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Administration promotes benefits for students, teachers Beacon school board members will vote April 22 on the district's 2025-26 budget proposal, which includes $87.7 million in spending and a 5.09 percent tax levy increase, just under the maximum allowed under a complicated state formula. The board will hold a public hearing during its May 6 meeting, and district voters will be asked to approve the plan on May 20. With the levy increase, the district could collect about $50 million in property taxes. The remainder of its revenue comes mostly from state and federal aid. Although state legislators had not approved a budget as of Thursday (April 10), Beacon is expected to receive about $31.5 million from Albany, including $21.7 in unrestricted foundation aid, a 2 percent increase. Direct federal aid accounts for about 2 percent of the Beacon district's budget, or $1.7 million. The Trump administration has threatened to cut funding to states and local districts that do not eliminate what the White House considers to be diversity, equity and inclusion programs, although New York State says it will resist. Beacon administrators plan to use the increased funding to implement summer workshops for incoming Beacon High School students and increased mental health support for students at the high school and Rombout Middle School. Math and reading teachers for struggling elementary students will be hired, as well as a part-time speech instructor at the elementary level. Teacher training would focus on "the science of reading" - a research field that investigates how children develop reading and writing skills. More than 75 percent of the budget will be spent on salaries and benefits for the district's 682 teachers, administrators and other staff. The proposed levy increase is larger than in years past due primarily to two factors: (1) debt service (about 8 percent of expected expenditures) on a $50 million capital project approved by voters last year and (2) increased residential development in Beacon. The capital project will fund sweeping improvements at all six district schools and is the first such effort to trigger a tax increase in at least 15 years. In addition, Beacon's tax base has also grown more than any other district in Dutchess County in the past five years. That growth is one of the factors in the complex state tax formula that determines how much a district can increase its levy; in Beacon it will allow the schools to add $1.2 million to the taxes collected for 2025-26. Superintendent Matt Landahl told school board members during their April 7 meeting that the district is creating individualized data sheets on budget impacts for each school. "This year is really important to give people as much information as they can have walking into their polling place," he said. While the levy is increasing, individual homeowners' tax bills may not go up by the same percentage. Development in Beacon adds taxpaying households, while assessments also impact what a homeowner owes. The district estimates that the owner of a home assessed at the median value in Beacon ($304,700) will pay $3,127 annually in school taxes - still considerably less than other Dutchess districts (see chart). "In my mind, this is an argument to go to the tax cap," Landahl said. "In our hiring and retaining employees, these are some of our closest-competing districts." If you expand the comparison regionwide, "that number just grows, if we're talking about Orange County, Putnam County and obviously Westchester County," he said. "That school tax estimate just gets bigger and bigger, compared to what we're paying here."

State allows 5.15 percent tax-levy increase The Beacon school district is considering taking advantage of the full 5.15 percent tax-levy increase it has been allowed for 2025-26 by New York State to raise more than $50 million in property taxes. A state tax cap for public school districts and local governments limits annual increases to 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. However, other factors in a complicated formula can push the allowable increase well beyond that. At Haldane, the cap for 2025-26 is 3.38 percent and at Garrison, 5.78 percent, although both districts will likely ask voters for less. In Beacon's case, two factors in the formula raised the amount of property taxes the district can collect. First, it is the first budget to include debt service on a $50 million capital project approved by voters in 2024. Second, and more significantly, development added $1.2 million to the levy. Beacon has had the highest tax-base growth in Dutchess County for at least five years. In 2024-25, new construction allowed the district to add $793,795 to its levy. In 2023-24, it added $721,620. The administration has yet to propose its spending plan for 2025-26, but the district will spend $83.9 million in 2024-25. Its revenue this year includes $47.7 million in property taxes, or 3.91 percent more than 2023-24. The school board will continue a discussion of the 2025-26 budget at its March 24 meeting and vote on the plan on April 22. District voters will have their say on May 20. If the budget is approved, worst-case scenario figures provided by the district estimate an average $122 annual tax increase for Beacon homeowners, $159 for district residents in Fishkill and $161 for those in the Town of Wappinger. During the school board's meeting on Monday (March 10), some members questioned whether the district should seek the maximum allowable increase. "It seems a little high at 5 [percent], but I know what we're trying to do," said Eric Schetter. "If we could get it below 5, I would be happier with that. I think it would 'sell' more" to voters. However, Meredith Heuer, who joined the board in 2016, noted that "if we don't use what we can with our levy, we fall behind very quickly." The district chose not to seek the maximum allowable increase during one of her first years as a board member, she said, "and the next thing you know, you're negotiating for a teachers' contract, and there is no money." Superintendent Matt Landahl said Monday that pushing the budget "to cap" would allow the district to potentially expand from eight- to nine-period days at Rombout Middle School, giving students receiving extra academic help more time for electives and expanding class topics beyond core subjects. That change, if implemented, would probably require the district to hire four full-time teachers, he said. Additional reading and math teachers are needed at the elementary level, and the district hopes to expand a reading-support program offered in grades 3-5 to include grades K-2. "This is a lot, and to be real, we probably cannot afford all of this," Landahl said. "But I want to create, at minimum, a two-year plan to get this done. We want to look at multi-year planning for these larger initiatives, to make them affordable, to make them sustainable." Another factor for the board to consider is the unpredictable nature of its state and federal funding. Last year, the district received no increase in state funding, which typically accounts for a third of its revenue. That included foundation aid - state funding without spending restrictions - which was flat from 2023-24 to 2024-25, at about $21 million. Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed 2 percent foundation aid increases for nearly every district in the state, including Beacon, for 2025-26, but "there's concern on our end, in terms of: How long is that going to be the case?" Landahl said. Federal funding makes up far less of the district's budget - about 2 percent - but it pays fo...

Also says state should ban student cellphone use Gov. Kathy Hochul's state budget proposal, released Jan. 21, recommends that nearly every school district in New York, including Haldane, Garrison and Beacon, receive 2 percent increases in unrestricted foundation aid for 2025-26. That differs from her proposal last year, which would have cut the aid sent to Beacon and Garrison, although much was restored in the final spending plan adopted by the Legislature in April. The 2025-26 budget is expected to be finalized by April 1, although legislators have missed that deadline before. For 2025-26, Hochul proposed that Beacon receive $21.7 million in foundation aid (up from $21.3 million this year) and $31.5 million in total aid, an increase of 1.83 percent. Superintendent Matt Landahl on Monday (Jan. 27) thanked community members for advocating increased funding. "It may not make a difference in the moment, but over time it does," he said. Haldane is expected to receive $3 million in foundation aid, an increase of $58,000. Hochul proposed sending the district a total of $4.6 million in state aid, an increase of 3.5 percent. Garrison is expected to receive $600,000 in foundation aid, an increase of $12,000, and $1.2 million overall, an increase of 5.24 percent. The governor's proposal also includes $340 million to provide free breakfast and lunch for every public school student in New York. Beacon has provided free meals since December 2023 while Haldane has a cafeteria where students can buy prepared food. Garrison would need to spend about $100,000 to renovate its kitchen to serve meals, said Superintendent Gregory Stowell. "Now that there's a potential revenue source for the school lunch program, we're certainly going to take a hard look at it," he said. In addition, Hochul proposed a "bell-to-bell" restriction on cellphone use by students, a plan that Landahl said he expects will become law. The budget proposal includes funding to help schools pay for storage units for student phones. All three local districts have restrictions on student cellphone use during class.

Officials at the Haldane, Garrison and Beacon school districts, like many across the country, are vowing to protect undocumented immigrant students from President Donald Trump's push for mass deportations. Concern about raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at schools arose after the Trump administration on Jan. 21 reversed a policy enacted more than a decade ago barring raids in "sensitive locations," such as schools and churches. Allan Wernick, a Cold Spring resident who is an attorney and founder of Citizenship Now! at The City University of New York, said he believes ICE raids on workplaces are more likely than those on schools. "I wouldn't be too concerned that they're going to come to some [local] school" to detain students, he said. "It's not a very good use of resources." Superintendents at the three local districts said this week that federal agents would not be permitted on school grounds without a court order. "Law enforcement agencies can't just come in and request to see a student, talk to a student, interrogate a student or detain a student," said Gregory Stowell, superintendent of the Garrison district. Stowell said the district would consult its attorney before proceeding if ICE agents show up with a court order or warrant. Haldane Superintendent Carl Albano and Beacon Superintendent Matt Landahl each said the same. The superintendents emphasized that state and federal laws do not require districts to record the immigration status of students. During a Beacon school board meeting on Monday (Jan. 27), a retired schoolteacher, Vicki Fox, urged district officials to hold "know your rights" workshops and to encourage immigrant families to create preparedness plans. Parents should also understand the difference between a search warrant signed by a judge and "something just signed by an ICE official, which does not go along with the Fourth Amendment for searches," Fox said. Landahl said Beacon administrators planned to meet soon with the district's attorneys and that bilingual staff members have been helping immigrant families prepare. "We're working as an administrative group to make sure we're as well-informed as possible," he said. "I think that's the only thing we can do right now." Guidelines issued earlier this month by New York State reinforce that all children ages 5 to 21 who have not received a high school diploma are entitled to a free public education. Districts may not refuse enrollment based on national origin, immigration status, race or language proficiency, among other grounds. In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that students may not be denied a free public education based on their immigration status or that of their parents or guardians. The state guidelines also instruct schools not to release students' personal information, including immigration status, citizenship or national origin. Landahl said in an email to community members on Jan. 22 that the Beacon district's code of conduct limits law enforcement access to students during the school day. "I should also note that we have a very collaborative relationship with local law enforcement, and they are in our buildings frequently for drills, school walkthroughs and athletic and other events, and we welcome that," he wrote.

