Pleasantville Schools Plan to Cut 1st Grade Section

Eliminating one first-grade section at Bedford Road School will save the Pleasantville Union Free School District approximately $90,000 next year, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business David Quattrocchi.

Superintendent Mary Fox-Alter told the board of education and public at the April 2 meeting, "Based upon our history of enrollment in first grade and based upon our regional survey, I would recommend we cut that section to five."

According to figures laid out by Fox-Alter, there are currently 107 students in the district's kindergarten class. An estimate of up to 111 in 2013-14 would bring class size to "22 students per class."

Currently, with six sections, class size is "roughly 17 to 18," she said.

"When we analyzed this, we have never had a first grade class in the teens at that level (17 to 18)," Fox-Alter shared.

District officials performed an eight-year study to examine past trends in first-grade class size, which gave an average of 21. Fox-Alter also shared projections for first-grade class size in other districts around the region, which ranged from 20 to 24.

"And just to remind everyone, the contractual class size is 25," she added.

Board members said they were comfortable with the change.

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"This is really not a program change, it's being consistent with what we have been doing for at least eight years, potentially even longer," commented President Lois Winkler.

Past presentations have also cemented the proposal to eliminate four teaching assistants and 10 teaching aids next year.

Fox-Alter said that would bring the total staff reductions over the past three years to 27.2.

Quattrocchi also outlined other new reductions in the proposed budget, which will be adopted on Tuesday, April 16.

Cuts in the areas of extra days/co-curriculars/chaperoning or additional salaries ($17,000), equipment ($6,000), contractual ($24,000) and Social Security ($10,000) brings down the total expenditure proposal to $46,320,876, he said.

As a result of some fluctuations and estimates in other major factors including state aid and the Teacher Retirement System (TRS), the projected tax levy increase for 2013-14 is $857,032, according to Quattrocchi, a 2.60 percent increase.

The district would be able to increase up to 2.76 percent to stay within the state tax cap.

While this year, upgraded security measures like "access control doors at Bedford Road School" will be addressed, Fox-Alter said; the budget proposal does not address any capital projects that may have to be addressed in future years.

Resident Charles Matteo pushed the board on plans for the district's capital needs.

Board Member Larry Boes said setting up a capital reserve fund is still a possibility, as is bonding for "collective capital needs."

"I think that due to the significant increase in pension contributions this year...I think that compelled not a dropping of the discussion, but putting it off; and I certainly think we will revisit it, and not just in budget time next year," he said. 

Overall, board members said they were pleased the budget proposal avoids programmatic cuts this year.

"I am glad we are not forced to that position," Winkler said.

Agreed Board Member Louis Conte, "It's a good, reasonable budget at this point."

Click here to view the budget presentation in its entirety.