Brewster Superintendent: Please Vote

The Brewster Central School District providing the following from Superintendent Dr. Jane Sandbank, via email:

TEAM SPIRIT

Iconic UCLA Coach, John Wooden, in his book Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court says the following about team spirit:

“Team spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal consideration for the welfare of all. That defines a team player.”

In Brewster, as we worked to settle our teachers’ contract, simultaneously present a budget that would be affordable to the taxpayer, maintain our excellent educational programs (academic, athletic and in the arts), as well as in conversations with our administrators and board of education, we see the best example of team spirit, team players in action and what that can accomplish.

Because our teachers were willing to take a pay freeze, a step freeze and additional concessions as did our administrators who agreed to a pay freeze, we are not only able to restore many of the reductions in personnel, programs and services, but also implement full-day Kindergarten in the 2013 – 2014 school year, fully restore our outstanding NJROTC program, reduce class size at the C.V. Starr school and restore a full-time art teacher as well as restoration of some other programs and services. We are also able to stabilize our budget over the next three years and build in the dollars to sustain these programs and services in the era of decreasing state aid and increasing costs.

In an environment where teachers, unions, administrators, and boards of education are being accused of being insensitive to the economic environment and needs of the students they serve, it is critically important to note that these concessions and the support of our parents and community, our foundations, our PTA, and indeed every employee in Brewster create a unique and winning team.

The real winners are our students, providing our budget passes, who will continue to receive a high quality educational program with excellent and caring teachers, skilled and highly responsible leadership, and a supportive internal and external community.

The budget that our board of education approved and that you will vote on May 21st, sets an estimated tax levy of 1.94 percent. Please vote.

May we offer a sincere thank you to all the players.

Best,

Dr. Jane Sandbank 
Superintendent of Schools