Tuckahoe School Board adopts budget

The Tuckahoe School Board adopted a $16.5 million budget on Monday that, if approved by voters on May 18, means the tax for a home assessed at $928,751 will rise from approximately $5,126 to approximately $5,504 according to district business official Ed Joseph. The proposed budget represents a $365,136, or 2.27-percent, increase over the current year’s budget of about $16.1 million.

Regardless of whether the budget passes in May, Tuckahoe plans to abolish 13 teaching assistant positions effective June 30. Interim Principal and Superintendent Brian McCarthy has maintained that only eight positions will be cut, which will save the district an estimated $336,000, and an additional five positions will be dropped through attrition.

Tuckahoe will no longer offer teaching assistants beyond the first grade, which Mr. McCarthy explained would bring it more in line with a number of other districts, including Southampton and Bridgehampton.

Approximately $22,000 is allotted in the budget for a shared curriculum coordinator through Eastern Suffolk BOCES, who would analyze all aspects of the curriculum following recent turmoil involving the district’s mathematics program.

Also on Monday, Tuckahoe awarded a contract to Cullen & Danowski LLP of Port Jefferson Station to provide the district with external audit services at a cost of $24,900 for 2010-11 and increasing in subsequent years.

COLLEEN REYNOLDS