[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6242402,"mediaKeyId","3247354-2148b72fd463d10f77e9c5e054a9bf39","parentId",3247354,"title","Bethlehem students advance two teams to Odyssey of the Mind world finals","audioSeconds",266,"startMs",929000,"endMs",1195000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3247354-2148b72fd463d10f77e9c5e054a9bf39&start=929&end=1195","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3247354-2148b72fd463d10f77e9c5e054a9bf39/thumbnail_929000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6242402/New-York/Bethlehem-students-advance-two-teams-to-Odyssey-of-the-Mind-world-finals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242402-6454eadd48e9813a2d62b75eecbb171e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154707&Signature=iWTMpxs75jICm8b-ipDxAlrv9hwC6DgwOB36B1N9mrCXSBZT-Wz0Da8XSf27ROSMe5iG6WVAojHQPg-jNP6QldCyBx0~nnXj8M-CkmMiNvTP7Zq4DO47LBUAI3F0ygK7rGPUsB3lPkNOOeRWJ2TiKMy~J72VA8eu76pmfBziZjuCaXNRDQz220ywavRXZnUA9hdrXRM7Fo6EfN6Y5TbmR~5cAYxt4eZXTZzFw0puzJaJsvAyMYDwd5m1TOaUBdG~PKApqWgFn21MDqiWnpA77Ra4tFAUt4PEzHU4SKIIfAFUHpjGZn4jVtTiftNAc44TS0-REYD8kqro9N25yKPz~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-08T12:26:57Z","article","The Bethlehem Central School District recognized students and coaches advancing to the 2025 Odyssey of the Mind world finals at Michigan State University, and acknowledged volunteers and staff who supported the program.

Becky Beider, introduced as the district’s Odyssey of the Mind coordinator and a middle-school teacher, told the board that Bethlehem sent multiple teams through local, regional and state competition this year and that, for the first time, two teams from the district — a high school team and a middle school balsa‑wood structure team — qualified for world finals. Beider said the district had 43 middle school students and seven high school students participate across teams this year and described the program’s focus on creativity, teamwork and problem solving.

Beider specifically thanked two high school students, Jackie Miller and Sierra Oberneser, who volunteered to coach middle school teams; Sierra received a special OMER award at state finals for her assistance. Beider said teams will travel to Michigan State University in two weeks for opening ceremonies and noted the district purchased an additional middle‑school membership to accommodate the number of teams.

The board congratulated the students and coaches, and student team members and coaches were introduced by name at the meeting. No formal action was required; the recognition was part of the superintendent’s report.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BCSD Board of Education meting 5/7/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The district recognized two teams — one high school and one middle school — advancing to Odyssey of the Mind world finals at Michigan State University; coaches and volunteers were also acknowledged.","taxTitle","BETHLEHEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",57191,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6242407,"Bethlehem Central studies elementary enrollment decline; board asked to consider redistricting and consultants",766,3681000,4447000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3247354-2148b72fd463d10f77e9c5e054a9bf39&start=3681&end=4447","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3247354-2148b72fd463d10f77e9c5e054a9bf39/thumbnail_3681000.jpg","/articles/6242407/New-York/Bethlehem-Central-studies-elementary-enrollment-decline-board-asked-to-consider-redistricting-and-consultants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242407-f0e07619bd5dac4a0b6101a1b4b4d9fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154707&Signature=H94pF6Se57-8ek-gM5DS56TF3qB0NGPbGwZKQA8TUk52j6PIduMLzmmzxjJ6WIWtevnP0RXIoOmZ~R499cj0qYJY2EnUIc4QLyX4cdeqKlxHl44E77CVapBdn92ehmkQg8wqUqPa4AFJqdKRHjDv0ZlaAqN9AcP5SDfZvdh2fCTDLBzXN7vI-0tEw8wHmlP~iblpA86GrvwShm0rdoE1MQy4-eqMfutbDcalNYTuISGYePTiOPlw~k4YpyAss5R~L7moR7CXLZ0CPv5lHo6Xh4QqzoCHr5Jz18YzVeC0AKO8aUjh8fF1nfjJXal1kJ7Hk3cazh8H4aHgG6RryLXyiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bethlehem Central School District presented data showing a long-term decline in K‑12 enrollment and uneven elementary school utilization, and recommended engaging a consultant and forming a committee to consider attendance‑zone changes.

District staff said overall K‑12 enrollment has fallen about 21.3% since its peak and that kindergarten enrollment remains significantly below projections. Presentations from the Capital District Regional Planning Commission were cited as accurate historically and used for future projections. Staff described shifts in elementary enrollment across buildings: Eagle and Glenmont show increases and are at or near capacity for core instructional rooms, while Slingerlands, Hamagrael and Ellesmere have seen larger declines and have unused instructional space.

Staff said some classroom spaces currently serve non‑core functions (for example reading or special instruction) and that repurposed rooms would need relocation if grades are rebalanced. The presenter noted that the district maintains smaller K‑5 class sizes (roughly 20 students per section) compared with pre‑COVID practice when some classes exceeded 25. The district’s goals remain to maximize facility use while minimizing the number of student moves between buildings.

Next steps recommended to the board included interviewing two consultants (one that previously assisted during Eagle’s construction and redistricting), developing a committee to review zones, coordinating with municipal planners about future housing developments, and producing recommendations for the board by December so any changes could be implemented for the 2026-27 school year. Staff also said routing and transportation efficiency could be considered as part of the review and might identify opportunities to consolidate bus routes given driver shortages.

