[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6615590,"mediaKeyId","2861582-e9d6599ddc5bc7d3c9ec6beb45576c96","parentId",2861582,"title","Superintendent responds to social-media posts about student newspaper and clarifies monitor pay and contracts","audioSeconds",394,"startMs",502000,"endMs",896000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2861582-e9d6599ddc5bc7d3c9ec6beb45576c96&start=502&end=896","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2861582-e9d6599ddc5bc7d3c9ec6beb45576c96/thumbnail_502000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6615590/New-York/Superintendent-responds-to-social-media-posts-about-student-newspaper-and-clarifies-monitor-pay-and-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6615590-036d12db66251524620bc9eded2971c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1776585081&Signature=jrrwpw-hzwchxIcGLZecvCft4y~KqDGyZQrACSEndj-cph0MvgKDzi8Whj4-x4uY-j6rFHnKDe~Qo6wu-3K3kJpgjgJzv9Dup7GqEOk9jf4qBeMPBgSWZuga1nmzc4UwDADC3Y8oru5kLtdeBBxd9P~fToI~juO~Er3-OO1bt0AzMR6hb0Rg-4etvc5uVeZ4fybq2gQoMwpPjKcwgW9hZCtgTv3NA33mQwZdMeXEn92N4lpSA2gqIZ3t4KDWLY8FfW3AaIym12sqZanMp~XLuFIiezFIs~1FGqaSWcrwzZRgUyPXoNeIcfWWdKNUF~XwiJKoQdMe0yX49wwg9UtcWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","PELHAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT","date","2025-04-03T13:51:07.147Z","article","Superintendent Dr. Champ addressed social-media reposting of a February opinion piece from the high school student newspaper and supplied clarifications about safety monitors, pay increases and the district's use of a contracted security firm during the April 2 Board of Education meeting.

Dr. Champ said the article was an opinion piece that quoted anonymous safety monitors and that district officials had provided factual clarifications both before and after publication: “The article is an opinion piece and it quotes anonymous safety monitors as sources. Prior to the piece's publication, I was asked a series of questions via email and provided those responses to the student reporter.”

Nut graf: the superintendent emphasized the district's role in advising student publications on accuracy and appropriateness while distinguishing fact-checking from censorship.

Dr. Champ said the district has a routine review process for student publications when they are funded by the board and overseen by faculty advisors and administrators, and noted that oversight in the form of fact checks is legally established practice: “There is a routine review of articles, opinions and other content for accuracy, appropriateness of content, given that our audience is our students…That review is expected of our advisors and our administrators.”

On pay and raises, Dr. Champ disputed a social-media post implying she had received a $30,000 raise. She said her increase was “approximately 2%,” which she described as “just over $5,000,” and that safety monitors had, in fact, received raises over the past three years of roughly 2.1%, 3.6% and 3% in various years. She also said the district contracts with a third-party vendor (named in the transcript as \"Bridal\") to provide supplemental security monitors when needed to cover absences and after-school activities and that the published hourly contract rate is $32.95; she clarified that this contract rate includes company overhead and is not the net hourly pay received by monitors.

Dr. Champ said the district prefers to hire internal staff for monitor positions but had used the contracted firm to assure coverage during staffing shortages, including for after-school and extracurricular activities. “Our preference is always to have internal staff as those positions,” she said, adding the district values monitors and recognizes many have law enforcement backgrounds that contribute to school safety.

The superintendent said she has provided corrections appended to the online article where appropriate and reiterated that administrators and advisors should teach and model journalistic integrity for student journalists.

