Dear Members of the Board of Education

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a former member of this Board, I write with growing alarm about the district’s apparent unwillingness to rein in its ever-expanding financial appetite.

The newly adopted budget reflects a 3.03% increase over last year, bringing district spending to roughly $87 million for approximately 1,700 students. That translates to more than $50,000 per student per year, a level that rivals what families pay for private school. Yet this district does not deliver results that justify such extraordinary spending. Its performance remains modest at best, while taxpayers are asked year after year to shoulder an ever-higher burden.

This is happening at a time when families are already under significant financial strain. Town taxes, utility costs, fuel, food, and the general cost of living continue to rise, while wages do not keep pace. In that environment - which will only worsen with the current geopolitical situation - the Board’s repeated answer cannot simply be to raise the levy again, and again.
Just as troubling is the broader effect on the community. A district with high taxes, rising per-pupil costs, and only middling outcomes does not strengthen local property values; it depresses them. It makes the community less attractive to prospective buyers, less affordable to current residents, and more vulnerable to long-term decline. A school district cannot preserve itself by steadily weakening the tax base on which it depends.

Where is the serious public discussion of consolidating building use, rethinking transportation patterns, aligning staffing with enrollment realities, reevaluating the district’s heavy reliance on costly special education placements and services, and pursuing real operational efficiencies? Where is the evidence of strategic thinking equal to the scale of the problem? Fiscal stewardship requires more than approving annual increases rooted in "wish lists".

If the Board shows itself incapable of engineering a structure that is educationally effective, financially sustainable, and fair to the broader community, then more fundamental alternatives will inevitably enter the public discussion.

Sincerely,

Tanya Dragic

Greenburgh School District Budget Meeting Announced For Monday Night

Please note that there will be a special BOE meeting on Monday, March 9, 2020 at 6:30PM at Woodlands HS to address the 2020/21 school budget. Come to listen, speak and share your ideas. Invite your friends and neighbors to participate as this affects us all. Please keep in mind…

A little over a year ago the Greenburgh School District began a campaign to push a bond of $114 million, whose final cost would have exceeded $200,000,000 to consolidate two schools in the district onto the Warburg campus. There were several factors that contributed to the bond not passing.

Over the years, the Greenburgh School District has neglected the buildings that house the staff and the students. The residents found their tax dollars disappearing without an explanation. Please keep in mind most people usually vote to support the education of our children as the primary goal. Education is the best investment in our future – when it’s actually used for the children. Sadly, when the 2019 school year began, the week before the GSD staff was to report to work, the Warburg mansion was deemed unsafe for staff to occupy by Superintendent Chase. The district had the entire summer to deal with building maintenance, but again neglected to do so, hence, "the sky is falling" and maybe the roof.

The slate roof on the Mansion has been left in disrepair, neither covered, nor protected, nor any effort made to preserve it. We’re told now the leaking roof has contributed to “structural damages” throughout. Paint and plaster has fallen onto the floors and we’re told again that the mansion is no longer usable. No future plans to repair the Mansion have been put forth as of the February 28th date. The Superintendent announced on March 3 that the engineering report gave an estimate of $829,000 to repair the mansion EXCLUDING roof repair. 

The slate roof sits uncovered, exposed to rain, ice, wind and further deterioration. To anyone who owns a car, you know that if you do not change the oil, the life of the car is usually shorter. The result of voting NO on the bond seems to indicate that little or no action to preserve or maintain the Mansion will be offered. The district didn’t have money for maintenance, but they suddenly had the money to move the administration into the Woodlands High School and build an office suite for the superintendent and the administrative staff. 

What is supposed to be a temporary move, had generated a price tag so far of $267,346.79. Is it any wonder the district can’t find the money needed to repair the roof? The locksmith costs are $34,577.40. for electronic locks to accommodate the new offices. Other expenses the public should be aware of: wiring for phones and computer system $26,300, shades for the superintendent’s office $8,652. The list is long and may ultimately exceed $300,000, As tax payers eager to support the education of our children, our future leaders, we find the lack of maintaining the district office and surrounding schools one of the primary reasons we have wasteful spending and a distrust of the current Administration and Board of Education.

Join in by coming to the meeting Monday night and let them know what you think.

Re-Elect Eannazzo • Elect Ramirez for Elmsford School Board

Dr Tanya Dragic For GCSD School Board

For the past six months, I’ve been speaking to residents, parents, teachers, former Board members and old friends about our schools. I have been pouring over statistics, budgets, and education policies, reading historic articles and remembering my own experiences. In the 1970s and ‘80s, when I was living and going to school here, the student body was truly diverse and mostly middle-class. Greenburgh schools educated their students effectively. Today, 63% of our students are socio-economically disadvantaged and 80% are minorities. This feeds indifference and prejudice towards our schools.

