Pearl River School Board Considers Eliminating Teaching Position

The Pearl River Board of Education will consider a resolution that would eliminate one full-time elementary school teaching position at tonight's meeting, which begins at 8 p.m. in the administration building on Crooked Hill Road.

That is only part of a busy agenda for the meeting, which is starting a half hour later than originally scheduled to accommodate the Pearl River High School Science Honor Society Induction 7 p.m. in the Pearl River High School Auditorium. 

The district administration is recommending abolishing the elementary school position for "reasons of economy and efficiency" according documents included with the agenda on the district website. The agenda and documents are attached to this article.  

The Pearl River School District has seen a decline in kindergarten registration in recent years, from 2.732 in 2009-10 to a projected 2,641 in 2012-13. The impact of the decline was discussed in a 2012-13 budget presentation Feb. 22, with Pearl River Director of Operations Quinton Van Wynen projecting a reduction in total sections among the district's three elementary schools from 34 to 33.  

The board is also expected to pass a resolution accepting the Citizen Proposed Transportation Petition submitted April 16. The petition included over 100 signatures asking that the bus limits for Pearl River High School be returned to where they were for the 2010-11 school year, one and a half miles. The resolution would put the matter on the ballot May 15 along with two seats on the board of education and the 2012-13 budget.

Voters in the district approved the reduction in the number of students eligible to ride the bus last May, with 63.4 percent voting yes, with the limit moved to three miles for grades 9-12 and two miles for eighth graders.

Van Wynen said that the petitioners included the proper information, such as what they wanted the limits to be and how much they expect it to cost the district, approximately $220,000 per year.

Van Wynen said that if the measure would pass, the district would have to pay the cost by using reserves or cutting elsewhere.

"People have to be aware that we may fund it this year by reserves, but going forward, it would bring it back into the budget and it would have an impact on spending in future years," Van Wynen said. 

Tuesday's agenda also includes the 2012 BOCES budget approval and 2012 BOCES board nominations.