Prospect Elementary School

Dear Warrior Nation,

On May 21, the Salamanca School Community will be voting to approve the 2024-2025 school year budget and a proposition to purchase four parcels of land.  This vote will occur on May 21, 2024 from 12:00 noon until 9:00PM in the high school gymnasium.  Over the past three months, the district has presented each component of the budget and has refined the budget to ensure we are proposing a responsible and long-term sustainable budget that supports teaching and learning in our schools, ensures safe and secure school campuses, meets the needs of our increasing student enrollment, and provides access for the community to academic and athletic resources.

What you will vote on:
·         Approval of the General Operating Budget of $57,996,781
·         Election of two (2) Board of Education Trustees
·         Approval to purchase four (4) parcels of property

Summary-
The proposed budget does not increase the tax levy for the school district. 

All academic, athletic, and community programs remain at current or increased levels.

Details-

Budget- For the past six years, the tax levy for the school district has remained constant at a total of $250,000.  This proposed budget maintains that tax levy- your taxes will not go up.  The proposed budget for the district is $57,996,781.  This is an increase in spending of 13.2% over the current fiscal year.  This increase in spending is primarily due to salary and benefit increases for employees.  Salary increases are contractual and a result of new positions being added including 6 new teachers and 4 support staff.  Another large component of the increase is a result of a 24.3% increase in health insurance.  How can your taxes remain the same?  While expenditures have increased, so have our revenues.  Due to prudent management, the district has an increased revenue of $1,807,00 in interest returns.  The critical importance of Federal Impact Aid and our relationship with the Seneca Nation on our budget cannot be overstated.  The district will be using Federal Impact Aid the district receives due to our existence on Seneca Nation land.

What we provide- Over the past ten years, student enrollment has increased.  Families are no longer choosing to send their students to other districts or private schools.  Staff has remained constant, teachers and support staff are no longer leaving for other school districts.  We believe this is due to a significant improvement in educational and athletic opportunities and an improvement in student discipline in Salamanca Schools.  Specifically, your schools have
·         Regionally and nationally recognized academic programs resulting in increased graduation rates and employment opportunities.
·         Championship athletic teams and programs that compete on top tier athletic fields and courts.
·         High quality art, music, and drama programs for all our students.
·         Student centered resources that support all levels of need including career development, academic interventions, social emotional development, counseling, various therapeutic and mental health needs.
·         Increased after school and before school programs for students of all ages.
·         Regionally recognized safety and security resources and practices.
·         Increased education in Seneca Culture and History including the development of Indigenous Studies Standards that have been endorsed by the Seneca Nation and recognized by the NYS Education Department.
·         Increased access for all community members to education, athletic, and recreational programs and facilities.

Property proposals- The district is proposing the acquisition of four parcels of land for current and future use.  The district proposes spending $2,300,00 on the purchase of the former WestGate Hotel.  Over the past three years, the district has been using this property temporarily for administrative offices.  As the new addition at the high school was being constructed, the district determined it was more important to student learning for the high school offices to move into the new addition (as opposed to all district offices) so the former high school offices could be used for teaching spaces.  Over the past several years, the district has seen an increase in enrollment by over 6%.  Additionally, the district has brought back several specialized education programs that require space for teaching and learning.  As a result of prioritizing student teaching space at the high school, the district must find a permanent location for district offices and the WestGate is perfect for this use.

The district is also proposing the purchase of three parcels of land adjacent to the Prospect Campus.  The anticipated use of these parcels include the addition of an early childhood learning building, additional playground and recreational spaces, and improvements to the parking and traffic flow around the Prospect, Sullivan, and East State Streets.  While there are no formal plans, the district has a goal of providing early childhood education and supervision to district students as early as possible.  Additionally, for years, the traffic and parking has been an issue around the Prospect Campus.  These properties will allow for increased educational opportunities, recreational opportunities, and safer traffic patterns for our students and for the community around the Prospect School. 

Your school district has grown and shown significant improvements in academic programs, academic achievement, athletic opportunities, athletic championships, community access to facilities and programs, and major improvements to facilities.  The proposed budget and propositions continue this path toward excellence and provide more reasons to be Warrior Proud.

Go Warriors,
Mark Beehler
Mark Beehler
Superintendent