Please Vote Tuesday, May 21 One polling place: Rye Middle School Gymnasium
Voting Hours: 7 AM to 9 PM
Dear Rye Residents: The 2013-14 School District budget vote and Board of Education trustee election will be held on Tuesday, May 21. This newsletter contains pertinent information regarding the proposed budget, the Board of Education candidates and changes in the world of public education. All presentations and materials that have been shared at our public meetings are available on our website, www.ryeschools.org and will help you understand what this budget includes and how it supports the community of Rye. The Budget The Rye City School District has historically provided a rich scope of opportunities in a variety of areas ranging from academics to the arts to athletics. This budget preserves our instructional programs; it maintains class sizes and sustains the Middle School model as well as the diverse selection of rigorous courses at the High School. Our Central Administration and Board of Education have worked determinedly to find efficiencies that enable us to maintain our core programs and deliver a tax cap-compliant budget. Public school districts throughout the state are facing the challenges of meeting increasing unfunded mandates and rising
pension and health insurance costs, all while remaining at or below the tax levy cap. As part of our due diligence to taxpayers as well as our responsibility to students, we have developed a tax capcompliant budget that will enable us to address these requirements. The proposed budget that voters will be asked to consider is $76,758,000, which includes the allocation of $1 million from the Employees’ Retirement Reserve and another $1.3 million from fund balance to lower the tax levy. Unfunded mandates comprise 16-17 percent of the total budget. The Teachers’ Retirement System’s cost to the District will increase by $1.6 million, and that of the Employees’ Retirement System will increase by $126,000. Health premiums will bring an estimated cost increase of $473,000, and new legislative mandates introduced for 2013-14 further add to rising expenditures. In order to deliver this budget within the allowable tax levy cap and preserve core programs, class sizes, the Middle School model, and High School course offerings, $2.3 million in staff salary and benefits reductions were necessary. These reductions were achieved by scheduling for greater efficiency, aligning programs to enrollment, and staff reductions of 27 Full Time Equivalencies. The Board and Central Administration
continue to advocate to address the issue of unfunded mandates and urge elected officials to modify the tax cap accordingly. The Board of Education Election There are two seats up for election this year: those of Katy Keohane Glassberg and Kendall Egan. Kendall Egan is retiring after six years of Board service, and Katy Glassberg is running for reelection. Nicole Weber and Bob Zahm are seeking election to the Board. Please see page two for information about the candidates. The Vote The vote will be held on Tuesday, May 21, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Rye Middle School gym. If the budget does not pass, the Board of Education can choose to have a second vote in June or revert to a state-directed contingency budget. Please review the details that have been provided within this publication for more information. Thank you to the community for continuing to support our excellent school system. Sincerely, Laura M. Slack President, Rye City School District Board of Education
Stay Current! Visit the District Website: www.ryeschools.org
Board of Education Candidates Katy Keohane Glassberg I’ve lived in Rye for 17 years and volunteered in our schools for over a decade, including serving as Milton’s PTO President. My husband and I have two sons, a Rye High School sophomore and a Middle School 7th grader. Previously, I worked as a litigation attorney in general business, employment and securities law, practicing in New York and California. I was elected to the Board of Education in 2010. This year, my colleagues elected me Vice President. I work hard to preserve the priorities of our community – rigorous academics, talented faculty and diverse learning opportunities for our children here in Rye and beyond - all in the most cost effective way possible. I’ve exercised fiscal discipline, made exciting and sometimes difficult decisions and helped build budgets responsive to concerns of parents and taxpayers. I’ve helped lead the District through a period of enormous transition: a successful Superintendent search and community approval of a bond to accommodate enrollment growth. I’ve chaired Policy, Facilities and Health & Safety Committees and served on the Tax Cap Task Force, Curriculum Council, K-12 Science Committee, Management Council, Civility Initiative Drafting Committee and have been Liaison to the City on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. As a Board, our goal is continuous improvement, expanding curricular offerings including Mandarin and STEM classes in universal 8th grade algebra, action physics and robotics. We are ensuring alignment of Rye’s curriculum with the Common Core and meeting State requirements for teacher evaluation, while also advocating about the effects such unfunded mandates have on high-performing districts like Rye. We’ve made judicious use of reserves and delivered Tax Cap compliant budgets. I am running for re-election because experience, leadership and continuity will be crucial as we work together to maintain our excellent educational program and navigate the economic challenges ahead.