Board members asked clarifying questions about classroom counts, how repurposed rooms would be handled, and whether class-size guidance was district policy or best practice. The presenter said class-size guidance is a best practice, not a district policy, and that recommended maximums historically reached 28 in some grades but the district currently aims for lower averages.

Staff said consulting work should include community engagement, transportation coordination, and analysis of recent and planned housing developments. Board members asked for ongoing updates and requested that the district provide the board with frequent briefings as the work proceeds.","District staff presented elementary enrollment trends showing a long-term decline and uneven building utilization, recommending consultant work and a committee to review attendance zones ahead of the 2026-27 school year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6242412,"Bethlehem Central holds public hearing on 2025-26 proposed budget; board previously adopted the proposal",443,1783000,2226000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3247354-2148b72fd463d10f77e9c5e054a9bf39&start=1783&end=2226","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3247354-2148b72fd463d10f77e9c5e054a9bf39/thumbnail_1783000.jpg","/articles/6242412/New-York/Bethlehem-Central-holds-public-hearing-on-2025-26-proposed-budget-board-previously-adopted-the-proposal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242412-9c7e3ebc0f80e178ac58eb351d48bd22/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154707&Signature=l~2IFotGHxrmiJni~QraxIFoM-ukYPaaMT5A~aZrNsNIDlX9e5CCqaj5kColtM4bvGVLBp8~uF6VORmnFEQu6WG3YncS~FmC900KU0Zg2kZavhPcMGDgrWFsxsKmXK9w1PCUmdB0uUZ~rNgzD683IcbaTwbkL4XBUFaLIDG7OMCn1zIpjat~KwagHSxu4y2AT-PDVidtgv85gk6f2kKx4GSaFA3J~sRUhuRRYW99A~9xDQBmqASeMacFAH9VUW6GBUmAHXj7HpuIPEhwSqEbLDPZLeY8w5F5bcYf73LFFPQyCQdiAvNb0ehr5LSCOD3J6RN8th7NXEtGhWp~sWXIHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bethlehem Central School District Board of Education held a public hearing on the proposed 2025-26 budget, reviewing revenues, planned expenditures and ballot items that voters will decide on May 20.

The hearing included a detailed overview of the district’s projected revenues and expenditures and an explanation of how the business office planned to use roughly $715,000 of undesignated fund balance to close a funding gap for 2025-26. The board previously adopted the proposed budget on April 2, which the presenter said will appear on the May 20 ballot with a not-to-exceed spending cap for the voters to approve.

The presentation said the district expects roughly $59.3 million in salaries and about $30.9 million in fringe benefits for 2025-26 and that debt service is down about $1.4 million from the prior year. The presenter described a projected districtwide increase of roughly 2.3% in spending (about $2.6 million year‑over‑year) and said the tax levy increase is 1.12%, the maximum allowed under the property tax cap law. The presenter attributed much of the district’s fiscal stress to inflation, noting a four‑year compounded inflation rate of roughly 21% the district has absorbed in part through internal savings and management decisions.

On the revenue side, the presentation highlighted three major components: school taxes (just under $74 million as the largest source), state aid (projected at about $34.6 million), and sizeable pilot payments. The presenter said anticipated pilot revenues increased substantially during the budget process after an agreement was reported involving GB 2 New York LLC and the taxing jurisdictions; the pilot estimate rose from about $163,000 to roughly $3.6 million. The presenter also discussed interest and earnings (about $3.7 million in other revenues) and cautioned that those estimates depend on federal funds rate assumptions.

Because projected revenues were about $715,000 short of projected expenditures, the business office recommended and the board adopted using that amount from undesignated fund balance to balance the 2025-26 budget. The presentation explained the $715,000 largely reflects shifting an unexpected, one‑time pilot payment received in 2024-25 into 2025-26 and described the need to address structural budget gaps in future years.

The presentation also described additions and reductions made during the budget process: increases for programs such as Bookworms and BOCES library services, an increase for phase two of employee‑record digitization, a general fund transfer including additional support for food service and capital, and $22,750 for electric‑vehicle bus charge management. Reductions were stated to be tied to current vacancies rather than layoffs—examples included a social worker, speech therapist and clerical position in student support services and a decrease tied to five drivers and three attendants in transportation because of recruitment and retention realities.

Board members asked about electrification of the bus fleet, the status of EPA grant funding, and the process the district would follow if state or federal funding changes required budget amendments. The presenter said some grant awards that had been suspended were later released and that three electric buses previously ordered will receive $200,000 per bus in EPA funding; other applications remain pending. The presenter said routine in‑year budget adjustments are handled by the business office but that significant revenue shortfalls would be brought to the board with recommendations for using reserves or other actions.

The public hearing was opened and closed with no public speakers. The presenter reviewed voting logistics for May 20, absentee and early voting deadlines, and candidate information for two open board seats.

The board’s presentation materials and ballot propositions remain available on the district website for voters ahead of the May 20 vote.","The Bethlehem Central School District held a required public hearing on the 2025-26 proposed budget, reviewed revenue drivers including pilot payments and state aid, and discussed the board’s prior decision to adopt a proposed budget and related ballot propositions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bethlehem students advance two teams to Odyssey of the Mind world finals

Bethlehem Central studies elementary enrollment decline; board asked to consider redistricting and consultants

Bethlehem Central holds public hearing on 2025-26 proposed budget; board previously adopted the proposal