Port Jefferson School Mails Letter Reminding Residents To Fill Out Budget Questionnaire

The Port Jefferson School recently sent a letter to residents encouraging residents to fill out and return a questionnaire mailed to them. Here is a reprint of the letter:

Port Jefferson School District Educational Values Questionnaire

The Port Jefferson School Board and its committees are hard at work developing the budget for the 2011-12 school year. Public input to the school budget has always been important, but this year it is more crucial than ever. The evidence continues to mount that the quality of a child’s education is a critical factor for life success. Yet the pressures of the recession and state budget crisis continue to squeeze school budgets. This year alone, contractual and state mandated spending increases amount to close to $1.5 million, while we are slated for a decrease in state aid. To add to the list, LIPA and National Grid have filed a lawsuit seeking to have the Port Jefferson power plant’s property taxes reduced by almost 90%. As one of the major revenue sources for the school district budget ($14 million or almost 40% of the current school year’s budget), any substantial reduction presents grave consequences for our children’s education. Now, more than ever, we must make every educational dollar count.

The Board and its committees need your help. A questionnaire has been mailed to all households in the district asking you to help establish priorities for the educational program. Please look for this questionnaire in your mailbox and return it no later than February 14 by mail or by dropping it off at the district office or one of the school main offices.

These would be trying times for any school district, but we in Port Jefferson face particularly difficult decisions in the months ahead. The quality of our schools reflects our community values. Many of us know former graduates who have returned to Port Jefferson to give their children the same opportunities they had while growing up. New families continue to move to the district attracted by the promise of a Port Jefferson education. Your participation in this process will be essential for charting the future course of Port Jefferson and the character of our community.

Mark Doyle, PJSD Board of Education, Vice President

If you did not receive your letter, please contact the office for a replacement.