Nicole Weber
My husband and I moved to Rye with our two sons, age 7 (Midland Elementary) and 5 (preK), drawn by its tight-knit community and excellent schools. The warmth of our neighbors and friends, the quality of our teachers, the energy of the student and parent bodies, and the involvement of the community all combine to make Rye a great place to raise our family. I am inspired by the level of commitment the residents of Rye have to our town and have been searching for a way to actively serve. I am running for the Rye City School Board because I am passionate about preserving the premier educational programs in Rye in a fiscally responsible manner, and I feel that my skill set would allow me to add value in this capacity to the Board. Over the past 15 years, I have worked both as a financial analyst and human resources manager at large global organizations such as Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Merrill Lynch and Bloomberg. In these roles, I have partnered with business leaders to optimize resources through times of growth, reorganization and restructuring. My focus has been to identify and preserve what an organization values most and to foster collaborative leadership. I hold my B.A. in Political Science from Trinity College and earned my MBA from Cornell University.
Bob Zahm
My family and I moved to Rye in 2001 after a long term assignment in Europe. My wife Elizabeth and I have three children, all of whom attended Rye Schools, starting with Midland (pre re-districting) and Osborn. Our son is now in the Middle School and our two daughters are in Rye High School. While our children have been growing academically and athletically, I have been involved in the schools including serving two terms on the School Board and continuing service on both the Audit Committee and the Tax Cap Task Force. I have also actively provided analysis and feedback on academic performance, enrollment forecasts, and financial plans at many Board meetings. I am seeking to re-join the School Board for two reasons. First I can help move our schools from the current rising dependence on reserves to meet the tax cap to a truly sustainable financial base. Second, I can help enhance academic performance by driving the use of test results for more than regulatory and marketing purposes. Rye’s test results provide a largely untapped resource for identifying improvements in curriculum, teacher training, and instruction.
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Points of Garnet Pride
2012-13 School Year Highlights
Rye students have excelled throughout the current school year. Below are just some of the many outstanding achievements earned over the past eight months:
• RHS ranked #1 public high school in the state and #24 in the nation, not including charter and magnet schools, by US News & World Report. • RHS ranked 15th in the Northeast by the Washington Post. • Five RHS students were named Semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program, and nine were recognized as Commended Students. Two students were honored by the National Hispanic Recognition Program, and one student was acknowledged by the National Achievement Scholarship Program. • 112 RHS juniors with averages of 90 or higher were recognized at the annual Scholars Dinner, where 37 of the honorees received Book Awards. • 110 RHS students were inducted into the National Honor Society this past fall. • An RHS student was named a candidate in the 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. • Four RMS students earned awards at the Science Olympiad competition. • Four RHS students won medals at the
Regional Science Olympiad Competition in February. • An RHS student took home a third place award from the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair in the area of behavioral science for her project on synesthesia. • Two RHS students earned awards at the NAIMUN Model United Nations Conference in Washington, D.C. • So far this year, fourteen varsity sport teams have earned the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s Scholar Athlete Team Award. • Thirteen RHS and RMS students and one Milton fifth-grader were selected to AllState and All-County musical ensembles. • An RHS student was designated to the United States National Fencing Team. He is the No. 1 cadet saber fencer and the fifth-ranked Junior saber fencer in the country. • Midland and Osborn Schools were identified as Reward Schools, named under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Waiver that New York State received from the
United States Department of Education. • A Midland student won the schoolwide National Geographic Bee, becoming eligible to take a qualifying test for the state-level competition. • RMS students raised close to $3,000 for the American Heart Association through a Hoops for Heart fundraiser. • Osborn School’s fifth-grade Ballroom Dance Team received silver-level recognition at a competition in November and danced at the Grand Central Terminal 100-Year Birthday Celebration in February. • Four members of the Girls Swim Team earned excellent placements at the State Championships held in November. • An RHS student was named a Con Edison Athlete of the Week in October. • An RHS student was named to the 2012 Honorable Mention Scholar-Athlete Team by the Westchester Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. • Milton students participated in the St. Jude’s Math-A-Thon.
