The Watervliet Board of Education will meet Tuesday, April 12 at 6 p.m. in person in the administrative conference room at Watervliet Jr.-Sr. High School. The meeting will be live streamed for anyone who prefers to watch at home.
View agenda 〉 Download printer-friendly meeting materials
Watch the meeting via live stream.
Public comments may be submitted by email to the following address: BOEPublicComment@vlietschools.org
BOE to adopt proposed 2022-23 budget on April 12, public to vote on May 17
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Donald Stevens and School Business Manager Keith Heid will present their final recommendations for the 2022-23 school budget at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, April 12. View the budget presentation
It is anticipated the Board of Education will then adopt the proposed $33.7 million budget for the 2022-23. District residents will vote on the proposed budget Tuesday, May 17.
The school budget proposal increases spending 10.7% or $3.3 million more than the current-year budget. The tax levy would increase an estimated 2.04%, which is significantly below the district’s maximum allowable limit. Because the tax levy increase remains below the district’s allowable limit of 3.59% as determined by the state’s tax “cap” formula, a simple majority of voters (50% + 1) is needed to pass the budget.
Budget highlights
The district’s budget proposal maintains all current educational programs, services and extracurricular opportunities for students. It includes increased student support districtwide with the addition of a full-time psychologist or social worker and a full-time English as a New Language (ENL) teacher. These itinerant positions would be shared equally between both schools.
The proposed plan also restores or reestablishes programs and staffing that was previously reduced or eliminated to cut costs in years past. Staffing to be restored includes a library aide position at the elementary school, and three full-time teaching positions in art, physical education and social studies at the junior-senior high school. It invests in two long-term substitute teachers to allow for the maintenance of smaller class sizes at the upper elementary grade levels.
The proposed budget would restore the bowling program that was previously eliminated, establishes a new girls wrestling program, and expands the new e-sports team that was introduced during the second half of this school year.
School Budget Vote
The school budget vote will take place Tuesday, May 17 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at two polling locations: Watervliet Elementary School and the Watervliet Elks Lodge. Additional information will be shared in a budget newsletter that will be mailed to all district residences in early May.