Sharon Springs CSD voters approve a $10.76 million proposed budget with a 0% tax levy for the 2023 – 2024 school year; elect BOE member
The fiscal plan has an overall increase of 5.2% from the current year, which will be offset through the strategic use of unallocated fund balance. Under the fiscal plan there is no loss of program. The budget proposition passed 99 to 12. The proposed bus purchase for $160,000 passed 96 to 15. Finally, the district is happy to welcome Rose Chase to the Board of Education.
“Thank you to our residents who took the time to come out and vote,” said Superintendent Thomas Yorke. “We know our community cares deeply about our school and the success of each of our students, we appreciate your support.”
Consistent with our overall vision, Sharon Springs CSD looks to ensure each penny of our budget maximizes learning opportunities for each of our students. With that said, we continue to prioritize developing a budget that maintains our tradition of strong core academic programs, meaningful electives and engaging extracurricular opportunities for students, while remaining fiscally responsible.
The district, to every extent possible, continues to have a firm commitment to providing a broad range of formative experiences for our students by continuing to support field trips and extracurricular activities, including athletics and student leadership organizations such as FBLA and FFA. We also support students in pursuing vocational training, with students attending BOCES programs.
Additionally, we are able to offer nine in-house College in the High School classes through collaborations with SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Morrisville and Siena College. We firmly support each SSCS student in gaining the opportunities to discover, develop and pursue an education that equips them for success.
SSCS will continue to explore opportunities for collaborating and sharing costs with other districts, including transportation and special education programming, whenever possible. The district collaborates with other districts for professional development for teaching staff, regional summer school, spring sports, boy’s varsity soccer, collective purchasing, and health insurance.
SSCS is excited that our grant application was approved to use federal funds through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Over the course of the next couple years (starting this summer), we will be building an outdoor learning space (a pavilion), expanding our agricultural-education with the addition of a greenhouse, and improving air quality in our elementary wing. We will also be continuing our literacy program, providing additional mathematics support and extending our mental health services.
In conjunction with the ARP-funded projects, we are replacing outdated roofs, expanding the weight room to include space for OT/PT services, additional improvement of air quality (2nd floor), asbestos tile removal, improvements to the existing girls’ soccer field, and other minor renovations throughout the building (e.g., toilet room on the 2nd floor and modernization of the special services area). These projects will not only add value to our students’ educational experiences but will maintain the long-term health of our school, and the funding of all these projects will be cost neutral (thus not impacting our local tax base).