College Acceptances
Congratulations to the Class of 2013! This year’s graduating seniors have applied to 311 different colleges throughout the United States, earning acceptances that have been an outstanding testament to the academic preparation and adventurous spirit of this class. Students have been admitted to a number of prestigious schools, some of which are listed below: American University Amherst College Boston College Boston University Bucknell University Colgate University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Denison University Dickinson College Elon University Fairfield University Fordham University Franklin and Marshall College
George Washington University Georgetown University Hamilton College Johns Hopkins University Lehigh University Marist College McGill University New York University Northwestern University Oberlin College Princeton University Santa Clara University Skidmore College Trinity College University of California at Berkeley
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University of Delaware University of California Los Angeles University of Miami University of Michigan University of North Carolina University of Pennsylvania University of Southern California University of St. Andrews University of Virginia United States Naval Academy Vassar College Wake Forest University Wesleyan University Yale University
Questions
&Answers
What is the current budget, and what is the proposed one that I will be voting on? The current budget is $73,580,000 and the proposed one is $76,758,000. This represents a budget-to-budget increase of 4.32%, a tax levy increase of 4.65% and an estimated tax rate increase of 4.59%. This budget is below the state-imposed tax levy cap, the allowable tax levy increase calculated for the District. What does this budget include? The budget preserves the core components of the District’s educational program. It includes class sizes that remain within existing guidelines, the Middle School team model, the awardwinning academic program at the High School, the new K-5 science program, support of the Annual Professional Performance Review, continued curricular alignment with the Common Core Learning Standards, increased security in the schools and debt service for school construction. What are unfunded mandates? Unfunded mandates are requirements imposed by the state, without resources to assist with the associated expenses. These costs account for approximately 16-17% of the budget. Examples are retirement cost contributions, Race to the Top requirements, and prevailing wage requirements. The Teachers’ Retirement System’s cost to the District will increase by $1,600,000, and that of the Employees’ Retirement System will increase by $126,000. How does our tax rate compare to those of neighboring districts? The True Value Tax Rates for Westchester/Putnam school districts, as released by the Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association Facts & Figures 2013 publication, indicate that Rye is one of the lowest-taxed communities in the area. Rye’s true value tax rates (tax rate per $1,000 of value) have historically been among the lowest of its peer districts, indicating that our residents pay less in taxes per $1,000 of assessed value than those in neighboring communities.
District
2012 True Value Tax Rate*
Edgemont 21.69 Briarcliff Manor
21.84
Chappaqua 20.12 Blind Brook
17.50
Rye Neck
16.72
Scarsdale 16.24 Bronxville 14.61 Byram Hills
14.42
Rye 11.60 *Source: The Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association Facts & Figure$ 2013 Publication.
Subscribe to Our Electronic Newsletters The District has increasingly used email newsletters and our website to communicate with Rye residents. We report on Board of Education and budget information as well as news about our schools, our students and our faculty. Using electronic media helps us to save taxpayers’ money because we eliminate the cost of printing, paper and postage. We can also share information on a more timely basis. To sign up for our email newsletters, visit the district website at www.ryeschools.org and “join our electronic newsletter mailing list.”
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What staff changes are in this budget? The budget includes $2.3 million in reductions for staff, salaries and benefits. This equates to 27 FTE (Full Time Equivalencies) and reflects staff positions being non-renewed as well as those reduced in pay. While the District does everything possible to avoid affecting employees, these efficiencies had to be made in order to keep premier programs intact and present a tax cap-compliant budget in light of unfunded mandates. What are the program reductions and why are they necessary? In order to preserve a tax cap-compliant budget, some reductions were required. The District’s top priority is always to provide students with a well-rounded assortment of classes and activities, and this goal will continue to be fulfilled. Club reductions divided among grades K-12 will save $30,000 in costs, although the District still maintains a variety of extracurricular opportunities in which students may participate. The reduction of one modified middle school team per sport will provide $80,000 in savings. Even with this change, Rye still provides more than what is typically offered by public school districts in terms of modified middle school sports. Of the 17 school districts in Rye’s conference, only one has two middle school modified teams; this has posed a challenge in finding teams to play against. The Superintendent, Athletic Director and Middle School Principal are working with the Rye Recreation Department, Rye YMCA and other community sports programs to explore additional athletic opportunities for Middle School students. What is the increased amount of state aid being used for? In the State’s approved budget, the District received an added $105,000 in state aid, which is higher than what was anticipated. One teaching position has been restored through state aid, another through savings incurred as a result of the retirement incentive. The Middle School team leader positions will also be preserved.
What happens if the proposed budget is defeated? If the proposed budget is defeated, the Board of Education can re-submit the same budget for a revote, submit a revised budget to be voted on, or adopt a contingency budget. If a revote is held and the budget is defeated a second time, a contingency budget automatically takes effect, and certain spending is controlled by the state. In addition, under the new tax cap, contingency budgets now carry zero percent tax levy increases. If the budget fails twice, the Board would deliberate and adopt a contingent budget. This would require an additional $3 million in cuts, which could seriously impact staff, programs and class sizes. This amount is the equivalent of 30 teaching positions. What does “per pupil expenditure” mean, and how does Rye compare with other districts? Per pupil expenditure is the total expenditure in the general fund plus interfund transfers divided by the total number of pupils. In the 2012-13 school year, Rye ranked lowest out of nine comparable districts.
