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External Auditor Pleased with PV School District Finances
E.X.I.T.E. Camp Success with Students
by Margaret Sternberg
According to Dominick Consolo, of outside auditor Bennett Kielson, the Putnam Valley School District, as of June 30, 2007, is in "solid financial health." Reviewing briefly the financial highlights of the district's 2006-7 school year, Consolo said the district's fund balance was $7,009,905, of which $1,031,543 was undesignated, monies not otherwise committed and available for emergencies or other uses as deemed appropriate. The amount of the undesignated fund balance also represented 3 percent of the total 2007-8 budget, which is currently the maximum allowed under NYS law.
Among several areas discussed at the November 1, 2007 meeting as making up part of the fund balance were $250,000 that was returned to taxpayers in the form of lowering the tax rate in the current year's budget and $1,148,459 that had been set aside for sick and vacation time not used by faculty.
In other business, the evening was also the occasion of recognizing the seven Middle School girls who had attended IBM's E.X.I.T.E. Camp (Exploring Interests in Technology and Engineering) during the summer. With some of their IBM mentors in the audience, the 7th graders enthusiastically discussed their experiences at the one week-long camp, talking about the experiments they performed and making it clear the experience had not ended when the camp had, but continued to affect them in their classes, including students continuing to contact their IBM mentors for various types of academic support.
The experience had been a direct result of parent Mary Ann Montano, an IBM employee, making inquiries as to whether her employer had programs that supported education and learning of the E.X.I.T.E. Camp. PV School Board Vice President Guy Cohen exhorted all district parents, particularly those affiliated with large companies, to find out whether their employers had any resources that support education and could be brought into the district to augment students' more formal education.
The students who attended the camp this year will be a part of the process of selecting next year's participants.
Also speaking that evening was Russ Davidson of KG&D Architects, who discussed the Elementary School construction project. He focused on the need for the four additional classrooms and two small group instruction rooms that would address the current severe shortage of space for existing programs. Despite a forecast that the next five years show enrollment being flat, space issues include Computer Technology and Academic Intervention Services currently being conducted in closets, and the modulars, in which two classes are taught, having been vandalized twice and not being connected to the main building. The main building also must have an elevator installed to be compliant with the Americans with Disability Act.
Questions were also answered regarding whether using modulars would be cheaper, yielding an opinion that there is no significant cost advantage because, while the modulars themselves may be cheaper, much of the savings is used in the creation of a special foundation required for modulars. In addition, the Wicks Law would still require separate contractors for electricity, plumbing, HVAC and other areas, eliminating possible savings there as well.
Plans are expected to be approved by the State Education Department during December, after which the bidding process will begin.
Several students also gave a presentation on the trip by the Mixed Chorus members to Washington, D.C. With Choral Director Gerry Micera standing in the background, the students discussed the process of having selected a travel agent, as well as taking charge of the organization of the trip. Board President Tina Mackay said she was very impressed with the thoroughness of the students' research, which included contacting the Better Business Bureau to vet the travel agency, noting the trip seemed a great value at approximately $800 per student, with even lower prices if more students attend.
The trip will go via motor coach and a security person, provided by the travel agent will accompany the group, in addition to other chaperones. The trip will be taken over Spring Break, from Friday through Monday, with one day of school missed.
Pam Darreff, Health Advisory Committee Chair, gave the annual update, highlights of which were concern that the student participation rate on the survey had been poor, varying by grade and ranging from 35 to 60 percent. The Board expressed concern about the participation, discussing ways of improving students' involvement.
Darreff also discussed a new program, begun last year, called the Spring Tune Up and aimed at confronting the issue of diabetes in children. The program, which is continuing, attempts to improve self-confidence and deal with weight management issues, nutrition and address esteem issues.
The next meeting of the Putnam Valley Board of Education will be Thursday, November 15, at 7pm.
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