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Beacon especially faces uncertain funding When Superintendent Matt Landahl spoke to the Beacon school board in January, two weeks after Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State address, he reported that funding in the governor's proposed 2024-25 budget was "not great for a lot of local school districts." On the surface, Hochul's proposal to increase foundation aid - the unrestricted funds for general operations sent annually to each of the state's 673 public school districts - by $507 million was impressive. But that was only about half of what districts expected for 2024-25. More important for the long term, Hochul also suggested rethinking the formula used to determine allocations, which could mean the end of a provision that, for many districts, including Beacon, guaranteed they wouldn't receive less aid than in the previous year. "We were shocked, especially since the previous year [2023-24] was the first time foundation aid had been fully funded," i.e., districts received what they had expected to get, said Flora Stadler, the president of the Beacon school board. "This is going to be a challenge across the state moving forward. We have to make it clear that schools aren't just about academics, that they provide an ecosystem of services to students that need funding to be implemented." In Beacon, property taxes cover about 60 percent of the district's $84 million budget. Foundation aid takes care of about 25 percent. Under Hochul's proposal, Beacon would have seen its foundation aid cut by 6 percent, or about $1.3 million. By the time the governor and state lawmakers agreed on April 20 to a final budget that raised foundation funding by $935 million, Beacon's aid had been restored to $21.3 million, the same amount the district received in 2023-24. Even so, costs rise each year, and the district was forced to implement a policy to determine, case-by-case, whether to replace staff members who resigned or retired. The state budget also included $2 million for the Rockefeller Institute of Government, a public-policy think tank in Albany, to study whether the foundation aid formula should be revised. The institute is expected to issue its report by Dec. 1 and, as Landahl said this week, "every single superintendent and business official in the state is going to be reading it that night." Beacon is one of many districts that could be in trouble if it can no longer count on predictable foundation aid while staying within the state property tax cap, which limits tax-levy growth to 2 percent per year or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. Because they are smaller and wealthier, the Garrison and Haldane districts receive far less foundation aid than Beacon. Garrison will get about $600,000 in 2024-25, or 4.5 percent of its $13.4 million budget, and Haldane will receive $2.9 million, or 10 percent of its $29.2 million budget. Although they are less dependent on state aid, budgets are always tight and the superintendents at the two districts are equally concerned about potential changes to the formula. "Any decrease in foundation aid, combined with the tax cap, is problematic," said Carl Albano, the interim superintendent at Haldane. "It could really negatively impact children." Gregory Stowell, the superintendent at Garrison, said the formula needs to better account for the rising costs of special education, mental health services, transportation and building security. Foundation aid Foundation aid dates to 2007, when New York State began to distribute funds to districts using a highly complex formula that measures enrollment, regional costs, local taxes and census data on poverty, among other factors (see Page 7). It was meant to add $5.5 billion in additional state funding, with the most aid going to the neediest districts, while providing more stability to everyone. The timing was terrible. In 2008, the national economy collapsed. By 2021, the state was $4 billion behind in its phased-in increase. Brian Fessler, the directo...

