Board Tackles Athletes, E.S.L., Dance

On Tuesday night, the East Hampton School Board convened the first line-by-line budget workshop for the 2015-16 school year, tackling items related to English as a second language and athletics.

Though the district has yet to release final budget figures, possible cuts were again debated — with administrators and board members attuned, wherever possible, to cost-saving measures.

“It’s time to make your wishes for next year,” said Richard Burns, the superintendent.

Elizabeth Reveiz, who directs the district’s E.S.L. program, led the sparsely attended two-and-a-half-hour meeting. Ms. Reveiz proposed a $39,187 budget for the coming school year, which is a $4.58 decrease from this year’s budget.

Among East Hampton’s 1,800 students, 140 E.S.L. students attend John M. Marshall Elementary School, 24 attend East Hampton Middle School, and 87 attend East Hampton High School — for a total of 251 students district-wide.

Ms. Reveiz explained that the high school has seen a 40-student increase, including a handful of unaccompanied minors who have arrived in recent months.

“We looked at materials, supplies, our needs for next year, our growing population, levels of students, and how we can best accommodate their needs,” said Ms. Reveiz, noting that major changes involved reallocating nearly $5,000 previously earmarked for John Marshall and putting that into the high school’s $15,000 budget. “Resources are limited. It allows for creativity, too.”

Robert Tymann, the assistant superintendent, applauded her presentation. “I hope everyone is as successful.”

Joe Vasile-Cozzo, the district’s athletic director, next led a presentation related to athletics. His proposed budget of $898,620 for the coming school year is up $56,424 from this year.

In football news, Mr. Vasile-Cozzo seemed hopeful that a varsity team might return come September. All told, he said it would cost $38,500 to put football back into the budget — factoring in cheerleading, three coaches’ salaries, and supplies.

“I’m hopeful. There’s been a groundswell of enthusiasm over the last few weeks. I’m taking a leap of faith,” he said, adding that he was going forward with the hiring of new coaches and purchasing necessary helmets and equipment. “If we find that we don’t have the numbers, the money will go to the fund balance. But if I don’t do it now, I can’t do it later.”

As of now, he envisions a football team consisting of 20 junior varsity and 20 varsity players. He also said that the district had recently been placed in conference four, which will combine players from East Hampton and Bridgehampton, though Pierson students can still play on the junior varsity team for the coming year. “I was not this optimistic a month ago,” he said, adding that while 30 players on a varsity team would be ideal, East Hampton has historically gotten by with 20 to 25.

Among other highlights, board members balked at an $850 annual sports recognition dinner at Suffolk Zone for elementary, middle, and high school students — ultimately flagging $400 for elementary and middle school students as a possible consideration for cuts down the line. Several members expressed a preference instead for Common Core-aligned Chromebooks. Currently, the physical education department has budgeted for four devices, each at a cost of $323.

The Mad Heart Ball, a dance competition at the middle school held each February, and its $1,500 for dance instructors, $270 for medals, and $120 for water, also drew scrutiny.

Launching a dance competition team was briefly discussed. Between two coaches’ salaries, uniforms, and entry fees, the total cost would be around $15,000. “It would be a great thing if we can figure out a way to do it,” said Liz Pucci, a board member. All agreed that it merited further discussion.

Before adjourning the meeting, Jackie Lowey, a board member, questioned the $28,207 budgeted for chaperones. She routinely witnesses chaperones providing security for four parents, at $60 an hour, during middle school games. “It’s a big, colossal waste of money for the middle school,” she said, suggesting that additional chaperones might instead be deployed at larger, well-attended playoff games.

The board will convene its next budget workshop on Feb. 24 from 6 to 8 p.m.