District
Per Pupil Expenditure Rate*
Bronxville $ 30,500 Briarcliff Manor $ 28,694 Byram Hills $ 27,971 Scarsdale $ 27,856 Chappaqua
$ 26,139
Edgemont
$ 25,613
Blind Brook
$ 25,520
Rye Neck
$ 21,959
Rye $ 21,953 *Source: The Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association Facts & Figure$ 2013 Publication.
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School District Budget Notice Overall Budget Proposal
Budget Adopted for Budget Proposed Contingency the 2012/13 for the 2013/14 Budget for the School Year School Year 2013/14 School Year* Total Budgeted Amount, Not Including Separate Propositions
$ 73,580,000
$ 76,758,000
$ 73,698,400 $
Increase/Decrease for the 2013-14 School Year
$ 3,178,000
Percentage Increase/Decrease in Proposed Budget
4.3%
Change in the Consumer Price Index
2.1%
Total Proposed School Year Tax Levy, Including Levy to Support Library Debt, if applicable
$ 65,800,000
$ 68,859,600
Total Permissible Exclusions
$ 3,534,006
$ 5,725,289
A. Proposed School Year Tax Levy, Not Including Levy for Permissible Exclusions or Levy to Support Library Debt
$ 62,265,994
$ 63,134,311
B. School Tax Levy Limit, Not Including Levy for Permissible Exclusions
$ 62,279,532
$63,142,083
($13,538)
($7,772)
Difference: A - B (Positive Value Requires 60.0% Voter Approval - See Note Below Regarding Separate Propositions)
118,400 0.2%
$ 65,800,000
Administrative Component
$ 6,971,430
$ 8,061,900
$ 7,148,900
Program Component
$ 57,021,870
$ 58,229,960
$ 57,183,360
Capital Component
$ 9,586,700
$ 10,466,140
$ 9,366,140
* Provide a statement of assumptions made in projecting a contingency budget for the 2013-14 school year, should the proposed budget be defeated pursuant to Section 2023 of the Education Law. As required under a contingent budget, non-contingent expenses must be removed, including those for technology and other equipment purchases. The free use of school facilities by authorized groups would not be permitted. Funds for security improvements and other capital repair projects would be removed, as would budgets for student supplies and non-contractual salary increases. Finally, another $1.3 million of staffing and student programs would have to be removed from the proposed budget, as determined by the Board of Education. List Separate Propositions that are not included in the Total Budgeted Amount: (Tax Levy associated with propositions not eligible for exclusion may affect property tax levy limit and voter approval requirements)
Description None
Amount N/A
Budget Proposed for the 2013/14 School Year
Estimated Basic STAR Exemption Savings1
$ 2,110.00
The annual budget vote for the fiscal year 2013-2014 by the qualified voters of the Rye City School District, Westchester County, New York, will be held at Rye Middle School Gymnasium in said district on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 between the hours of 7:00am and 9:00pm, prevailing time in the Rye City school(s), at which time the polls will be opened to vote by voting ballot or machine. 1 The basic school tax relief (STAR) exemption is authorized by section 425 of the Real Property Tax Law.
Sample Ballot For Budget Resolution and Board of Education Election YES
NO
Resolved: That the Rye City School District Budget for the school year July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014 in the amount of $76,758,000 as set forth in the detailed statement of the budget, be adopted and that the Rye City School District Board of Education be authorized to levy the necessary taxes therefore. Vote for Any Two (2) IA Bob Zahm
2A Nicole Weber
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3A Katy Keohane Glassberg
Behind the Budget Total District Proposed Budget: $76,758,000 • Budget-to-Budget Increase: 4.32% • Estimated Tax Rate Increase: 4.59%
Mission Statement
The budget includes:
The mission of the Rye City School District, in partnership with the community, is to ensure that every student becomes a lifelong learner, capable of adapting and thriving in a global environment as a self-reliant and socially responsible citizen. To realize this mission, our schools will provide an engaging, challenging personalized program that supports each individual’s talents and potential in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Educational Program for 3,200 students. • Preservation of existing class size guidelines. • Maintenance of High School course selections and Districtwide core courses and activities. • New K-5 science program. • Continuation of the Middle School Model. • Support of Annual Professional Performance Review mandates and alignment of Curriculum with Common Core Learning Standards. • Security personnel for elementary schools. • Five-year lease extension for District Offices renegotiated at a lower rate. • Added debt service for the new RHS science wing.
