S. Huntington school board OKs $142.9M budget

The South Huntington school district's Board of Education unanimously adopted a budget Wednesday night that includes over $3 million in savings by cuts in services including paring full-day kindergarten services to a half-day program and laying off teaching, paraprofessional and custodial staff.

The seven board members voted to approve a budget for the 2012-13 year of $142,943,982, which is 1.92 percent higher than the current budget, said Steve Bartholomew, spokesman for the district.

Board members voted on each proposed item and the overall budget after several workshops since February, Bartholomew said.

"We've talked about half-day for previous two sessions," he said. "The Board also heard from the public."

Voters will get a chance to approve or reject the budget on May 15.

Cutting kindergarten to half-day will save $1,104,305 and affect about 400 children. The move follows other Long Island districts like Central Islip, Elwood and Huntington, which have also introduced half-day kindergarten to save money.

South Huntington's cuts to teaching are slated to save $784,861, cuts to paraprofessionals and clerical staff should save $140,585 and $210,500, respectively.

Cuts to equipment will save $17,400 and cuts to the buildings and grounds budget should net $423,615. The district will also reap $129,500 for cuts to administration and another $129,584 for reductions in substitute teaching.