District stops short of all-day ban on devices The Beacon school board on Monday (Aug. 26) unanimously approved a policy designed to keep cellphone use out of classrooms at Rombout Middle School and Beacon High School. It requires the 1,400 students attending the two schools to place their phones in "designated areas" at the beginning of each class but stops short of the full-day ban some parents had requested. Students will have access to their phones between classes and at lunch and recess but not, for example, during bathroom breaks in the middle of class. Students at the middle school will also be required to place smartwatches and earbuds in their backpacks while in class, while high school students will have to keep earbuds in their backpacks during class. At the district's four elementary schools, cellphones, smartwatches and earbuds "should never be out" of a student's backpack or storage during the day, according to the policy. Students who use smartwatches for medical reasons that require them to contact their parents will be accommodated, Superintendent Matt Landahl said. The restrictions go into effect when school begins on Wednesday (Sept. 4). The designated spaces for phones will likely resemble the repurposed shoe organizers introduced last year at Haldane High School as "no-cell motels." Locking cases with slots for each phone are on backorder and could arrive in October, Landahl said. Students who do not comply will be referred to an administrator. Consequences will be progressive and include a combination of loss of phone privileges and lunch detentions, Landahl told the board. Parents will also be notified. Dozens of Beacon parents organized over the summer and appeared at school board meetings advocating a full-day phone ban using something like the locking pouches made by a company called Yondr. Members of the group said Monday that they had created a form at bcsdphones.com through which students, parents or teachers can anonymously report harassment, filming without consent and other incidents involving phones. "Our growing working group will not cease until the entire Beacon City School District achieves a full-day phone ban, as this is the only phone policy that sufficiently protects our children's well-being," said one organizer, Hana Ramat, who spoke during the meeting. In addition, the board on Monday approved a handful of changes to the district code of conduct, some of them related to phones: Using a phone when permitted but in a prohibited way was added as a first-level (out of four) violation of the code, while refusing to put a phone in the designated area during class will be a second-level offense. Creating or disseminating profane, harassing or discriminatory images (real or fake) of students or staff was added as a third-level infraction, and removal of phone privileges was added to a list of more than a dozen potential consequences for code violations. Along with Beacon and Garrison, the Wappingers Central School District over the summer adjusted its cellphone policy, which prohibits high school students from using the devices on campus unless approved by a teacher. Once school begins next week, students who violate the policy must store their phones in locking pouches for the day. Such restrictions are part of a nationwide trend to limit classroom distractions and protect students from the dangerous impacts of social media while encouraging face-to-face interaction with peers. In California, the Los Angeles school board voted in June to restrict students in the country's second-largest district from using smartphones during the academic day. New York City schools are expected to implement a similar policy, but Mayor Eric Adams said this week that the district is "not there yet" logistically. Gov. Kathy Hochul has indicated that a statewide policy could be coming. She began a "listening tour" on phone usage in schools last month in Albany County and has held roundtable discussions in Eri...

Statewide mandate may soon follow Superintendent Matt Landahl will share the Beacon City School District's proposed new cellphone policy with the community before the school board's next meeting on Aug. 19, when it will be discussed. The board will hold a public hearing the following week, on Aug. 26, on related changes to the student code of conduct. Its members could vote on the phone policy that night. At minimum, the new rule is expected to ban phones from classrooms at Rombout Middle School and Beacon High School, and altogether from the district's four elementary schools. The existing policy, adopted in 2021, allows phones during "non-instructional time" if students follow the code of conduct and the acceptable-use policy. According to the code, teachers and administrators can confiscate phones if students violate the policy. While members of the school board's policy committee have worked behind the scenes drafting new regulations, the Aug. 19 meeting will be the first discussion among the full, nine-member board on a proposal. If a policy is adopted on Aug. 26, it is expected to go into effect on Sept. 4, the first day of school for students. At the same time, Gov. Kathy Hochul on July 15 kicked off a statewide listening tour on phone usage in schools. The governor, who noted that a poll released by the Pew Research Center in June indicates that 72 percent of high school teachers nationwide consider cellphone distractions a major problem, held a roundtable at Guilderland High School in Albany County. Hochul has said she would propose a statewide policy later this year. After the discussion at Guilderland, she said that a "piecemeal approach," in which individual school districts enforce their own policies, would not be how she tackles the issue. Hochul's office said that additional roundtable discussions will be held in