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Five candidates outline priorities on budget, equity, safety and mental health at district forum
Summary
At a candidate forum moderated by the Recorder, five candidates for three open KLSD board seats discussed priorities including literacy and MTSS, budget pressures from declining enrollment, school safety investments and mental-health partnerships.
Five candidates for three seats on the KATONAH-LEWISBORO UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT board outlined their backgrounds and competing priorities at a community forum hosted by the parent council and moderated by the Recorder.
Who spoke and why it matters: Incumbent board member Lorraine Gallagher emphasized continuity, fiscal discipline and student-support services. Bill Schwarzer, the finance committee chair, stressed budget restraint and preserving programs amid rising health-care and fixed costs. Candidates Stacy Isacson, Nancy Bahana and Melissa Dilmagani highlighted community partnerships, literacy and inclusion. The forum gave voters a direct way to compare approaches on the district’s immediate challenges: declining enrollment, rising operating costs, special-education services, security and mental-health supports.
Policy differences and common ground: Candidates largely agreed on the need to protect classroom programs while addressing rising costs. On pedagogy and special education, panelists described district moves toward a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS), expanded co-taught classrooms and a recently launched K–5 literacy audit. On safety, candidates described recent investments—security vestibules, a contracted safety audit and a full-time safety coordinator—and said the district is reviewing the audit before deciding if an additional school resource officer (SRO) is warranted.
Mental-health services and community partnerships: Candidates described multiple models for student mental-health supports. Some cited prior limited traction with a hospital partnership and said the district is exploring in-district licensed-provider arrangements and data-driven screening tools. Several candidates urged the district to work directly with local preschool providers to explore UPK collaboration if the bond does not pass.
Takeaway for voters: The forum clarified where candidates align (student support, literacy, security reviews) and where they differ (approach to the Lewisboro bond, level of financial conservatism and appetite for additional SRO spending). Voters should weigh the candidates’ priorities alongside the district’s forthcoming finance and vendor details.
