> A
071second. Any discussion? >> I kind of figured that's why I made it. >> I understand that we have no control over the monies that they are asking for. But in my 26 years on the board, not once has that library committee come in and explain what's happening at the library, what they're doing, what grants they're applying for, how many people come in and use the facilities, and that kind of thing. And I have no problem approving this. But I think since we are putting this out on our budget vote with a sep separate referendum, I really think for the um they need to come in and talk to us. >> And I I think it's important you bring up a good point. I don't want anybody in the community to go, wait a minute, four
072out of the past five years there's been a library vote. Why the board the board can't prevent any any of that from going on. So e even if the board didn't put it's an automatic. So when the local libraries say that they're going to be asking for taxes, the board doesn't have the authority to say no. So I don't want you guys have to take enough on the chin. I don't want you to think I don't want people in the community to think why didn't they say no this time for the past three years. You don't have the ability we no one has the authority to be able to say no to it. >> And and I'm not saying that to downplay. There's just been people asking going well that's like three years in a
073row. I just don't want anybody to think that the board by approving this is approving whether they agree with it or not. It's just you the board doesn't have a say. It has to go on when they ask for it. >> Yeah. >> So the the voters can say no. >> Correct. >> And the library could ask for less, >> right? >> But we can't we can't eliminate their vote during the time of budget. >> They just use our ballot essentially. And so and and by using our ballot, we have to vote to include it on there. But we don't have any discretion as to whether it gets included, how much it's for, any oversight of it, nothing. >> That's correct. >> Okay. This is a roll call vote, so we'll start. Pearl. >> All
074right. Steve, >> yes. >> Fishman, >> yes. >> Douglas, >> yes. >> Lucas, >> yes. Okay, thank you. Can I get a motion to approve H2? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Okay. Thank you. I will make a motion that the Central Square Central School District Board of Education hereby move into executive session to discuss matters leading to the employment of two particular people for tenure with no action to follow. >> No, just one. >> Oh, just one. Just one person. >> Can I get a second? >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor?