West Hempstead Weekly Update

One of the district's core goals is to prepare every student for a bright future filled with options and opportunities after graduation. We want our students to develop robust skills, discover their passions and interests, cultivate strong values, and ultimately gain the autonomy to direct their lives. This empowerment is a testament to our belief in their potential and their role in shaping their educational journey.

At the secondary level, we are committed to providing a rigorous academic curriculum that challenges students and equips them with essential knowledge and skills. However, learning goes far beyond just academics. We also focus on nurturing the whole student through experiences that allow exploration of potential careers, development of creativity and critical thinking abilities, and opportunities for students to shape their identities.

This multi-faceted approach creates pathways for students to engage deeply with subjects that inspire them. Some may get excited about STEM fields through participation in science fairs, coding clubs, or robotics teams. Others may discover a passion for the arts by taking music, drama, dance, or visual arts electives. Still others may find their calling in areas like business, marketing, entrepreneurship, or skilled trades through job shadowing, internships, or specialized courses. This journey of discovery is what makes education exciting and engaging.

No matter what subjects pique a student's curiosity, we aim to cultivate a mastery mindset. Students learn to embrace challenges, persist through struggles, and take pride in honing their abilities over time. They develop a strong work ethic and the determination to continually improve their skills.

Equally important is nurturing each student's sense of personal identity. We want students to explore who they are through clubs, sports, volunteer work, and other activities that reveal their unique interests, talents, and values. With a secure sense of identity, students can move forward with confidence and purpose.

Finally, we emphasize creativity as a vital skill for lifelong success. Innovating, thinking outside the box, and approaching problems with imaginative solutions will be one of the most prized capabilities in our rapidly changing world. Students need opportunities to exercise their creative muscles, knowing this skill will always be in demand.

By synthesizing rigorous academics with pathways for exploring interests, instilling the values of mastery and identity development, and prioritizing creative problem-solving abilities, we ultimately aim to foster student autonomy. We aim for every graduate to leave us as self-motivated, skilled, and confident individuals ready to direct their journey through life.

This comprehensive approach requires a united effort from our dedicated faculty and staff, committed families, and, perhaps most importantly, hard work and engagement from our students themselves. Together, we can continue building an educational environment that equips our young people with the tools to thrive wherever their dreams take them.

#WHe need support to continue developing these ideas.

State Aid for West Hempstead School District

Q: Did the West Hempstead School District receive more state aid in the final budget?

A: The district received $17,404 less in State Aid compared to the Governor's 2024-25 State Aid proposal.

You might have noticed the NYSED State Aid report in the local newspaper, which includes a comparison with UPK funding. The report shows the 2024-25 State Aid amount as $17,677,900, reflecting an increase of $925,593 or 5.53%. Within this increase, $216,000 is allocated to UPK funding, which is distinct and dedicated solely to the UPK program.

Attached to this post is a comparison that breaks apart the year-over-year change in State Aid of 5.53%.

Q: I thought original reports indicated the district was getting more funding. What was that about?

A: It seems there was some initial confusion around the budget numbers reported by the State. We received questions from the community that inadvertently included funding allocated specifically for Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) programs as part of the overall K-12 education funding. However, the UPK funding is actually a separate line item from the general state aid provided to districts for K-12 education.

The misunderstanding likely stemmed from people incorrectly rolling the UPK funding amounts into the total K-12 state aid figures, making it appear that the district was receiving a larger increase in funding than was actually the case for the core K-12 budget. Once the UPK funding was properly separated out, the true K-12 state aid allocation numbers became clearer.

Q: So the district is getting slightly less state aid than expected? How significant is a $17,000 reduction?

A: While $17,000 may seem small for a school district budget, every bit of funding is critical. The district will need to assess how to absorb this modest reduction.

Q: Will this $17,000 cut impact any programs or staff positions?

A: A $17,000 reduction will NOT directly lead to major program cuts or layoffs. However, the district will still need to revise the budget to account for this slight shortfall in projected state aid. Due to the large increases in health care and transportation expenses, the district has already excessed eight (8) positions.

Low Income/Senior Exemption

Q: What changes were made to the exemption recently?

A: For the Nassau County 2024-25 fiscal year, the West Hempstead Board of Education has approved increasing the maximum income limit to qualify for these exemptions. This allows more seniors and low-income residents to potentially receive the exemptions. West Hempstead School District has had these exemptions in place since November 2013.

Q: How can I find out if I qualify and apply?

A: Please contact the Nassau County Department of Assessment as that department processes exemption applications and determines if a homeowner qualifies for property tax exemptions.

Misconceptions that need clarification

Coding of Expenses

First, regarding the budget and coding of expenses - one of the board trustees mentioned needing help locating and understanding certain budget codes. I directed our business official, Mr. Phillips, to consolidate three previously separate codes under one unified "doors" code. While "doors" may not be the most descriptive name, this consolidated code has properly been used to fund facility projects like boiler repairs. We sometimes need to be flexible and utilize funds from certain budget areas for unexpected needs. However, this is standard operating procedure, not mismanagement or an attempt to hide anything from the public.

