Schools would charge custodial overtime to use facilities

Written by Matt Dalen
Saturday, 20 March 2010 00:00

Most of Lewisboro’s athletics leagues may breathe a sigh of relief. The Katonah-Lewisboro School District likely won’t begin charging for every use of their facilities, as had been a possibility raised a few months ago. However, some users of the district’s facilities are likely to see an increase in their fees — and big changes could be afoot for fund-raisers held at the schools, including the John Jay farmers’ market, which may have to start charging admissions fees. The school board accepted a new proposed policy for its first reading at the meeting on Thursday, March 11.

Download a copy of the proposed policy.

Download a copy of the proposed regulations to implement the policy.

H.M.B. to perform food audits

Written by Matt Dalen
Saturday, 20 March 2010 00:00

H.M.B. Consultants has been hired to perform the school district’s audit for meal compliance and wellness policy compliance at the district’s cafeterias. The consultants’ pay is capped at $8,500. The proposal was approved unanimously as part of the school board’s consent agenda on Thursday, March 11.

Teachers question budget

Written by Matt Dalen
Friday, 19 March 2010 00:00

The first missive from the Katonah-Lewisboro teachers’ union since the union’s executive board rejected a proposed salary freeze has started appearing at school board meetings. Union leaders passed out a list of questions about the budget, signed “the teachers of the Katonah-Lewisboro School District,” at several recent meetings.

Download a copy of the teachers' statement and questions.

Finance director appointment delayed

Written by Matt Dalen
Friday, 19 March 2010 00:00

Lewisboro will have to go without a finance director for at least another week. Town Supervisor Charles Duffy said Tuesday evening that he had met a second time with his chosen candidate for the empty finance director position, and while they were “getting closer,” there were still some bones of contention.

Mr. Duffy said that there were some questions of compensation that he might have to present to the Town Board, and so the appointment may have to wait until after Monday night’s board meeting. While the appointment of the finance director is at Mr. Duffy’s sole discretion, the board has approval over the director’s compensation.

Another student diagnosed with whooping cough

Written by Matt Dalen
Thursday, 18 March 2010 00:00

UPDATED: 3/18/10

School officials announced today that another student, this time in Katonah Elementary School's third grade, has been diagnosed with pertussis, also known with whooping cough. School officials announced earlier this month that a fourth grade student at Meadow Pond Elementary School had been diagnosed as well. While the district emphasized that “there was no cause for alarm,” a letter to parents on Monday encouraged them to contact their child’s doctor if the child develops a persistent cough.

According to the district, the county health department said no additional treatment or measures were necessary.

Download the district's letter to parents and a state fact sheet on pertussis.

Board may switch cuts in proposed school budget

Written by Matt Dalen
Thursday, 18 March 2010 00:00

Arts proponents may be able to start, cautiously, rejoicing. After two weeks of debate and heated public outcry over Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Roelle's proposed 2010-11 budget, school board members last Thursday signaled their willingness to restore some proposed cuts to the elementary school arts program in exchange for cuts to the elementary school foreign language program and the eighth grade team structure. While the board’s opinions are not final, a majority of the board said they would like to restore two elementary school music teachers and one elementary school art teacher, at an estimated cost of $241,000 for the music teachers and $101,500 for the art teacher.

Download the superintendent's proposed budget here.

Lipton to run for re-election to school board

Written by Matt Dalen
Thursday, 18 March 2010 00:00

The first candidate in the 2010 school board election has thrown his hat into the race. One-term board member Mark Lipton has announced that he will be running for re-election.

“In this budget year, with so much going on, I feel like I’ve finally got enough experience that I can really make a difference when the district needs people who can make a difference,” Mr. Lipton told The Ledger. “I’ve got a daughter in the system, she’s got a hundred friends in the system, and it’s hard to pass up an opportunity to do that much good for that many people.”

What is the Kitchawan Wolf?

Written by Matt Dalen
Thursday, 18 March 2010 00:00

Wolf? Dog? Hybrid? Dubbed the “Kitchawan Wolf” by Wolf Conservation Center Managing Director Maggie Howell, an unknown canine was photographed on Lake Kitchawan last month by resident Abel Mendez. Mr. Mendez had been watching a pair of coyotes devouring a deer carcass on the frozen lake surface.

“All of a sudden, we see this other creature coming out, which is not a coyote,” Mr. Mendez told The Ledger. “The coyotes ... took off and were nowhere to be seen.”

Dooley's duties: More than just catching canines

Written by Jane K. Dove
Thursday, 18 March 2010 00:00

In the course of her myriad duties as Lewisboro’s dog warden, South Salem resident Joan Dooley has pursued a speedy great Pyrenees on foot down Route 35 in Cross River; solved the 18-month-long case of a wandering male yellow Lab that was looking for love in all the wrong places; and provided testimony in town court on many chronic barking and wandering dog disputes among neighbors.

Ms. Dooley, who reports to Town Clerk Kathy Cory, has always been an animal lover. She and her husband Bill have three dogs and two horses, including a one-ton percheron.

Land Trust seeks 'preserve stewards'

Written by Matt Dalen
Thursday, 18 March 2010 11:32

Want to be the Westchester Land Trust’s eyes and ears? The trust’s director of stewardship and conservation science, Damon Oscarson, is hoping to gather a group of volunteers to inspect and maintain trust-owned preserves, in a new “Adopt-A-Preserve” program.

Download a guide to the Adopt-A-Preserve program.

Download the program's monitoring form.