School Superintendents Provide an Update on Our Public Schools

On April 8, 2025, the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit hosted the school superintendents from Mamaroneck and Rye Neck to discuss the current state of education and address the challenges facing each school system for the upcoming year and beyond. Mamaroneck Superintendent Dr. Charles Sampson and Rye Neck Superintendent Dr. Eric Lutinski engaged in an hour-long discussion addressing numerous school-related issues.

School Board elections and Budget votes are scheduled for May 20, 2025, and a significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the needs of their districts. The question for both superintendents is how to balance those needs with the economic reality of today.

As part of the budget preparation, Dr. Sampson’s team engaged in a comprehensive scheduling analysis to find ways to more effectively utilize school time for both students and faculty. This analysis disclosed significant teacher staffing shortages, particularly at the high school. Another staffing concern is that the counseling staff has very large caseloads as compared to other schools.

Dr. Sampson explained that, in general, class sizes at Mamaroneck High School were larger than those in the rest of the county. He noted that certain Regents classes at Mamaroneck High School, such as chemistry and geometry, are the largest in Westchester. Furthermore, he advised that the high school is unable to offer all the electives that interest the students, although four new AP classes will be added by September 2025. Also, Dr. Sampson said that Mamaroneck has the lowest cost per pupil in the County.

Dr. Sampson noted that some staffing increases are driven by compliance standards, such as a need for sufficient staffing to implement required Individual Educational Plans (IEPs). The bottom line is that the Mamaroneck school district needs more teachers and staff to successfully support its programs.

Dr. Lutinski described his philosophy and approach to budget issues and course design as being guided by the simple question of what is best for the students. His goal is to maintain reasonable class size and a wide range of electives so that all the students’ needs can be addressed. The course selections should be varied and opportunities available through a variety of arts and sports programs so that students can develop to their full potential.

Both school districts have devised a “strategic framework” to arrive at their educational goals. Each framework was developed through community focus groups, student surveys, and teacher input.

Dr. Lutinski said that part of the goal of the strategic framework in Rye Neck is to teach students how to integrate technology into problem-solving, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) He also discussed the importance of Rye Neck’s internship program which allows high school seniors to learn concrete life skills while also helping them to develop an ability to relate to different people in a work environment.

Another element of the strategic framework, he reported, is to encourage empathy and connectiveness in both teachers and students. The final piece of the framework is faculty development and affords teachers a greater opportunity to share their experiences and expertise among their peers.

Dr. Lutinski cited increased school security as another major cost factor. Rye Neck is no longer an open campus due to security concerns and the district employs a number of staff dedicated to ensuring proper security at schools. Similarly, in Mamaroneck, there are now 20 people working in security plus 80 security cameras, a cost that did not exist twenty years ago.

Both speakers said that while the goal remains constant in both districts - to provide a top-quality education to the community’s students - the role of the superintendent has evolved. Dr. Sampson stated that the biggest change he has encountered involves “pace and accountability.” Today, he said, everything moves much faster due to email, Facebook and other electronic media.

The speakers addressed the federal government’s policy concerning DEI. New York State has given a blanket attestation that New York schools do not discriminate. Furthermore, the New York Department of Education has taken a firm stance against threats to its schools by the federal government.

The audience questioned the speakers about how current politics are affecting the schools. When asked about any contact with ICE in the schools, Dr. Lutinski reported that there have been no visits by ICE, but the district has a process in place should any ICE agents arrive. Dr. Sampson reported that NYS does not require immigration status for school registration, thus that information is not available if an inquiry is made.

The Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit is an informal community council that seeks to make a better life for the community by keeping it informed of major issues of concern. Our next meeting, on May 13 at 8 am at the Nautilus Diner in Mamaroneck, is entitled “Where Does Your Money Go? Understanding How Our Local Tax Dollars Are Spent!” For more information: https.//www.localsummitlm.org/ . To view recorded programs on LMC Media: https.//lmcmedia.org/ .