Most parents who can afford it – regardless of race or ethnicity – either leave the District or send their children to private schools. Those children who remain in Greenburgh Schools, and who live in economically comfortable homes with involved parents, generally do well. Those who live in economically disadvantaged households without supportive parenting, generally do not do well. These are the children whose educational disparities we must address, while also supporting those who are doing well. If we can raise the achievement level of those in the middle and the bottom of the academic spectrum, the performance of the entire district will obviously improve.

How can we raise test scores, increase graduation rates and college-attendance? How do we help the average Greenburgh student acquire the knowledge and skills for success? We have a significant school budget and we need to use our resources as effectively as possible. For this, we have to have a strong and united leadership that serves the best interest of the students and the community. I hope that on Tuesday you vote for me. I am a member of your community and an alumnus of the District. I am an educated parent and an educator. I know the skills that students need to do well in school, in college and in their professional lives. I would like to be the voice that advocates for you and education, here in Greenburgh’s public schools. This is my platform:

- We need to hire administrators with a strong track record of improving student performance.

- We need highly-qualified teachers. They should either have experience or be trained to work with our student demographic. Their contracts should be competitive, so that they REMAIN with us.

- We need to make sure that academic support programs are working, and that they are being used by the students who need them the most.

- We need to support the social and emotional development of students, especially those with difficulties at home.

- Parents, teachers and students should be empowered to WORK TOGETHER.

- Beyond that, we need to embrace everyone in the community who is willing to volunteer in our schools to provide academic or emotional support.

- In fact, we need to embrace neighboring districts to share resources and to learn from them.

- And finally, we need to repair and maintain our buildings so that they are a safe and comfortable learning environment.

Thank you for your support and your vote!

I'd Like Your Support And Your Vote

www.tanyadragic.com

For years, the state of our public schools has gone unaddressed by the Greenburgh collective. I am running for the School Board because I want to be an effective interface between the residents and the schools to improve education standards and allocation of resources. Until this happens, and our enrollment starts to increase significantly, we should not be talking about spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a consolidation bond.

We spend 30% more per student than the average spending by other school districts in Westchester County, while we remain at the bottom of the charts by every state and national metric. We do not make any “Best of” lists, and we are poorly rated on web-sites consulted by young families looking for a place to raise their kids. Yes, there are bright academic points, but they mostly benefit top-tier students.

Our infrastructure is run-down. We are told that this is because education was prioritized. It’s hard to tell because our school budgets are so opaque: it seems that we have 25% more administrative staff than the average Westchester school district  - is that necessary? We hear about teachers on home assignment while receiving full salaries – how many and what is the plan for resolving their situations? Are we sharing resources and services with other school districts? How about sharing resources with the town government and community organizations?

The bottom line is that those who can, leave Greenburgh or send their children to private schools. I’ve heard this story again and again as I’ve talked to residents over the past weeks. This is both disheartening and unacceptable. The children of Greenburgh deserve a better education in their public schools. The residents of Greenburgh deserve public schools that reflect their input in tax-dollars. 

My goals are to:
• Focus the curriculum on proficiency and skills for success
• Empower parents, teachers and students to work together
• Restore and maintain existing buildings
• Streamline budgets and use resources efficiently

• Explore philanthropic and grant opportunities
• Improve communication with all residents in our District

As an educator, a scientist, a grant writer, a parent and a taxpayer, I expect more from our public schools. The struggle for that change cannot rest solely on the shoulders of our teachers and administrators or the School Board. We must turn this around collectively. 

Join me by voting for me on May 21^st. Let’s make Greenburgh Central School District the shining example of a modern, inclusive and functional public school system that it should be. 

www.tanyadragic.com

Greenburgh School Board Forum Offers Little

Wednesday night at 6:30pm found about 30 or so people in the Woodlands High School cafeteria. They weren’t there to eat.

Rather, the somewhat subdued crowd were there to hear 6 people try to sway stakeholders to vote for them in the upcoming Greenburgh Central School Board elections on May 21st. There are two seats open for a three-year term and one that is a partial term for one-year, completing a vacancy created when interim trustee Jeff Barnes term ended. You can watch the session at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgYlTHGlZ38.

With two and half spots open, we expected all the candidates to be on their “A” game. Sadly, this would not be the case. In fact, we were a bit distressed to hear almost every candidate monotonously say similar things, offer few specifics and regurgitate what every candidate has said for the last umpteen years. We heard statements that included fresh perspective, dedicated toward the kids, will work for better schools, etc. With the current School Board bond initiative shot down, the candidates said they believed they would need to do a better job communicating with the stakeholders. Really, that’s all they came away with? By the way, School Superintendent Dr Chase was not present during this event.

The only breath of fresh air was Tanya Dragic, who not only offered tangible ideas, but seemed convincing when she identified the issues and offered some actual solutions. We understand that incumbents always have a better grasp on district issues by the nature of the positions they hold. We were inclined to be a bit more forgiving to the new candidates. Out of that pool however, Tanya Dragic was the real stand out.

