The school district's voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, May 18 to vote on the budget of $95,816,235, which increases spending over the current year by 1.12 percent. The Board had previously decided, at its meeting on April 8, to reduce the tax levy by applying $1 million in reserve funds. The increase in the tax levy is projected to be 0.66 percent.

Significant reductions were made to the proposed budget as a result of the contract agreement between the district and its teachers announced on March 18. A zero percent increase in the teacher salary schedule in 2010-11 and a larger contribution by teachers for health insurance premiums are among the major provisions of the new agreement that will yield savings in next year's budget.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dan Brenner said, "I am pleased that we have been able to control expenditures in significant ways without adversely affecting our educational program or any of the recent initiatives that have been implemented in the district. I am also very proud of the work that has gone into presenting a budget that will have one of the lowest increases in the county."

Budget documents are posted on the Business and Finance page of the district website. Assistant Superintendent for Business Joseph C. Dragone said, "We are using technology to make the budget process open to anyone in the community who wishes to review the progress we are making in controlling costs. Not only are we able to provide many different views of the proposed budget, but we are able to make this information readily available to taxpayers." All of the presentations made at the Board's budget review meetings during the winter and spring are also posted.

Voters will also elect two trustees to the Board of Education. Four individuals have filed petitions to be candidates (in ballot order): Kim Hunter, Stanley Stern, Elizabeth Kellogg and Bruce G. Valauri.

Voters will also be asked to vote on a special ballot measure, Proposition 3, which would authorize the Board of Education to expend $3,000,000 from the Capital Reserve Fund for a continuation of the district's ongoing capital improvement program. In 2007, voters authorized the Board of Education to establish a 10-year Capital Reserve Fund to address ongoing capital needs. Expenditures from the fund require voter approval. Proposition 3 will not increase taxes in the 2010-11 school year because these funds were previously set aside for this purpose. More information on Proposition 3 can be found on page 6 of the budget newsletter.

Also on the ballot will be the Bryant Library's 2010-11 budget (Proposition 2). For information on the Library budget, please visit the library's website.

Voting will take place on Tuesday, May 18 from 7am to 9pm in the Roslyn High School gymnasium. Residents must be registered to vote prior to the election. For voter information, call the District Clerk at 801-5002.

• A Message from Dr. Brenner
• Proposed School Budget 2010-11
• School Budget Newsletter
• Absentee Ballot Application
• Homeowners' Tax Calculator
• The School Budget Explained: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About a School Budget

[Click here or scroll down for more about the agreement between the district and its teachers.]

Two Key Administrative Appointments are Approved

Allison Brown

MAR 22, 2010 –Allison Brown, the principal of the East Hills School, has been appointed as the district's Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, effective July 1 of this year. The appointment was approved by the Board of Education on March 18.

"Ms. Brown is a motivated, energetic educator who has a unique ability to inspire her colleagues and the teachers she works with," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dan Brenner following her appointment. "She is a leader who makes those around her better as professionals."

Dawn Cerrone

Ms. Brown has been principal at East Hills since 2008. Among the initiatives for which she has provided leadership have been the implementation of the Columbia Writing Program and the school's "Writing Workshop", the Book of the Month reading program, the Standing Tall anti-bullying program and Bucket Fillers character development program. Previously, Ms. Brown was principal of the James H. Vernon Elementary School in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich School District. She also served as principal of the Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School in the same district from 2001 to 2007. Prior to that she taught in the Rockville Centre school district. Ms. Brown is a graduate of SUNY Oneonta with a BS in Elementary Education, and earned a master's degree in Special Education from Hofstra University. She will take the place of Dr. Frank Banta, who has served as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction on an interim basis since the appointment of Dr. Brenner as superintendent at the beginning of the 2009-10 school year.

Dawn Cerrone has been appointed by the Board of Education as Roslyn's new Director of K-12 Physical Education, Interscholastic Athletics and Recreation. Ms. Cerrone is currently Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics for the Oyster Bay-East Norwich school district, where she has nearly 25 years of experience as a teacher, coach, adviser and administrator. She is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University with a master's degree from Hofstra University.

Ms. Cerrone will assume her new position on July 1, 2010, replacing Joanna Commander, who has served as Interim Director since the retirement of Dr. Mira Martincich at the end of the 2008-09 school year.

School District Reaches Agreement with its Teachers

MAR 19, 2010 – After two years of collective bargaining, the Roslyn Board of Education and Roslyn Teachers Association have agreed to the terms of a new agreement. The four-year contract contains terms that will yield significant savings for local taxpayers, promote instructional progress and enhance collaboration among the district's education professionals.

