The Sewanhaka Central High School District adopted its budget with a tax-levy increase of 2.87 percent, a figure that’s tax-cap compliant.
The total budget balanced at approximately $227.4 million, a 5.39 percent increase from the current year budget. Of those monies, approximately $28.5 million will be allocated towards administrative costs, approximately $172.6 million will be allocated towards program costs and $26.2 million will be allocated towards capital projects.
The budget will fund the following:
• Continuation of all current educational and co-curricular programs.
• New course offerings in business, English and family and consumer science.
• New courses such as Energy and the Environment, Biomedical Science, App Design and Development and Intro to Coding.
• Science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) offerings for middle schoolers.
• Increased implementation of co-teaching in special education and English as a New Language.
• Expanded professional development in math, English and world languages.
The following Capital improvements are
up for vote:
• New tennis courts at Carey High School.
• Cafeteria floor replacements at Elmont High School.
• Replace parking lot gates and fence at New Hyde Park High School.
• Replace Sewanhaka High School auditorium doors.
• New lockers at Floral Park High School.
• Exterior door replacement at various sites.
• Gymnasium curtain divider installations at various sites.
Also on the ballot, the district seeks permission to expend approximately $5.6 million from the capital reserve fund as part of Proposition #2. The fund was established by voters last May, and the voter’s approval is required whenever a capital reserve is established or monies are used from the fund. Approval of this proposition carries no impact to the tax levy. The monies will fund the following capital projects:
• Upgrade cafeterias and kitchens at Carey, Elmont, Floral Park and New Hyde Park.
• Site facility expansion for the Career and Technical Education program at Sewanhaka.
• General interior renovations.
The complete budget brochure and information on where to vote is available on the district’s website at sewanhakaschools.org.
—Submitted by the Sewanhaka Central High School District