There were two moderators off to the side of the dais asking the questions of the candidates, actually reading the questions from index cards that had been filled out and submitted earlier by audience members. The moderators read the questions that were given to them by either PTA President Mireille St Armand or vice-President Mona Fraitag. As Ms Dragic answered questions, Ms Fraitag was seen repeatedly walking to the back of the room and quickly returning with another card in hand that either moderator would then read to only Ms Dragic. Ms Fraitag has a long history as a Paul Feiner sycophant, so we are suspect whenever we see her at an event. Tonight would prove no different.

The manipulation of the questions by Ms Fraitag and her obvious bias against Ms Dragic in particular was blatant and underhanded. It quickly became obvious she was trying to “trip up” Ms Dragic by throwing seemingly difficult questions only at her. Her attempt to discredit Ms Dragic backfired. While the other candidates didn’t have to endure the specific treatment against them, Ms Dragic was obviously prepared and capable and deftly answered these curveball questions, proving she was worthy of the Board position.

In fact, one of the questions that was specific to Ms Dragic was how did she intend to bring the recently cut science labs program back to Woodlands? Without missing a beat, Ms Dragic said that this was a passion of hers and she didn’t have enough time to thoroughly expand her answer. She did say that she would work with the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in the Bronx, and their labs, to develop a program that the Woodlands students would be able to take advantage of. She added she would also work in her capacity as a grant writer to get funding for this as well.

The evening brought few innovations or new ideas to the table. The two incumbent candidates, David Warner and Lloyd Newland, have been on the Board for years. It was this current Board that tried to secretly get the bond passed by limiting its exposure to the stakeholders until we exposed that the schools that these people have been entrusted to maintain and provide a safe and healthy environment for the district’s children were intentionally not maintained. We believe their goal, like that of Mr Feiner’s with WestHelp, was to have the schools become so dilapidated that the only thing left to do would be to tear them down; or sell them and build new schools on the Warburg campus. In fact Trustee Terry Williams got up at one of those road tour meetings and said that that was a legacy goal of his as a School Board member. Shouldn’t your legacy be about the quality education the district’s students receive?

Regardless of any Board members legacies, and this one may turn out to be a legacy of decay, it’s time to jettison the incumbents. We were, in fact, impressed with the list of accomplishments that David Warner and Lloyd Newland read off. In fact, Mr Warner, speaking rapidly, like an announcer at the end of a legal commercial, ran out of time during his opening statement. But Mr Warner, Mr Newland and Mr Williams participated in letting our schools decay. Maybe they’re the real problem.

It is our belief and those we spoke with after the forum, that the Greenburgh School District is ripe for change. The other non-Board member candidates include Ashley Pineda, Brezetta Griffith-Bullock, Malena Din, and Tanya Dragic. While we have no real complaints about Ms Griffith-Bullock, as a former principal in what she called a Blue Ribbon school in Mt Vernon, her ideas struck us as stale. Mr Pineda and Ms Din both have children in the Greenburgh schools and came across as passionate for the schools. This could certainly be because they have their kids are in the schools. Ms Dragic’s kids are in college and an adjoining district. Nothing beats the need to see improvements like when it hits home.

We feel certain Ms Dragic should receive one of the three-year seats, and Ms Din and Mr Pineda should get the other two. We wrote extensively about the shenanigans the Board has played with the lack of maintenance towards our schools, the lack of communication to the public and the fact that the public has passed the budget year after year entrusting the current Board to do the right thing. Apparently, they’re not concerned about what the public thinks or wants. That’s why they got their heads handed to them over the bond issue. There will be a bond for repairs coming soon. There will also be a new school budget coming up. The stakeholders need to scrutinize what is being offered and what is being told to them. The Board decided to go for broke with the Bond and the public responded. Let’s not squander that message.

Pleas vote on May 21 in whichever district you reside. Hold your Board’s feet to the fire and consider this a good opportunity to clean house. It’s time and it will make for A Better Greenburgh.

GSCD PTA To Host Candidate's Night

GSCD PTA COUNCIL PRESENTS CANDIDATE NIGHT!

The PTA Council at Greenburgh School District presents Candidate Night on 5/1/19. Please join us at Woodlands HS Cafeteria to hear the candidates talk about who they are and their platform. The candidates are: Milena Din Tanya Dragic Brezetta Griffith-Bullock Lloyd Newland - Incumbent Ashley Pineda David Warner - Incumbent The public will have an opportunity to ask questions in writing. Upon entering the cafeteria, you will be given an index card to write your question. Council will pick the most relevant questions. The moderators will then read the questions to the candidates. There will be no verbal questions taken on the floor... We look forward to seeing you on May 1, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. - 8:30p.m. at Woodlands HS Cafeteria. Annual budget and board election is May 21, 2019 at Woodlands MS from 7:00a.m. - 9:00pm. Exercise your right to vote! Thank you.