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Budget Advisory Committee sends School Board back to make cuts.

Board trims budget increase to 8.7% and dropping.

Unexpected retirements of 14 mostly well-known and liked veteran educators and 3 administrators contribute to $146,500 in savings.

Cut back in newly suggested positions lops $365,500 off the top.

Pioneers of district quality will be hard to replace.
Total of 548 years of experience in the District head for last roll call.
More retirements announced.

By John F. Bailey

CityLine: February 20, 2001, Education House

The School Board, acknowledging the savings achieved by the announced retirements of many high salaried, veteran teachers and administrators tendered this month, has been able to respond to Budget Advisory Committee concerns about the 9.8% budget increase proposed last month after the first two BAC meetings February 7 and February 13.

Michelle Schoenfeld, spokesperson for the White Plains School District, told WPCNR today that the projected school budget increase has been whittled down by the School Board to an 8.7% increase down from a total of $120,771,803 to today's budget of $119,569,523.

Ms Schoenfeld said the board has saved $365,500 by eliminating 7 new position hires, including a request for an athletic trainer to serve the White Plains High School athletic department, half a psychology position, a new Technical Support position designed to save on BOCES technological services, they have eliminated a Late afternoon and evening educational program designed to aid students that have to work, and cut 4/10 of an ESOL position at Highlands Middle School in order to retain their commitment to staff up the Newcomers Center.

She attributed $146,500 net (reflecting the cost of pensions paid to the retirees) of the 1.1% budget belt-tightening to the retirements of 17 veteran instructors and administrators.

At the February 12 Regular Board of Education Meeting the resignations for the purposes of the following administrators and teachers, many of whom parents and citizens will recognize, were accepted by the School Board:

Judith Adler, School Social Worker, Middle School-Eastview and District-wide. Ms. Adler has worked with the developmentally disabled students being considered for special education needs for decades in the district. She was unafraid to go anywhere to see children and families whose cases she was handling. Her compassion, dedication, knowledge, as with most the people we are about to mention was extraordinary. She even worked with my son, Jason Bailey. She is an outstanding advocate for all she serves and her loss, in this reporter's opinion, is a sad one.

Richard Ciappa, Science Teacher, Middle-School-Highlands.

Carolyn Cooke, Special Education Teacher, Middle School-Highlands.

Susan Danow, Social Studies Teacher, High School.

Phyllis Feinberg, Elementary Education Teacher, Ridgeway School.

Helen Gray, Kindergarten Teacher, Post Road School.

Sue Huppert, Speech & Language Teacher, Ridgeway School.

Linda Johnson, Elementary Education Teacher, George Washington School.

Cynthia New, Learning Facilitator, Middle-School-Highlands.

Catherine O'Brien, Reading Teacher, Middle School-Highlands.

Linda Rodney, English (WINGS) Teacher, Middle School-Highlands

Fran Rosenzweig, School Social Worker, Post Road. Ms. Rosenzweig is another seasoned and dedicated supporter and advocator for the disabled whose work this reporter has observed firsthand in meetings of the Committee on Special Education in the last twenty years. She was fair, knew her stuff, and pushed for the absolute best solution for both district and child. Her expertise in knowing what placements were available for district children and the advantages and specialties of various day treatment programs around Westchester County, and juxtaposing those choices with inclusion needs, in this reporter's opinion resulted in fair-minded decisions parents of disabled children bought into and supported. Another major talent loss.

Diana Rothenberg, Mathematics (WINGS) Teacher, Middle School-Highlands.

Raymond Schulz, Foreign Language & Social Studies Teacher, High School.

Administrators leaving are:

Neal Berkin, Coordinator, Science, Districtwide. The effect of this loss in light of the District scramble to prepare students for the state standards tests remains to be seen.

Andrew L. Morzello, Director, Adult & Continuing Education. Superintendent of Schools Yanofsky made strong mention of how much his departure will be missed at the February 12 meeting.

Cary Smith, Jr., Assistant Principal, Middle School-Highlands.

Mr. Yanofsky said that these retirements represent 548 years of experienced teaching and managing in the White Plains City School District. That works out to an average 32 years experience for each retiree.

Ms. Schoenfeld reported to WPCNR that the School Board was hopeful that they would receive new assessment information from the City of White Plains by March 1 before the final Budget Advisory Committee on March 7. She also said the School Board expected some news on state aid (which is currently being wrangled in Albany by the state legislature).

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