[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6060154,"mediaKeyId","3293106-ea1558b8a04bb371fdf0f5777a43c780","parentId",3293106,"title","Three Village officials outline 0.84% budget increase, 2.78% tax-levy rise and potential contingency cuts","audioSeconds",1370,"startMs",2420000,"endMs",3790000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293106-ea1558b8a04bb371fdf0f5777a43c780&start=2420&end=3790","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293106-ea1558b8a04bb371fdf0f5777a43c780/thumbnail_2420000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6060154/New-York/Three-Village-officials-outline-084-budget-increase-278-tax-levy-rise-and-potential-contingency-cuts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060154-1de429ee1a15e809dcab50a651a3d062/orig.mp4?Expires=1771065411&Signature=FoQWgVfhTZjlMwL6QU6PYWkF9xg6Xd-iwocpPdKpgqKgATmPcPkH7hwbizCgbYR0qbg1NK0JrBtL2uVtIrOVUjoWt1zomh3K0dVkwcbEfr9~W277mUjLkUEJkQHtaD9LGj2hDllda4VDkwcMHw7hfcsmRXL7zkHYvsjstcETO39kiX2CmC7xdf11uMrDFLj7uuFoaDcL4XWL-TjC-nHTE2FJIskX2yko3~wiHnxFdPw3kaWj5j37YUxNy1-~6E~ZRBdR8bsApJaIDCFXSiYwDi8~EeEsb1wJfOxXO5VAIxzgakuG3nZ2zMuNXgvnXPOV3XPKMgDqnedJq-z5f1w89Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-13T22:19:10Z","article","Three Village Central School District administrators presented the official budget hearing on May 13, saying the proposed 2025–26 budget reflects a 0.84% increase over the prior year and a tax-levy increase of 2.78.

Mr. Carlson explained that, after applying the tax-cap formula and adjusting capital projects, the district’s tax-levy increase complies with the cap. He said the district expects roughly $5 million in additional revenue next year derived from a roughly $4.8 million tax-levy increase and about $238,000 in non-building state aid. \"The cap varies from year to year and from district to district,\" Carlson said, noting building aid linked to older bond referenda will decline as certain aid payments end.

Administrators detailed expense pressures that outpaced revenue: Carlson said salary increases with current staffing would total \"a little over $6,000,000,\" and he described a health-insurance increase of \"over $5,000,000\" driven largely by pharmaceutical cost trends. He described mandatory employer contributions to the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) and the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) as state requirements that further raise costs.

Dr. Scanlon summarized staffing reductions and concessions the district negotiated to narrow the gap. The district had planned larger elementary staffing cuts but reduced that number through attrition and other adjustments, cutting the projected elementary-teacher reduction from roughly 14 to about 5.4 full-time equivalents, he said. The district also identified reductions in teacher assistants, administrative restructuring, and limits to overtime and certain summer programs; the board restored some programs by reallocating funds.

Carlson said the governor’s initial budget proposal was only marginally different from the final enacted state budget for the district; he warned that Three Village’s aid formula does not yield the large increases seen in some other districts. He explained that, if voters reject the budget on May 20, the district’s options are to present the same budget for a revote, revise the budget for a second vote in June, or move directly to a contingency budget with no tax-levy increase and additional required reductions. \"On a contingency budget ... that still requires another more than $3,300,000 in reductions,\" he said.

Administrators reiterated that board and staff cannot advocate for or against the budget in the public meeting, and they encouraged voter turnout; Carlson noted that last year about 3,300 people voted out of 38,000 registered voters in the district.

No formal vote on the budget occurred at the May 13 meeting; the budget vote was scheduled for May 20 in the Ward Melville High School gymnasium, and district leaders described logistics for voting and early voting options.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting 5/13/25","oneSentenceSummary","Three Village Central School District administrators presented a proposed 2025–26 budget with a 0.84% overall increase and a 2.78% tax-levy rise at the May 13 budget hearing, warning that staff and benefits costs would force deeper cuts under a contingency budget if the proposal fails.","taxTitle","THREE VILLAGE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",61498,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6060158,"Three Village music students honored; district restores third-grade instrumental program",2729,831000,3560000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293106-ea1558b8a04bb371fdf0f5777a43c780&start=831&end=3560","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293106-ea1558b8a04bb371fdf0f5777a43c780/thumbnail_831000.jpg","/articles/6060158/New-York/Three-Village-music-students-honored-district-restores-third-grade-instrumental-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060158-38aac03ee8b35165474e95020a077b8d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771065411&Signature=FccQtkE-dkdNEdpoRTWGEIG39gfve9fupKjJeChLzjz3MfzLFFlMnzopDQUZrkA0aRzhfEpMK9bwPmGeqV3EyQeOuHyyI-XyW43y8dRD7o8zReEFaxLu~nXVbk~fHVwM-TvBNuEgP2LnesiLZLzLm784a2BgbY-4cFrJjqRIcbXEU4l6UyPAze6l-k4mGoJEcPpQYYpVgxEB~Gy~JqL-b2HZOov4rnS6la7~CLHeUHhEEYWcY~wo-2panrw2ks8lMuhXguaH41Vdav~PVLjQjvsrFNl4cQSlmnlFgBa7Gax0MSaAyrW~ZjRZDPXCGF9ig4EQq6Vdi~AOwA~5SMOkgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Three Village Central School District officials on May 13 recognized nearly 200 student musicians selected for county, state and national honors ensembles and said the district has restored third-grade instrumental instruction for next year without increasing district costs.

Director of music Miss Ochner told the Board of Education that students were selected for competitive ensembles including the Suffolk County Music Educators Association (SCMEA), the New York State administrators’ ensembles and the Long Island String Festival Association (LISFA). \"These accomplishments represent the highest levels of musical achievement,\" Ochner said, noting selections are based on auditions and teacher recommendations and that 626 Three Village students participated in the district-hosted All-State selection festival this year.

Administrators told the board that, amid budget pressure, the music department reworked schedules to preserve third-grade ensembles. Dr. Scanlon said the third-grade instrumental program was \"restored for next year\" and confirmed at the meeting that the district did so \"with no increase in cost\" by adjusting current staffing and schedules.

Board members and parents who spoke during public comment lauded the music staff and students. Parent Suzanne Allen referenced more than 60 student testimonials collected in support of the third-grade ensembles and read an excerpt from an eighth-grade student about how early instrumental lessons supported her during COVID-19-era disruptions. Leanne Strom, a parent and local orchestra director, thanked the district for continuing the program and described the district's music offerings as strong compared with neighboring districts.

The board and administrators emphasized the role of early music instruction in long-term participation and success in competitive festivals. Ochner highlighted district-run mentoring programs and described Music in Our Schools Month activities that provided more than 300 free lessons through student-led mentoring.

No formal board vote to create new budget line items was recorded at the May 13 meeting; administrators said the program was restored through scheduling changes within the existing staffing projections and the reductions already planned elsewhere in the budget. District officials invited interested community members to view recorded performances and festival highlights provided as part of the recognition.

The district did not provide enrollment projections tied specifically to the restored third-grade program during the meeting. Several parents asked the board to preserve early ensemble instruction, citing its long-term effects on retention and student achievement in county and state festivals.","The board acknowledged nearly 200 students selected for regional, state and national music ensembles and the district announced restoration of the third-grade instrumental program for next year after schedule adjustments, officials said at the May 13 meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6060163,"Bus driver, aide and first responders praised after Setauket special-needs bus fire",306,432000,738000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293106-ea1558b8a04bb371fdf0f5777a43c780&start=432&end=738","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293106-ea1558b8a04bb371fdf0f5777a43c780/thumbnail_432000.jpg","/articles/6060163/New-York/Bus-driver-aide-and-first-responders-praised-after-Setauket-special-needs-bus-fire","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060163-3b86f4e340bde530c14088ff0365de81/orig.mp4?Expires=1771065411&Signature=MQgFZFKAvY3QwFgy4hJ3FE7~aQK2L40Iq2mk1YR6IbkcS8xH-uuD~Lea0gmJtZnX2rR2dfB61jYjAahHfEEoHPFUXEGGlEufdVKeXduztZ4kLDYCp9b-d1nHD0a~WIvq3PaH60fFhukRcDbxFJZTGBEf2hdjkTpnQrcC4Mbc2SieOJsQVtuYHKp90dL35priu5NQPLgSQSCTje2kcCXgxXCR5FjBPd8PThVeJ0H8j9UP8GsQ~BB1T9UABhJwtXAGr8sUOfez13Vc0FIJyG23yJR6sURmizJeTzOmXL92EsGNRYIt6qY-O8B9TVaYMzfYUV-htbjpe~a9P7zEnie3Gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A bus driver and a bus aide who evacuated students from a special-needs minibus that caught fire April 22 were publicly thanked by district leaders at the Three Village Central School District Board of Education meeting on May 13.

School official Mr. Carlson described the scene: \"The bus was fully engulfed in flames\" by the time crews could put it out, and \"all of the sheet metal on the sides and the roof of the bus were gone,\" he said. Carlson credited driver Joe Trapani and aide Juana Nunez with keeping students calm and ensuring their safe exit. \"They got the kids off. They kept them calm,\" Carlson said.

Carlson told the board that the bus carried students from Arrowhead School and that school staff — identified in the meeting as Mrs. Redden and Mrs. Horowitz — notified parents and comforted children. Community volunteers and local firefighters also helped at the scene, Carlson said, and he singled out Terry Keough, Jack Blount and Tony Tucci for early action while Setauket Fire Department and Mount Sinai crews were committed elsewhere. Representatives from Suffolk Transportation and the local bus depot also attended the meeting.

