BOE to Community: Thank You

Editor's Note: The following letter was constructed by the WI Board of Education and appears on the district website.

Dear Community Members,

On May 17th, the residents of West Islip approved the school budget for the 2011/2012 school year. The West Islip Board of Education would like to thank Superintendent Richard Simon and his staff for their hard work formulating and refining this budget over many months. We would also like to thank the West Islip Teachers Association for continuing to work with us to find creative solutions to our financial pressures, as well as our district administrators who have increased their workload with no added compensation. As a result, everyone will need to work even harder to continue to deliver the exceptional education our students receive.

Most of all, we want to express our appreciation to the residents of West Islip for their continued support of education because we recognize that this was a difficult choice to make. We can point to the regional inequity in the state’s aid formula, our high homestead rate, unfunded mandates and increased pension costs as cost drivers, but while all of that is true, the bottom line is that taxpayers are bearing the burden.

There were difficult choices this year, and sacrifices were made in the form of salary, staffing, and a tax increase, which is never easy to impose. While many of the challenges we faced this year will still exist next year, the Board of Education and district administration are committed to finding solutions to these challenges.

Together this is our community, our schools, and our future and we are on the precipice of change. The time has come for the residents to assist the Board of Education and district administration in keeping West Islip great. There are a number of issues currently identified that will raise significant questions.    For example, if the state creates a tax cap, how will that impact services? Will the district study group present information that leads to redistricting, closing a school, or some other cost saving measure? What programs are the most important to the community and what does the community feel are its biggest needs? These are just some of the questions that the Board of Education is asking the community to help them answer. Public participation will be crucial to the Board’s efforts in navigating the difficult road ahead.

Many community members already participate in budget workshops and Board meetings and the Board appreciates the feedback. We encourage this continued dialog at future meetings and ask that more of you make an effort to become part of the problem solving team. The Board is receptive to new ideas, and encourages you to express them. If you cannot attend our meetings, please take advantage of the Superintendent’s open office hours, or write to the Board at district office. It is important to continue this dialog in a thoughtful, productive way.

Again, please accept our thanks for your continued support of education in West Islip and join us in the spirit of cooperation as we continue our pursuit of excellence in education with fiscal responsibility. The future depends on it.

Sincerely,

The West Islip Board of Education

The next Board of Education meeting will be held this Thursday, June 9 at 8 p.m.