Education

The Sag Harbor School District adopted its $44.87 million budget for 2021-22 in a quick virtual meeting last week that did not require the board's further discussion of the spending plan, which is under the tax cap for the 10th year in a row.

The East Hampton School Board on Tuesday signed on to a joint agreement among a dozen public school districts for legal representation in an asbestos-related lawsuit. The district will employ Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard, and Smith L.L.P. at a rate that breaks down to less than $20 per hour per district.

Golden Eagle Once More

Youth art classes have officially returned at the Golden Eagle art supply store in East Hampton after a pandemic-related hiatus. Snap School, a cellphone photography workshop for kids ages 12 and up, runs Saturday mornings in May starting May 8 via Zoom and continues in June in person in the store's art barn. The cost is $295.

On the Amagansett School's budget ballot in May will be an $11.9 million spending plan, up 4.7 percent from the current year, plus two  propositions, one seeking voter approval to use $150,000 from a reserve account to renovate the outdoor basketball courts; the other asking for permission to create a new reserve account dedicated to technology and energy upgrades.

East Hampton High School's Justice League club is acknowledging definite victories during uncertain times in a new initiative celebrating students and "bringing out their best."

To celebrate Earth Day, children at the John M. Marshall Elementary School decorated paper bags that will be distributed to customers of Mary's Marvelous and Stop and Shop today. The students were taught about the importance of community service in the process.

"Kids made the bags to make our East Hampton community aware of Earth Day and hopefully encourage people to do something to help our Earth," said Karen Kuneth, the school's principal.

The Montauk School District will present voters with a $20.59 million budget plan for the 2021-22 school year that shows an overall drop in spending and the smallest tax-levy increase in the region. The school board voted unanimously to adopt the proposal on April 13.

Five candidates are seeking three seats on the Bridgehampton School Board and two candidates are vying for one seat on the Springs School Board this spring in the only two locally contested races. The vote is on May 18.

On May 18, East Hampton School District voters will have a chance to weigh in on a $75.16 million spending plan for the 2021-22 school year. The school board voted Tuesday night to adopt that budget, which carries a year-over-year spending increase of $1.28 million.

The associated tax-levy increase is within state limits at 2.87 percent, which is the maximum amount East Hampton could institute while still only needing a simple majority of voter approval.

Twenty-one senior educators have applied for the superintendent's post in the Bridgehampton School District, its school board confirmed last week. The number of applicants represents an increase of 20 candidates from the district's last superintendent selection process in 2017 and 2018, for which an open search was not conducted.

The Eastern Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services is coordinating the search for the district, having posted the job on March 1 and closed the application period on March 26.

Shay Siegel and Mai Ismail have something in common: writing poetry. Ms. Siegel is a young-adult author and Mai is a high school student who hopes someday to publish her work, but they both use poetry as an outlet for expressing emotions that can often be difficult.

 Springs School officials released updated 2021-22 budget projections during Monday's school board work session. Among the highlights was the news that this year's projected tax levy increase has been trimmed from 3.91 percent down to 2.61 percent — still within state limits on tax-levy increases — although that number is not yet set in stone.