On Jan. 25, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released his list of schools that are under fiscal stress in the state. There was disturbingly high fiscal stress in Amityville and the New Suffolk Common School District, and Springs School was on the list for being susceptible to fiscal stress.
While this may come as a shock to some, it really isn’t that surprising. In addition to the fact that a large amount of our school’s budget goes to tuition costs so Springs students can attend East Hampton High School, recent news from the governor is very worrisome. As if the news from Mr. DiNapoli’s office isn’t bad enough, according to an earlier article in The East Hampton Star, “School districts in New York State are facing another difficult budget cycle for the fiscal year ahead, with inflation still at challenging levels, dramatic increases in health insurance coverage for employees, and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent announcement of changes that could leave some South Fork districts coping with as much as a 20-percent decrease in state support.”
However, despite all this, and the fiscal fears that grip the community, the teachers at Springs School still try their best to give kids something to look forward to before and after school. Students have so many clubs and activities to pick from: sports teams, the Journalism Club, Diana Spina’s book club, band, chorus, a chess club, and student council, and the award-winning robotics teams.
“Running a school club brings a lot of joy to me. It makes me feel good that students crave extracurricular activities,” said Danielle Hamilton, the head of the Journalism Club and one of the coaches for the robotics team.
When asked if there are any struggles with running a school club, Mrs. Hamilton said that she had not had any, but that she hopes “Springs school students will continue to be offered these wonderful opportunities.”
Springs students and teachers hope that community members will attend upcoming board meetings to voice concerns over the budget and risks that cuts could have on the student programs. The school budget vote is on May 21.
By Adrie Quinn, 8th Grade