the coming months, but dates and locations have not been announced. Related: Haldane Adopts 'No-Cell Motel' District parents have asked the Beacon school board to restrict access to phones at school several times in recent months. At its last meeting, on July 22, Jean Huang, a past president of the parent-teacher-student organization at J.V. Forrestal Elementary, requested full-day pouching, using something like the locking pouches made by Yondr. "Any half-measures, where the kids are still allowed to have phones at recess and lunch will not really solve the problems of bullying and self-harm and all the horrible things that go along with social media and smartphone usage," she said. However, another parent, Greta Byrum, a broadband and digital equity professional, cautioned the board about banning sources of information or getting into a "situation where we have to monitor what's on the bodies of our children." She said the district should consider how children would get to their phones in "scary incidents, including school intruders, where I would want to be in contact with my child." Landahl said during the meeting that the district's new policy is being driven by teacher feedback. "They've asked for something to be done in the classroom," he said. "Our teachers want to be able to do their job and teach, and they don't want to have to be telling kids to put their phone away 10 times a class." Landahl also said that changes to the code of conduct, which will likely involve enforcement of the cellphone policy, would address students disregarding the policy to the extent that "it becomes an issue" but would not include "searching kids for their phones every day." Board members spent considerable time discussing a trickier element of the cellphone issue: educating students and parents about responsible usage outside of school. Kristan Flynn and Flora Stadler, the board president, both spoke about situations in which their children felt targeted by classmates. "I've heard it since I've been on the board - that a lot of stuff that happens outside of school, mostly on phones, shows up in school," Flynn s...

Board also elects officers in annual reorganization The Beacon school board on Monday (July 1) approved sending a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul registering its concerns with the proposed redevelopment of the former Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill. Two weeks ago, Hochul announced that a Rochester developer had been chosen to build up to 1,300 housing units over the next decade at the 80-acre site. Children from homes constructed at Downstate would attend Glenham Elementary, one of Beacon's four elementary schools, "which are already at or near capacity," the board wrote. It argued that the increase in tax revenue from the development would do little to help the district, especially given its recent reduction in state foundation aid. Board members predicted that Conifer Realty, the developer, would challenge its property assessment in an effort to drive down taxes or seek a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement from the Dutchess County Industrial Development Agency "due to a claimed inability to construct the development without significant financial assistance." Fishkill officials have also criticized the proposal, which must be approved by the town, saying it would overwhelm roads and other infrastructure. In addition, the school board elected Flora Stadler as president and Meredith Heuer as vice president at its annual organizational meeting on Monday. Stadler had been the vice president for the past three years and Heuer the board president for four years. The school board on Monday also approved a five-year contract with Superintendent Matt Landahl that runs through the end of the 2028-29 school year. Landahl will earn $220,306 for the first year of the agreement, with his salary in subsequent years based on performance evaluations.

Superintendent says changes possible in the fall The Beacon City School District is considering changes to its policy on student cellphone usage, a thorny subject that many schools have wrestled with. Superintendent Matt Landahl said on Wednesday (June 12) that changes could be implemented in the fall to "strengthen our policy" but provided no details. Landahl said he plans to update the community this summer. The district's existing policy, adopted in 2021, says that phones are allowed during "non-instructional time" if students follow the district's code of conduct and the acceptable use policy. According to the code, teachers and administrators can confiscate phones if students are violating the policy. However, several parents asked the school board in April for more restrictions. One parent, Hana Ramat, a psychotherapist whose son will enter Rombout Middle School in the fall, said this week that she hopes the district will require students to turn in their phones while at school. Echoing comments made in recent years by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Ramat said there's an "epidemic of mental illness" among children and teens. Research, she said, suggests that smartphones, which were introduced about 20 years ago, have been a major factor. "Especially with young girls, the research is very clear and the impacts are severe," Ramat said, citing eating disorders, depression, anxiety and body dysmorphia as conditions all potentially exacerbated by online culture. "The social media algorithms lead you down these roads, and it's very disturbing how fast it goes," she said. Ramat said she and her husband don't plan to give their son a smartphone until his mid-teen years. In the interim, they're considering a phone without internet access or a device like an Apple Watch that he can use for basic communications. Other schools in the