Community Corner

Moms Talk: School Budgets - Where to Cut and Save?

With local school districts feeling the pressure to keep budget increases low, what are you willing to sacrifice and what must stay?

Malverne school officials have described this year's budget as "gloomy," Valley Stream District 13 called it "challenging," and West Hempstead is still struggling to close a $2.4 million gap in revenue and expenses.

All three are grappling with declines in state aid, unfunded mandates and rising salary and benefits costs, which have forced them to consider cutting programs and people.

It's an ugly job that these school administrators and board members are faced with, but for a moment, let's pretend you were charged with this responsibility.

Find out what's happening in Malverne-Lynbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

What would you place on the chopping block? (Should extra-curriculars and sports be the first to go or people?) What would you fight to preserve? And how would you balance the needs of taxpayers to keep increases low and of the students to receive the best education possible?

You'll see members of our Moms Council, an advisory group comprised of smart and engaged moms from the neighborhood, responding to these questions below in the comments section and we invite you and your circle of friends to join in the discussion.

Find out what's happening in Malverne-Lynbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Moms Talk is a new feature on Malverne-West Hempstead Patch that invites local parents to discuss issues that matter to them.

Wondering who are these local moms we tapped for our Council? Meet the members:

  • Janet Grech - A Malverne mom with children enrolled at Our Lady of Lourdes School.
  • Laura Murray- A Lynbrook mom who grew up in Malverne and is the current president of the Mothers of Malverne. She has two young children not in school yet.
  • Gina Genti - A Malverne mom with two boys in elementary school.
  • Andrea Shinsato- A West Hempstead mom with a 2-year-old and one child enrolled in Chestnut Street School.
  • Theresa Walz- A West Hempstead mom whose children attend Cornwell Avenue School and West Hempstead Middle School.
  • Loraine Magaraci- A West Hempstead mom with kids enrolled in West Hempstead Middle School and High School.
  • Audrey Diaz Robles- A new mom to a 6-month-old baby.
  • Dawn Wladyka- A Malverne mom with two students attending Our Lady of Lourdes School and one enrolled in Grace Lutheran PreSchool.
  • Eileen Lynch O'Hara - A Malverne mother with three children enrolled at Saint Anne's School in Garden City and one child at the Brother Fox Latin School at Kellenberg Memorial High School.
  • Maria Salcedo-Hafker - A Malverne mom who sends her children to Maurice W. Downing School and Davison Avenue School.
  • Lori Lang- A Malverne native and mother of four whose children attend St. Thomas the Apostle School in West Hempstead.
  • Jennifer Johnson- A West Hempstead mom with one child attending Cornwell Avenue School and another in day care.

Moms Talk will also be the place for you to pose your questions about parenting topics and local issues that affect families. Where can we get information on local flu shot clinics for children? How do we talk to our children about peer pressure, bullying and protecting themselves online? How can we help our children's schools weather their budget cutbacks?

Have a topic or question you'd like to bring before the Moms Council and fellow Patch readers? E-mail Tara.Conry@Patch.com


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