Health & Fitness
Briarcliff Board of Education — New Math
Briarcliff BOE restored teachers and programs that may cost as much as $750K but the budgeted expenses actually decreased-this new math is perplexing-were these cuts ever really intended?
At the March 19 Board of Education meeting, many programs and teachers originally scheduled to be eliminated were reinstated. If you add the costs of the reinstated programs and personnel, the costs may total $750,000. Yet, somehow total expenses in the budget actually decreased by $25,000. This new math is perplexing—how could so many programs and personnel be reinstated, yet costs decrease? One must wonder whether the BOE ever intended for these teachers and programs to be eliminated in the first place.
The BOE's action may help explain why it has refused our requests to see a line item budget. The budget seems to be inflated and if the BOE released the details, we would be able to locate the excess.
Some of the programs and teachers that were restored:
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Modified sports
Co-Curricular clubs
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Pathways Program (extended through 6th grade)
Choral teacher at Todd School
Dance in the Middle School
Key clerical position at the high school
Speech and Language support at Todd School
The BOE has talked about its financial challenges, but has not discussed its opportunities. Seven teachers and one member of the Administration are retiring and one other teacher is taking a leave of absence. The total salaries of these individuals add up to $1,225,000 (available on seethroughny.com), bringing the total cost, including benefits to as much as $1,700,000. Because of declining enrollment, only some of these positions are being replaced and those that are can be done so at significantly lower costs. In addition, State Aid may be as much as $400,000 higher than the current year.
The BOE has the power and resources to develop a tax compliant budget without firing any teachers or teaching assistants, while retaining modified sports and extracurricular clubs. Let's hope the Board does right by our teachers, teaching assistants, and especially our children at Monday night's Board meeting and everyone can go home happy until next year. Please come to the Monday meeting at the Middle School Theater and let the Board know what you think.
