Shelter Island Reporter editorial: Kudos to school officials

The Shelter Island School District’s administration and the Board of Education and staff have done a remarkable job of constructing a budget at a time when the pandemic has resulted in unanticipated costs that had to be met.

Kudos also go to the staff, which has worked long, volunteer hours to support the wider community during the prolonged and difficult time for the Island community.

Not all of the school staff are Island residents, but their love for the community and support of students and families has resulted in their not only supporting educational needs, but delivering meals to homebound individuals, supporting the food pantry at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, and generally treating Islanders like family members.

The district’s social worker, Michele Albano, and psychologist Danielle Spears, organized a Zoom program for the entire community to provide information on available resources to help residents weather the emotional and mental stresses the pandemic has brought to everyone’s doorsteps.

From the outset, Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D., confidently told the public the 2022-23 school year budget would not go above the state-imposed 2% tax cap. He has now said the new budget won’t increase more than 1.5% over last year and could well be lower than that when it’s completed.

That is extraordinary.

We recall calmer years when Boards of Education wrestled to find thousands of dollars in budget cuts in proposed spending plans to avoid piercing the tax cap. Mr. Doelger’s determination to maintain important educational programs, while paying strict attention to fiscal responsibility to taxpayers, has threaded a difficult needle.

It doesn’t mean the superintendent’s proposal will stand as first presented. A responsible Board of Education will continue to search for additional savings, while supporting vital educational programs.

But at a time when inflation is affecting everyone, the community should be grateful to the effort being made by school district personnel to keep spending as low as possible.

The responsibility also rests with the public that too often ignores the budgeting process at a point where taxpayers could influence spending before the Board of Education adopts a proposal that will be on the ballot in May.

This is the time for residents to get involved, and offer ideas for cuts or suggestions for spending they deem important.

You have about eight weeks to make your voices heard.