Finances form crux of discussion; communication and curriculum also addressed
Dr. Michael Yazurlo, superintendent of the Tuckahoe school district, took the opportunity during the Jan. 25 Board of Education meeting to present the board’s stated goals for the 2009-2010 school year and describe the progress made in each area.

Improvements to communication, continued evaluation of the educational curriculum and efforts to strengthen the district’s financial picture formed the categorical goals discussed by Yazurlo.

On communication, Yazurlo said the district was still debating the value of sending out increased physical mailings of information available online but had successfully consolidated the four individual school and district websites into one, adding a uniformity that he believes helps direct online traffic to pertinent information.

Yazurlo also spoke about a new “innovations committee” begun last year, made up of a group of interested residents dedicated to “discuss those things that can be meaningful and positive for the district.” The committee, he said, was established largely to find innovative revenue sources for the schools and new ways to cut expenses, as well as to continue to seek new ideas for improving communication in the district.

According to Yazurlo, a project to revamp the curriculum has completed two phases with more developments coming up. The first stage, the English/Language Arts curriculum, was completed two years ago and the most recent to be completed was math. Currently in progress are discussions about changes to be made to the science curriculum, which will be followed by updates to social studies. 

Yazurlo emphasized that each time the district renovates a curriculum, the changes affect the comprehensive teaching of that subject area through all the grade levels, in order to provide a logical “continuum” of course material. “[Curriculums] have been revised so they flow better from K-12,” he said. “They meet or exceed [standards] in every area.”

Yazurlo did not limit the success of the district to academic success. “I look at our kids,” he said, “and I’m seeing that they’re not only happy here but they’re productive here.” He urged those in attendance to note the absence of graffiti, which he described as an expression of anger, in the Tuckahoe schools.

As far as the school’s financial outlook, Yazurlo discussed some of the inevitable impacts on the school budget and addressed some ways that the district is trying to reduce spending in areas it can control. 

According to Christina Howe, director of finance, tax certioraris (tax refunds to residents or businesses that appeal their property tax assessments) could reach $1.8 million for the current year. On top of that, the district’s contribution to the statewide teachers’ retirement system (TRS) and employees’ retirement system (ERS) will continue its sharp increase of the past few years in the upcoming budget.

However, Yazurlo pointed out several areas where the district is currently seeking to increase revenue or cut expenses. He discussed the district’s financial potential from continuing to take in voluntary tuition students (students zoned for other districts whose families pay $12,500 per year, per child to send them to Tuckahoe) and special education students (students whose home districts cannot provide necessary services and pay the Tuckahoe district to take them in).

Yazurlo also cited one area where revenue might be increased, the “in lieu of” (tax) payments made by the Tuckahoe Housing Authority, whose government-owned buildings are not taxed per se. Yazurlo is actively seeking an increase from the $30,000 currently paid by THA (whose buildings house about 100 Tuckahoe students) to the schools.

“I would fight to my last breath to keep the kids from [THA],” said Yazurlo after the meeting. “I think it makes [the district] unique.” However, given that the assessed property tax values for the housing authority properties would end up at close to $1 million, Yazurlo says he just wants a more equitable arrangement.  “We’re asking the government agencies responsible for it [setting the “in lieu of” amount] to give us what we deserve.”

As far as cutting expenses, Yazurlo spoke on the district’s current pursuit of more affordable office space. The district’s Elm Street offices cost $80,000 per year to rent.  The board recently looked into moving to the soon-to-open third floor of the Tuckahoe Village Hall, but Yazurlo said the entire floor is too much space for the district. He suggested the idea of constructing a house at the top of the hill on the William E. Cottle Elementary School property, which would house the offices, saving, according to his figures, $40-45,000 per year.

As the beginning of the 2010-2011 budget process is getting underway, Yazurlo expressed the challenges the district will be facing this year. If nothing changes in the upcoming year’s budget other than increases (such as the TRS and ERS) that the board has no control over, Yazurlo said the budget would carry a 6 percent increase.
With the understanding that many difficult decisions will have to be made to keep any increase low, the superintendent urged the public to stay informed by viewing or attending the budget meetings that will be held over the course of the next few months. “I can’t knock on your door; there’s too many doors,” he said.  “You’ve got to get involved.”