Key Highlights from Schenectady City School District’s Board Meeting

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — In a productive meeting held on Wednesday evening, the members of the Schenectady City School District Board focused on significant policy changes and announced a new collaborative initiative with the New York Department of Health. They proudly reiterated their commitment to a 0% tax increase, ensuring financial stability for the community once again.

Financial Insights from the CFO on District Funding Stability

The Chief Financial Officer, Terrence Gillooley, provided an insightful overview of the district’s financial health. He stated, “We do, do zero. But we’ve been able to support this. A lot of that has been in the last few years, at least since I’ve been here is from the support of the grants and the increase in foundation aid that we have received over the last couple of years.” This highlights the district’s reliance on external funding sources to maintain their budget without imposing additional tax burdens on residents.

Teacher Voices Concerns on Sustainable Spending Practices

Despite the positive financial outlook, concerns were raised by a district teacher regarding the sustainability of current spending practices. Michael Sylvestri expressed, “There can come a time when money will not be coming into the district like it has been, and going out with a zero every year, or sometimes lowering the levy could put us in a position where at some point down the line we would have to ask more of our community in a short period of time.” This serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of long-term financial planning in educational institutions.

Streamlining Tax Refunds: New Policy to Reduce Paperwork

In an effort to minimize administrative tasks, the board has initiated changes to their tax refund policy concerning overpayments. Moving forward, only tax overpayments of $50 or more will automatically trigger refunds. Board of Education Vice President, Nohelani Etienne elaborated, “It’ll save on postage and just the effort that it takes to send the refunds out. But we did discuss the capability of being able to alert folks, letting them know where they can go to determine if they’re to do a refund.” This policy aims to enhance efficiency while maintaining transparency for taxpayers.

New Health Initiative: Partnership with the New York State Department of Health

Another noteworthy development is the district’s partnership with the New York State Department of Health, aimed at providing lifesaving training and access to critical medications such as Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan. Etienne explained, “Essentially it would be a program enabling us to administer, you know, if there’s a need and ensuring that the training is provided those things across the district. So, this would be in-house. We wouldn’t have to outsource or have anyone else provide the training and administering anything for our students.” This proactive approach will significantly enhance student safety and health resources in schools.

Superintendent Update on Weapons Detection System for Middle Schools

Superintendent Dr. Carlos Cotto Jr. provided a crucial update regarding the installation of a weapons detection system in the district’s middle schools. He mentioned, “We now transition to middle schools. The equipment for the middle schools were slightly delayed due to some shipping issues. We did receive the equipment for Onieda on Tuesday, but the implementation is going to be a soft launch for this week, and everything is going well, so far.” This initiative reflects the district’s commitment to ensuring a safe environment for all students.

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