Teachers have been working under the terms of the previously expired contract since the beginning of the 2008-09 school year. The new agreement covers the school years 2008-09 through 2011-12. The average salary schedule increase over the four years of the contract will be 1.525%, including a 0% increase in the upcoming 2010-11 school year. In addition, teachers will receive no step (longevity) increases until the middle of 2010-11. This has resulted in a reduction of $1 million in the proposed school budget for 2010-11.

"While this was certainly a lengthy and at times difficult negotiations process, it was also a collaborative one," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dan Brenner. "Both sides came to the table fully aware of the increased burden on the taxpayers and of the fiscal crisis that the state and nation are facing, and were prepared to make concessions in light of that reality. Both sides also focused intently on educational objectives. The agreement clearly represents an important step forward in the relationship between the Board of Education, administration and teachers."

Dr. Brenner emphasized that the zero percent increase in 2010-11 is a sign that both the Board of Education and the teachers association understand that the upcoming school year will likely be the most challenging one of the current recessionary period, and that taxpayers expect the district to take meaningful steps to control expenses.

Board of Education President Meryl Waxman Ben-Levy said, "No one in the process lost sight of our primary objective, and that is to provide an excellent, quality educational environment, both for those who learn in it and those who teach in it, in a way that makes sense for our community in the current economic environment. I believe that we have accomplished our need-based goals in certain key areas both educationally and financially."

In addition to the salary savings achieved by the District, the following goals were accomplished as a result of the negotiations:

• The elementary school day will be lengthened by 20 minutes, adding 1 hour and 40 minutes of instructional time per week.
• A revised elementary schedule will allow greater flexibility and efficiency in the assignment of teachers.
• The teacher observation process was modified as sought by the district.
• The contract provision anchoring teachers’ salaries to third place in Nassau County was deleted from the agreement.
• Contributions for medical insurance will increase from the current 12% to 20% by the final year of the contract, which, when fully implemented, will save the district approximately $600,000 per year.
• The number of longevity steps was reduced for all newly hired teachers from 30 to 25.
• Sick leave allocation for new employees has been substantially reduced.
• Leave time provided for the adoption of a child was modified.
• Contributions to the Benefit Fund are frozen for three (3) years with a modest increase in year four.
• Teachers returning to teach in the Summer Academic Program will face an immediate 25% reduction in pay; new teachers in the program will be paid a lower starting salary, which will be capped after five years of working in the program. Projected savings for the district in 2010 will be $75,000.

A ratification vote was held by the teachers on March 17, and the Board of Education ratified the Memorandum of Agreement by a vote of 7-0 at its meeting on March 18.

Additional information about the Memorandum of Agreement:

• The Superintendent's letter to the community
• The Board President's statement
• The Superintendent's presentation at the March 18 Board of Education Meeting

Polling Places Removed From Elementary Schools

SUCCESSFUL LOBBYING EFFORT WILL IMPROVE SAFETY & SECURITY

OCT 16, 2008 – Beginning with the national election on November 4, voting will no longer take place in the Heights and Harbor Hill Elementary Schools. This long-sought change in polling places was the result of a concerted lobbying effort by school officials, Roslyn residents and other elected representatives.

For many years, the school district has been concerned about its ability to maintain security in the elementary schools when general and primary elections took place while school was in session. The practical inability to isolate voting from regular school activity raised deep concerns about the safety of children and staff. It also placed the district in direct contravention of New York State laws and regulations concerning school security that have been tightened over the years in response to violent incidents in schools.

"Our educational environment will not be disrupted and our children will be safer," said Board of Education Vice President Meryl Waxman Ben-Levy, who chairs the Board's Legislative Affairs Committee. "We thank the Board of Elections and our elected representatives in particular Assemblyman Charles Lavine for recognizing the issues and helping to bring about this very important change."

Official notice has been sent by the Board of Elections to voters who are impacted by the changes. The Board of Elections has indicated that workers will be present to redirect anyone who may come to vote at the schools in error.

Please note the following changes in Town of North Hempstead Election Districts that impact the Roslyn elementary schools:

ED NH 13/16
Changed from HH School 3 GC Rd EH to Village Hall-Roslyn Harbor 500 Motts Cove Rd South, Roslyn Harbor

ED NH 13/4
13/5
13/6
Changed from HH School 3 GC Rd EH to East Hills Village Hall 209 Harbor Hill Road, East Hills

ED NH 13/3
16/97
16/98
Changed from Heights School Willow Street Roslyn Heights to Gayle Community Center 53 Orchard Street, Roslyn Heights

Roslyn High School will remain a polling place for general and primary elections. Voters should check the official notice from the Board of Elections to confirm their polling location.