This year we have witnessed extensive growth in our secondary programs, grades 6-12. We must continue to build on these foundations, reaching higher to become stronger.

Expanding Regents Math/Science Courses to 8th graders

 This year, by including more 8th grade regular and special education students in Algebra Regents, we have increased the participation rate from 45% to over 70%. Using labs to support struggling students, we have placed more youngsters on track to accelerating in Math courses when they reach high school. 

We would like to do the same next year for more students taking Earth Science Regents courses and opening the opportunities further to accelerate in science as well when they enter 9th grade. 

Placing students in these lab classes requires more staffing. Like Algebra, this Earth Science addition will offer three more periods (beyond the regular five weekly) of support with the same teacher. We will maintain our very successful Opt-In or Opt-Out for parents. 

Extend Advanced Placement, Honors and Regents Courses to More Students, Grades 9-12

We see a high school where Regents-level courses are the default option for students not enrolled in Honors and AP Courses. Except for alternatively-assessed and IEP students, all regular and special education students, with proper support should be challenged to take regents level courses. We must remove the barriers and challenge students to their highest performance levels.

We see a high school where every student should take at least one Advanced Placement course before graduation. We envision many more students enrolling in AP and college-level courses to ensure their readiness for college. 

Again, supporting these efforts requires additional staff—a price well worth the result. 

Increase the 9-12 Guidance Staff by One Counselor

With the retirement of a part-time occupational consultant, we plan to add one full-time school counselor to absorb the occupational work requirements and to do more. Reducing our current Counselor-Student ratio is important. Providing more direct counseling/career services to our special needs youngsters is likewise important. 

This budget supports one full-time additional school counselor. 

Strengthen Modified Sports 

This Budget includes $12,400 to recruit one boys and one girls coach to manage two new basketball teams (18 students minimum on each). We also included uniforms and additional equipment needs. 

These additional investments in our secondary schools will go a long way towards ensuring our two secondary schools will rank among the best in Westchester.