Ending: Board members heard the clarifications at length and moved on to budget line-item review. The district did not take formal action on the matter at the meeting; the superintendent said the district would continue to provide information and answer questions as needed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Pelham Public Schools - School Board Meeting 4-2-25 (full)","oneSentenceSummary","Superintendent Dr. Champ addressed social-media reposting of a February opinion piece from the high school student newspaper and supplied clarifications about safety monitors, pay increases and the district's use of a contracted security firm during the April 2 Board of Education meeting.","taxTitle","PELHAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",48009,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6615594,"Pelham board reviews 2025–26 budget line-by-line; final proposal set for April 22 ahead of May 20 vote",1572,2471000,4043000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2861582-e9d6599ddc5bc7d3c9ec6beb45576c96&start=2471&end=4043","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2861582-e9d6599ddc5bc7d3c9ec6beb45576c96/thumbnail_2471000.jpg","/articles/6615594/New-York/Pelham-board-reviews-202526-budget-line-by-line-final-proposal-set-for-April-22-ahead-of-May-20-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6615594-1532049cb968fcead7da0fd71a372a7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776585081&Signature=gEq4bG4~SDflgLPoVo5r~4EoOWDFzA55agf-~Fl-~VnR6qYwROXrDznaMrGRzbkqtHo~4y4WyRrbwvRzwPSnwwlos9-AnHLh5~XZNRxtnBp1hQxzuHE8AgDSr80t0y339-XlCJiMte15xfAFt0plfQ5ZoiyqSIiZ50RkitKp-zNr-BixGzYPNu~v11K1hCUJGr4u7uYeHsFjbEs9G5f2ry364b-epEyisCCaX~IMxl3snWL1n9yH3U79-UhW3SEbE0N60BwH9O~sY-KLeVyYZMoWeONIb5W2zPbRUfqW3hBU70GDhNBUf~t4s-nFosunBofmgk~Ugowf03ncclcqJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pelham Union Free School District Board of Education spent much of its April 2 meeting on a line-by-line review of the proposed 2025–26 budget, with administrators outlining changes across facilities, human resources, transportation, benefits and debt-service lines ahead of a final district presentation April 22 and a public vote on May 20.

District Superintendent Dr. Champ opened the review, saying, “Tonight, we are focused on 2025, 2026 budget. This is our third meeting where we will review the budget line items.” The discussion ranged from custodial and grounds equipment to large cost drivers such as health insurance and pension contributions.

Why it matters: the board must present a final budget to voters on May 20 if it approves the proposal. Several cost lines — insurance, health care and state pension contributions — were identified as significant pressure points that could affect tax impact and program decisions.

Administrators gave department-level detail. John Condon, Director of Facilities, walked board members through pages B5–B7 of the budget book, describing custodial and grounds categories, mechanical-equipment replacement, fuel and light-and-power contingencies and contract services such as roof and masonry inspections. Condon noted higher expected fuel and water costs and said buildings’ dual-fuel systems and interruptible gas service can affect expenses in extreme weather.

Executive Director for Human Resources and Leadership Dr. Fitzgerald described personnel and HR technology plans. She said the district is considering additional Frontline Education modules — recruiting & hiring, Frontline Central and analytics — to move onboarding and recordkeeping from paper to digital, reduce manual handoffs and provide better analytics for staffing decisions: “It will really increase our ability to use data and to access data quickly.”

Business office staff (Jim Ceballos) reviewed benefits, transportation and debt service. Key figures discussed included: roughly $12 million for employee health insurance (year-to-year active plan increase around 9.1% and ~8% for retirees), a New York State Employees’ Retirement System contribution cited at about 16.5% of payroll for non-teaching staff, and an estimated $390,000 in transportation costs for field trips and athletic events. The district also noted typical state transportation aid reimbursement of roughly 46% on qualified expenditures.

Board members reviewed staffing charts showing a net increase in instructional FTEs over the last decade while general-support (administrative/clerical/custodial) staffing remained essentially flat. Administrators told the board the district has grown instructional staff to support new programs and clinical support (counselors, social workers, psychologists) but is monitoring operational support capacity.

Several board members asked about one-time versus recurring increases, and whether infrastructure projects included in bond propositions would reduce maintenance or mechanical costs in future years. Condon and other staff said potential HVAC and capital work could lower some mechanical and fuel costs but noted large projects are scheduled for summer windows and depend on voter approval for scope and timing.

Votes at a glance: the meeting recorded several procedural approvals and policy votes. The board approved minutes from previous meetings, adopted four policies (7.1–7.4) after waiving a third reading, and passed multiple consent agenda items. All recorded motions referenced in the transcript passed without recorded opposition.

What’s next: administrators said the finance committee will meet in the coming week and the district will present a finalized budget April 22. Staff said they will update transportation counts following the April 1 deadline and incorporate any state aid changes if the state budget is settled before the May vote.

Ending: board members asked for follow-up analyses, including a breakdown of staffing increases attributable to special education versus new programming, and more detailed tax-impact modeling for the bond propositions and multiple-proposition scenarios.

","School officials reviewed detailed line items across facilities, personnel, transportation, benefits and debt service as they prepare a final 2025–26 budget for presentation April 22 and a public vote May 20. Board members flagged insurance, health care and pension cost increases and discussed staffing trends and potential efficiency gains.","actionData","errors"]

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Superintendent responds to social-media posts about student newspaper and clarifies monitor pay and contracts

Pelham board reviews 2025–26 budget line-by-line; final proposal set for April 22 ahead of May 20 vote