The Use of Reserves/Revenues and Expenses

The second misunderstanding is the notion that the district is hiding money. Like all school districts, we maintain reserve funds as savings accounts. When creating the annual budget, our revenues must equal our projected expenses. We need more than the state aid we receive to cover all our costs, and our district has limited other revenue sources. So, just like most districts, we prudently utilize our reserve funds to balance the budget when needed. Our goal is to minimize using reserves and replenish them when possible at year-end. Unfortunately, we had no surplus to add to reserves last year, but these funds are crucial for managing uncertainties.

Building Occupancy

Another misconception is that our school buildings are underutilized or empty. I encourage you to visit and see the elementary reading classes on the auditorium stage or the occupational therapists, ENL teachers, and others sharing classroom spaces out of necessity.

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Unfortunately, despite a proposed tax levy increase of 2.34% and utilizing a major portion of our reserves, we still face difficult decisions for the upcoming school year. This is largely due to significant increases in health insurance and transportation costs totaling approximately $2.5 million.

Even after the tax levy increase, we are projecting a budget shortfall that will require us to excess eight teaching positions across the district. This is an unfortunate but necessary step to balance the budget.

We are still awaiting the Governor's budget proposal's final details on state aid. However, based on various indications, the aid will only partially cover our funding gap at best.

While these are challenging times, I want to assure everyone that we are committed to making responsible fiscal decisions while minimizing the impacts on student learning as much as possible.

Budget information can be found here: https://www.whufsd.com/page/school-budget-2024-2025

The results were…entirely unsurprising.

Most founders (74%) are using AI and note super-duper average productivity boosts for low-hanging fruit like grammar rewording, meeting transcription, and image generation.

A handful have discovered those 1-2 use cases where AI has a dramatic impact. For example, one founder created an in-house version of Intuit in a weekend using AI. #weekendgoals.

Our favorite part: the AI tools founders are using.

Specifically, the off-the-shelf AI tools that those of us with limited budgets—employees & SMBs—should invest in to get a taste of Fortune 500-esque productivity gains.

Here’s what they said:

• Audio & Video: Descript, Screen.studio, Riverside, Synthesia, Opus Clips, MeetSteno.

• Sales & Marketing: Factors.ai, Jasper, Clay, PowerIn.

• Writing & Editing: Grammarly, Hemingway, Superhuman, HoppyCoppy, Read.ai.

• Meetings & Scheduling: Fathom, Fireflies, Rewatch, Otter.ai

• Code & Development: GitHub Copilot, Cursor.sh, Crew.ai, Tavily, Pypestream.

• Workflow Automation: Zapier, Make.

• Customer Support: SupportAgent.ai, Intercom, Siena CX.

• Design: Adobe Generative Fill, Beautiful.ai, Gamma, Canva.

- From The Neuron

The Designing Learning framework is an educational approach #WHe uses to engage students and close the aspiration gap. The framework encompasses several key principles aimed at enhancing the learning experience for students and staff:

The Designing Learning framework consists of Connection Before Content, Acceleration not Remediation, Rethinking Success Criteria, Higher-Level Thinking, Student Agency, Authentic Work, and Technology Infusion.

With "WHe" as our theme this year, #WHe are inspired to explore, discover, and achieve future wonders. Allow me to share some of the ways one could envision completing the idea of "WHe" throughout this remarkable journey:

• Wonder and Curiosity: Let us ignite a spark of wonder and curiosity in every aspect of our learning. Encouraging students and staff alike to question, explore, and seek knowledge beyond the ordinary.
• “WH”olistic Education: Emphasizing the growth of the whole individual – social, emotional, and academic. We aim to provide opportunities for personal development and well-being in addition to academic excellence.
• Empathy and Humanity: "WHe" stands for "We" as well, reminding us of our collective responsibility to foster empathy, compassion, and kindness. We will create a supportive and inclusive community where everyone feels valued.
• Waves of Change: As a theme, "WHe" also signifies the ever-changing tides of life. We will adapt to new challenges, embrace innovation, and be resilient in the face of uncertainty.
• Expressions of Art and Culture: "WHe" encompasses the essence of artistic and cultural expressions. We will celebrate creativity, appreciate diversity, and nurture talents in various forms.
• Wellness and Health: Prioritizing physical and mental health, creating a safe and nurturing environment where everyone can thrive and grow.
• Leadership and Collaboration: "WHe" represents collective wisdom and the power of collaboration. We will empower our students to be leaders in their own right while fostering teamwork and cooperation.

By Art Costa, Bena Kallick, and Allison Zmuda

There is a growing recognition that mastering subject-area knowledge alone will not be sufficient to prepare your children for their futures. They will need deliberate practice and focused attention to grow their capacity as efficacious thinkers to navigate and thrive in the face of unprecedented change. Habits of Mind are a universal framework for thinking and are as essential now as when we first introduced them 30 years ago. Habits of Mind are dispositions people use when confronted with problems and situations to which answers are not immediately apparent. When we draw upon these intellectual resources, the results that are produced are more powerful, of higher quality and of greater significance than if we fail to employ those intellectual behaviors.

Email: drehman@whufsd.com
Website: www.whufsd.com
Location: 252 Chestnut Street, West Hempstead, NY,
Phone: 516-390-3000