May Board of Education Meeting Highlights

The final Board of Education meeting before the budget vote on May 19 was held last night, May 11, and was not one to miss. Many community members attended in person and through a live stream provided by Robin Baez.

First, Superintendent Jamie Coppola gave a presentation on the proposed budget for the 2026-2027 school year. Many questions were asked regarding certain line items like BOCES, UPK, and whether there were to be more cuts to staff. Answers to these questions were rather unclear as to what the actual plan was.

Next was the Meet the Candidates section of the meeting. Each of the six candidates gave speeches to introduce themselves and their plans for the district to the public. Each speech highlighted how change is needed in the district during this crisis, though how much change varied between the candidates.

The candidates in order of how they will appear on the ballot are:
Jared Lapin
Michael McAllister
Kimberly Moore
Richard Sterns
Gabrielle McCracken
Kristin Kashuba

There are three seats open this year, so vote for your top three. Voting takes place on May 19 from noon to 9:00 pm. Make sure to vote!

The Board meeting proceeded with the regular meeting. Many more questions were asked during the public input section about the budget, staff cuts, and kids getting stuck in the mud on the riverbank by the baseball and soccer fields. The meeting continued and entered executive session around 8:30 pm before ending the meeting.

Showing up to vote is how we keep our school administration and board accountable to voters. This is a critical election for the future of our school, so go vote on May 19!