School Board Meetings:

Tonight 7:30PM Study Session MHS Library.  LMC TV.  Response to Intervention - The Board will discuss its planning and work to implement the state requirements for a Response to Intervention program to assist struggling students in the general education environment.  Learn more here. 

LMC-TV is scheduled to televise the meeting Live on Channel 76 Cablevision and 35 Verizon.  It will be re-played on the same channels this Friday evening at 9 pm and then again on Sunday morning at 9 am. 

Board meeting dates focused on the 2011-12 budget, include the following:
 - Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 7:30 p.m. MHS Tiered Classroom - Superintendent's Proposed Budget
 - Saturday, March 19, 2011, 9:00 a.m. MHS Tiered Classroom - Line-by-line Budget Review
- Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 7:30 p.m. MHS Library Classroom - Discussion between the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC) and the Board. 

SEPTA's Nominating Committee - Please help us work to insure SEPTA has strong leadership and board members for 2011-12.  The Nominating Committee is being formed now to identify candidates to fill open officer and board positions.  Please let us know if you are interested in participating on the Nominating Committee and invite your friends to join us as well!  Contact Amy Lieberman  - dashdoar@gmail.com or 552-1568 or Amy Kass - amysuekass@yahoo.com 834-3752.

As you may know, Governor Cuomo is proposing to cap the property tax increase at 2% - with no costs or expenses being excluded from this cap.  In our District the vast amount of the school budget is financed by property taxes and the community votes on the school budget each year.  In fact, school budgets are the only budget voted on by our community. Increases in the budget and taxes fluctuate year-to-year due to many factors such as enrollment numbers, increases in certain costs, including raises in salaries, health benefits costs, necessary repairs to aging buildings and interest on debt, as well as many mandated costs over which the District has no control, such as tax certioraris or pension fund payments - which can run into the millions.  Many of the required increases far exceed 2% - some are in the double digits.  Thus, the District has often been faced with the need to increase the budget and tax rate beyond 2% or to significantly cut programs and staff.  In the last two years alone 86 staff members (nearly 10% of total staff) have been laid-off due to budget cuts and this year is another challenging year -- applying a 2% cap would force the District to use nearly 90% of the allowable increase to pay for things that are required by state law - most notably pension costs. The estimated shortfall to be made up is approximately $4 million dollars!  Just as an illustrative example, if this gap were to be achieved through staff cuts, this could mean a reduction of 25 or so more teachers.  What will our district and public education look like after a few more years of having to do this?  

Our Board of Education has already passed a resolution opposing the current plan.

What can we do? Be Informed. 

Click here to visit the PT Council Web site for more information   

Have your voice heard!  

Speak or send a letter to your state legislators and Governor Cuomo.  For a sample letter, click here.  Incidentally, Assemblyman, George Latimer held a public hearing about the Governor's proposed budget yesterday - to see an article about some of the comments he received, click here.

Related Matters:

1) Proposed cap on superintendent salaries. Click here for info.

2) Gov. Cuomo's Mandate Relief webpage:  Click here for NY Website

3) NYSED Proposed Mandate Relief Items: Click here.

District Transition Meeting for Parents of Incoming 6th Graders Classified to Receive Special Education

Come learn about special education at the middle school level and ask your questions to help ensure your 5th grader will make a smooth transition.  Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 7pm  Hommocks Library.  Questions?  Contact Karen Gatto Director - Secondary Special Education - 220-2063

Protecting Children (and their Parents) from Environmental Toxins
Speaker: Dr. Maida P. Galvez -The Children's Health Center, Mount Sinai Medical School 

There are simple things you can do to protect your family.  Dr. Galvez can tell you how!

From the Mount Sinai Children's Environmental Health Center, a world authority on the growing effects of environmental toxins on our children's mental and physical health, comes Dr. Maida P. Galvez, a pediatrician, professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a leading researcher in how pervasive chemicals in our households are endangering children and babies in utero. Asthma, learning disabilities, ADHD, lower I.Q., the rise of childhood cancer, early puberty: if you are concerned about these issues, this is a talk you won't want to miss!  

 April 4 at 7:30 p.m. Hommocks Middle School Auditorium (Free)

Sponsored by SEPTA, the Village of Larchmont Committee on the Environment, Town of Mamaroneck, Village of Mamaroneck, Village of Larchmont
Chatsworth Avenue PTA Sheldrake Environmental Center 

Community & Regional Events:

Wednesday, March 2^nd @ 7pm  NOT SURE WHAT TO DO THIS SUMMER??

 Start Planning Early at the Eastchester SEPTA  Resource Fair!

(We've done all the leg work!)

Come to the  EASTCHESTER SEPTA Mtg. (Bring the Kids to This One!)  Eastchester HS Media Center. Visit this informal gathering of camps, sports organizations, social groups, and a host of other activities geared toward special needs students

including ADHD & autistic students.

Come Stroll through and meet and/or collect info from vendors, represented at this no-pressure event!!  Featuring, but not limited to:

(YWCA of White Plains, Greenburgh Recreation,

Holistic Learning Center, Camp Victory,

KI Martial Arts, Southeast Consortium,

TriState Learning Center, JCC Of Scarsdale,

NYU Summer Camp for ADHD, Isa Marrs,

Backyard Sports, JCC on The Hudson,

Westchester Conservatory of Music, Camp Ramapo,

College Internship Program-CIP)