2013/2014 Budget Recap by Cost Center
COST CENTER 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 BUDGET TO COST ACTUAL APPROVED PROPOSED BUDGET CENTER EXPENSE BUDGET BUDGET CHANGE % CHANGE SALARIES FOR EXISTING STAFF ADDED STAFF
38,438,776 -
40,269,510 180,000
TRS - MANDATED 3,630,948 4,078,640 ERS - MANDATED 862,824 1,113,560 ACTIVE/RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE 6,715,592 7,610,150 FICA, WELFARE & OTHER BENEFITS 4,225,679 4,199,540 HIGH SCHOOL COST CENTER 642,762 698,900 MIDDLE SCHOOL COST CENTER 216,084 270,900 MIDLAND SCHOOL COST CENTER 180,849 181,800 MILTON SCHOOL COST CENTER 118,843 136,700 OSBORN SCHOOL COST CENTER 156,707 195,200 RYE SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP 18,457 38,650 CURRICULUM & STAFF DEV 241,057 249,300 STAFF DEVELOPMENT 106,190 45,000 TECHNOLOGY 1,084,559 990,000 SPECIAL EDUCATION 3,208,907 3,637,600 ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS 23,023 24,000 ATHLETICS 482,867 480,650 HEALTH PROGRAM 19,621 35,700 LEGAL COSTS 363,700 270,200 DISTRICTWIDE SUPPORT EXPENSE 1,591,610 1,621,300 HUMAN RESOURCES 98,279 95,000 FACILITIES 2,452,862 2,398,000 TRANSFER TO CAPITAL 1,220,000 1,100,000 CURRENT DEBT SERVICE 3,962,908 3,589,700 TRANSFER TO LUNCH & SPECIAL AID 76,168 70,000 TOTAL SPENDING BUDGET 70,139,272 73,580,000
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40,354,000 -
84,490 (180,000)
5,676,000 1,597,360 1,240,000 126,440 8,083,600 473,450 4,363,400 163,860 727,800 28,900 252,000 (18,900) 173,500 (8,300) 123,200 (13,500) 200,700 5,500 38,600 (50) 440,100 190,800 51,000 6,000 990,000 - 3,529,500 (108,100) 24,000 - 465,600 (15,050) 35,700 - 246,000 (24,200) 1,726,600 105,300 96,700 1,700 2,268,000 (130,000) 1,100,000 - 4,482,000 892,300 70,000 - 76,758,000
3,178,000
0.21% -100.00
39.16% 11.35% 6.22% 3.90% 4.14% -6.98% -4.57% -9.88% 2.82% -0.13% 76.53% 13.33% 0.00% -2.97% 0.00% -3.13% 0.00% -8.96% 6.49% 1.79% -5.42% 0.00% 24.86% 0.00% 4.32%
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID PERMIT #1107
The Rye City School District 411 Theodore Fremd Avenue 100S Rye, NY 10580 914-967-6100 www.ryeschools.org
Postal Customer Rye, NY 10580
Board of Education Laura M. Slack, President Katy Keohane Glassberg, Vice President Karen Belanger Kendall Egan Edward M. Fox Nancy Pasquale Chris Repetto Superintendent of Schools Frank Alvarez, Ed. D.
Voting Information Where to Vote
There is only one polling place, the Rye Middle School gymnasium. Please follow the parking instructions of security personnel.
least 30 days preceding May 21. You may register up to the day of the election at the Board of Elections, 25 Quarropas Street, White Plains.
Absentee Ballots
If you are not in town during polling hours, you may vote by All Rye City School District residents absentee ballot. Ballot applications who are registered voters are are available on the District’s eligible to vote. Registered voters website: www.ryeschools.org. Click must be, by law, 18 years of age, a Community, Voter Information. United States citizen, and a resident Applications are also available at of the Rye City School District for at the District office, 411 Theodore
Who May Vote
Fremd Avenue Suite 100 South Lobby. An application must be filed before a ballot may be obtained. Applications must be received by the District Clerk or Board of Registrars at least seven days before the vote (by May 14) if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter by the School District, or by the day before the vote (May 20) if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Ballots must be returned no later than 5:00 PM on May 21 to be counted.
The Board of Education Election and Budget Vote Tuesday, May 21, 2013 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Rye Middle School Gymnasium