District leaders brought the driver, the aide and several students to the dais for recognition and a photograph. Carlson thanked Suffolk Transportation representatives Joe and John Corrado and depot manager Andy Caminaris for their response and said certificates would be presented.

No injuries were reported in the meeting remarks; Carlson described one student as upset when he first arrived but said school staff calmed the child. The board did not take any formal policy action regarding transportation at the May 13 meeting.

The district made the recognition part of the regular meeting agenda; board members and administrators encouraged the community to acknowledge the quick actions of the bus staff and volunteer responders.

Looking ahead, the district did not announce specific safety-policy changes at the meeting. Board and district officials said they would continue to work with transportation providers and local fire departments on safety and communications, but no new measures or votes were recorded at the May 13 meeting.","At the May 13 Three Village Central School District Board of Education meeting, administrators publicly thanked a bus driver, a bus aide and volunteer firefighters after a special-needs minibus caught fire April 22 on Barker Drive; no students were injured and the district recognized responders at the meeting.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6060149,"State 'bell-to-bell' cell-phone ban prompts Three Village to reconvene local policy committee",126,2860000,2986000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293106-ea1558b8a04bb371fdf0f5777a43c780&start=2860&end=2986","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293106-ea1558b8a04bb371fdf0f5777a43c780/thumbnail_2860000.jpg","/articles/6060149/New-York/State-bell-to-bell-cell-phone-ban-prompts-Three-Village-to-reconvene-local-policy-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060149-6309f890504d9971208d4b755f494089/orig.mp4?Expires=1771065411&Signature=fFtmkmhv8ZxpZKXirWmlDAx2WyDQQdEyVqtEgErt49gAflJZQ47ir74bcc3v-k9edcR4XVEufM78RTVXgBlWhHfcsnGAjz8EXThCXoZFLSG~1TcI3-NzmJeLm4EOM0u154TqIY-sJcIR-HPaGMnqcwVONvGQJol~avnvriiw8MHxmLFCB6GO2BDOsqIJX-K9yicDxWjQ2TERN0eYJYzwxwNKhbXAA-dDcoCT~q0r4GnpNqDQOQqmi~GNJhqdYAPYvYfjfyAerWlYEGBBhLVfGbJJJk18UROCbQrifjp4Cany2XCdo4~0VVrq~n0BWHZK01fvwtSa0ZIUVitKk7zdtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A statewide \"bell-to-bell\" ban on student cell-phone use in classrooms prompted Three Village Central School District officials to say on May 13 that they will reconvene a local committee to recommend how to implement the new requirement.

Mr. Carlson explained that the governor’s proposal for a state ban on cell phones in schools \"has gone through,\" and Dr. Scanlon said the district will reconvene a committee made up of students, staff, parents, community members and administrators to develop recommended procedures and a school policy. \"We are going to now have to reconvene that committee,\" Dr. Scanlon said.

District officials said the law or budget provision requires a local policy to be in place by Aug. 1 and implemented by Sept. 1. The district noted that the ban covers cell phones and other internet-capable personal devices that are not issued by the school, including smartwatches. Dr. Scanlon emphasized enforcement complexities: \"Students cannot be suspended for this policy,\" a restriction called out during the discussion, so the committee will need to consider enforcement steps such as confiscation and parent pick-up while avoiding punitive suspensions.

Administrators told the board the district can use existing student lockers to help implement the ban and said they do not intend to require the purchase of specialized locking pouches. Several enforcement approaches used elsewhere — including pouches and storage devices — were discussed but administrators cautioned that students and families have found workarounds when those systems were used in other districts.

The board did not adopt a final policy at the May 13 meeting; Dr. Scanlon said the committee will produce recommendations for the board and that the district must communicate the forthcoming policy to families multiple times before implementation. District officials also noted the role of social media and online activity in student discipline rather than the devices themselves.

No hearing or formal public vote on a local cell-phone policy was recorded at the meeting; the discussion focused on committee composition, timelines and enforcement options that comply with the statewide requirement.","After enactment of a statewide bell-to-bell cell-phone ban in the New York education budget, Three Village administrators said they will reconvene a committee of students, staff, parents and community members to recommend local implementation; the ban prohibits suspension for violations and takes effect Sept. 1, district officials said May 13.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Three Village officials outline 0.84% budget increase, 2.78% tax-levy rise and potential contingency cuts

Three Village music students honored; district restores third-grade instrumental program

Bus driver, aide and first responders praised after Setauket special-needs bus fire

State 'bell-to-bell' cell-phone ban prompts Three Village to reconvene local policy committee