A March 19 public forum-style meeting of the Rye Board of Education gave about 75 community members a chance to express concerns about $2.5 million in proposed cuts to the 2013-2014 school budget.

 

By Sarah Varney

 

A March 19 public forum-style meeting of the Rye Board of Education gave about 75 community members a chance to express concerns about $2.5 million in proposed cuts to the 2013-2014 school budget.

 

Parents and students questioned changes to modified sports, cuts to the drama program and alternate ways to raise funds including the formation of a foundation to restore money to particular programs.

 

For modified sports, the plan is to reduce the offerings at Rye Middle School to one team made up of seventh and eighth graders for each sport. There are currently two teams per grade for popular sports such as basketball and lacrosse. At the end of the meeting, one parent of a modified sports player said she found the meeting very helpful and was optimistic about future fundraising opportunities including the formation of a booster group.

 

For the Parson Street Players, Rye High School’s theater troupe, the group will be down to three productions instead of five and several drama electives will be eliminated. Parents and student members of the group showed up in force to air their concerns and to discuss possible solutions. “I was very proud of these students here tonight. They spoke eloquently about the changes and offered truly constructive ideas,” said board member Nancy Pasquale.

 

Several parents of middle schoolers expressed fervent support of the team system currently in use. Children are assigned to teams with certain teachers each year. Board member Karen Belanger assured them that the team approach will stay in place.

 

Board President Laura Slack informed the audience that a 503c-certified school foundation is in the final stages of approval. The schools foundation concept gives parents and community members the opportunity to make donations earmarked for particular causes or activities. For example, the foundation will administer a $1.7 million donation made by an anonymous Rye couple in January 2012. The money was donated with the understanding that the other half of the $3.4 million cost of building a new field and fieldhouse will be raised by the community.

 

Slack said foundation money cannot be used to fund individual sports. “There is no pay-to-play in New York State. You cannot legally require a student’s parents to pay a fee for their child to participate in sports,” Slack said.

 

Near the end of the meeting, board members and district officials announced the retirement of five longtime staff members: Judith Halpern, a guidance counselor in the Rye schools since 1977; Harriet Sessa, who holds the distinction of being the only staffer to teach at all three elementary schools during her 29-year career; Barbara Gaines, speech pathologist; Kevin Barrett, veteran middle school teacher; and Doug Tuttle, chairman of the math department. In total the five represent 133 years of experience.

 

Dr. Frank Alvarez presented Rye Recognition of Excellence Awards to Rye High students Henry Pearson, Daniel Keller, Sean Regan, and Jonah Shainberg for both academic and athletic achievement. In addition, the superintendent recognized four members of the Rye Middle School Science Olympiad Team: Kevin Chang, Allison Hufford, Madhu Kannan and Caroline O.