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This is the second in a series of four articles on the Pelham Board of Education candidates thoughts on the 2012-13 school budget. Michael Recca's views were covered on Thursday, April 19.
PELHAM, N.Y. Board of Education candidate Christine Rosskopf absolutely supports the 2012-13 school budget and urges her fellow Pelhamites to do the same when it comes time to vote.
Board members unanimously adopted the $65,560,607 budget at a meeting Monday in Pelham Memorial High Schools newly dedicated Alumni Hall.
With the tax cap, it was a challenging budget year," said Rosskopf, a lawyer and mother of two kids at Siwanoy Elementary School. It was tough to see three elementary school positions cut and a fourth not filled after a teacher resigned, she said.
We've cut teachers and the dedicated athletic director position, Rosskopf said. In a perfect world, I'd bring back those teaching positions. Whether you do it through a gold watch or a pink slip, a cut is a cut.
After Pelham public schools athletic director Joe DelVecchio retires in July, Pelham Middle School assistant principal Lynn Sabia will assume his duties as the new athletic director.
Rosskopf, a Siwanoy PTA and site-based council member, praised one aspect of the budget. Unlike many districts, we did not cut programs, she said. And the budget process worked, she said.
I participated and spoke up about proposed nursing cuts and the burden of teacher cuts being disproportionately borne by the elementary kids, Rosskopf said. Although the BOE did not agree with me on everything, I felt my voice was heard.
She believes that her background in law will help her chances of winning a seat on the school board and improving it.
Board of Education elections will take place May 15 in addition to the vote on the 2012-13 school year budget. Four candidates are running for two seats. Board President Robert Eicher and member Doug Hearle are not seeking re-election. Rosskopf, Recca, Paul Prencis and Madeline Smith are seeking seats on the school board for the first time.
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