The Rye Neck Community Approves the 2024-2025 School Budget and Proposition II: Use of the Capital Reserve Fund 

The Rye Neck Union Free School District community voted to approve the 2024-2025 school budget, which keeps the district tax-cap compliant for the thirteenth consecutive year. The $51,127,223 budget was approved by a vote of 690 to 145, an 82.6% passage rate.  The community also approved Proposition II: Use of the 2022 Capital Reserve Fund by a vote of 737 to 101, an 87.9% passage rate. 

“I thank the Rye Neck community for their continued support of our students,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Eric Lutinski said. “The passage of this budget and Proposition II demonstrates the high value our community places on the role schools play in their children’s lives. The investment in the District’s youth also signals support for the Strategic Plan that will guide our re-envisioning of how students approach their academic work and social environment, as well as our commitment to professional learning.”

The 2024-2025 budget preserves favorable class sizes and extracurriculars, supports the Strategic Plan, provides for facilities and security work, and includes a transfer to capital to support projects to enhance the safety of the district. Proposition II will utilize up to $2.7M from the 2022 Capital Reserve Fund to address necessary masonry, pavement, and fencing repairs at both of our elementary schools, provide the means to replace the lower roof at the high school gymnasium, assess the infrastructure of Daniel Warren and F.E. Bellows for HVAC improvements, enable a study to evaluate the potential redesign of our MS/HS athletic fields, as well as explore a district-wide energy performance contract.

In addition to passing the budget and Proposition II, voters elected Nikki Barker to serve a three-year term on the Board of Education.  There was a tie between Halli Gatenio and Martin O’Reilly. Legal counsel has advised that our next step is to schedule a run-off election. We will inform the community about the date and process of that election in the coming days.