Goshen school district begins preliminary budget review

Part two of a four-part preliminary budget review for school year 2024-25 took place at Monday’s meeting of the Goshen Central School District Board of Education.

The full budget proposal will be announced in April according to the superintendent’s office. The board has a 5.49% tax cap levy to work with this year.

Board members mentioned that under the current state budget proposal state aid to the district would be going down $400,000, as opposed to the past two years when it went up $3 million and $5 million.

At this week’s review “non-instructional” budgetary expenses were discussed. The total cost of the proposed non-instructional 2024-25 budget is $41,222,010, up 2.3% from 2023-24’s cost of $40,306,641.

The district will be saving several hundred thousand dollars over last year by not buying any new school busses. That saving is offset by a 4% increase in health insurance costs, 2% increase in salaries and 2% increase in retirement benefits for non-instructional employees.

Assistant Superintendent for Business Lorine Van Put-Lamerand presented the overview of the non-instructional expenses.

Other business

Board President Tom Loftus announced the board is hosting a community roundtable before their next meeting on March 18. He also announced the retirement of 11 employees, including several teachers, a custodian, and two teachers’ aides.

The board approved overnight trips for art students to an art museum and an overnight trip for students to participate in the model UN program. The board also approved Goshen students participating in Minisink Valley School District’s trap shooting team. Two students are interested in participating. Goshen does not have their own team.

The board is considering a new policy that would allow the expungement of one-time disciplinary measures not exceeding five days suspension from the record of students. The expungement policy would not be available to students caught in acts of violence, possession of weapons, or possession of illicit drugs and alcohol.

Superintendent Dr. Kurtis Kotes said the district is waiting for a building permit to repair a roof over the gymnasium. He also lauded students for their participation in the Odyssey of the Mind program. “It’s an amazing thing to watch,” he said, adding that the school has first and second place finishers who will be moving on to the state finals.

Assistant Superintendent Jason Carter noted an anti-bullying initiative would soon commence, with two cohorts of 25 students [50 total] taking part in the initiative. He also said that art teachers would be displaying works of student art that have won awards around the high school. He expects 30 works to be on display.

“We have great contribution from our students in the arts,” he said.

Art was also on the mind of one parent in the audience who spoke during public participation. Parent Jared Quattrini said the Arts Department had incurred cuts and is understaffed. He said students had a ceiling to their achievements in the arts within the district.

“Please find a way to increase our students’ exposure to the arts. Please fund the arts,” Quattrini said.

And on the subject of arts, it was noted that the Goshen High School Performing Arts Department would soon be presenting “The SpongeBob Musical.”

The musical will be performed Friday, March 15 at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 16 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 17 at 1 p.m. The Goshen website said, “tickets are $12 for non-patrons (back section of auditorium) or $25 for patrons (front section of auditorium).”