region, both public and private, have adopted or are close to instituting no-phone policies. Haldane High School last year introduced "No-Cell Motels" - repurposed shoe organizers in which students place their phones during class. One school year into the policy, "there are fewer distractions and the bathroom breaks are much shorter," said Tom Virgadamo, the president of the Haldane teachers' union. The private Manitou School in Philipstown and Hudson Hills Academy in Beacon have also banned phones in class. The Kingston school board is considering a proposal requiring middle school and high school students to leave their phones in locked bags, while the Newburgh school board agreed last fall to a deal with Yondr, a company that manufactures locking phone pouches. Something like a Yondr pouch in Beacon would free teachers of the burden of policing for phones while instructing, Ramat said. It would also restore face-to-face time, or "the precious childhood time of connecting and building relationships," during lunch, recess and in the hall, she said. John Drew, a Beacon resident who is a digital media professor at Adelphi University in Long Island, also spoke to the school board in April. He said Wednesday that, even at the college level, many students believe they need access to their phones at all times. "It almost makes it sad to be a teacher, because the devices are more powerful than any teaching strategy I can come up with," he said. Drew empathizes with his daughter, who will also enter Rombout in the fall, because so many of her friends have phones. "It's impossible for her to not want to have the access that her friends have" to social media and the internet, he said. While a 2020 survey by the National Center for Education Statistics showed that more than 75 percent of schools nationwide have banned cellphones except for academic use, Sarah Jaafar, a Beacon High School junior who is a student adviser to the school board, offered counterpoints during the April meeting. If the district implements further restrictions, it should start with younger students, "so when students go into the hig...

Amid global warming, schools seek ways to cool classrooms Learning can be challenging enough without a sweltering classroom. Many students face this situation, as global warming has forced schools locally and worldwide to find ways to cool buildings during warmer months. In New York, it has inspired a legislative proposal to cap classroom temperatures. Last week in Beacon, voters overwhelmingly approved a $50 million capital plan, a quarter of which will pay for HVAC upgrades that include "cooling centers" at Rombout Middle School and the district's four elementary schools, said Matt Landahl, the superintendent. The cooling centers will be larger spaces such as cafeterias and gyms that can be used to "address the hazards associated with high heat days, wildfire smoke and periods with high cases of infectious disease," he said. Beacon High School, which opened in 2002, is air-conditioned, unlike 40 percent of schools nationwide that need new HVAC systems, according to the General Accounting Office in Washington D.C. Hot classrooms hinder learning, Landahl said. "The first week of the 2023-24 school year [in September] was very hot and it negatively impacted our elementary school students and staff who have limited access to air conditioning," he said. "High heat" days are increasing locally. Ninety-degree days in the Hudson Valley have grown from about 10 a year in the 1970s to 30 or more today, according to data compiled by the New York State Water Resources Institute at Cornell University. By 2050, the number is projected to rise to 50. Philip Benante, the superintendent at Haldane, said that most district classrooms have no air conditioning and that June and September can be uncomfortable, especially on the top floors. When the temperature approached 90 degrees on May 21, which was Election Day for the school board and budget, many classroom windows were open. "There is a need for air conditioning in our buildings, but the essential questions are at what cost and through what method," Benante said. The district is reviewing applications from engineering firms to do an energy-use analysis in anticipation of a new HVAC system. Haldane is developing a capital plan that it will present to voters, probably in the fall. The first phase, projected to cost $35.7 million and trigger a 10.5 percent tax hike, included $7.1 million to upgrade the HVAC system and add air conditioning to the main school building, which houses the elementary and middle schools. There was also $2.8 million to add AC to the high school. After the proposed HVAC system stirred criticism for relying on fossil fuels, officials removed it and the high school AC from Phase 1, dropping the total cost to $29.3 million and the potential tax increase to 8.22 percent. But both will be part of Phase 2, officials say. In the Garrison district, the school is air conditioned thanks to the $10 million capital improvement program approved by voters in 2019 and completed in 2022, which included $2.7 million to renovate the HVAC system. Carl Albano, the interim superintendent, said that the electric system has systems to circulate fresh air. "We're in a healthier environment," he said. "The air conditioning, I believe, makes a difference." State Sen. James Skoufis, a Democrat from Cornwall, in Orange County, is the lead sponsor (and Sen. Rob Rolison, a Republican whose district includes the Highlands, is a co-sponsor) of legislation requiring classrooms to be evacuated if their temperature exceeds 87 degrees. Classrooms that hit 82 degrees would require fans, AC window units or open windows. "Over the past several years, I have tried to build awareness of this issue," Skoufis said. "We're at a tipping point." Melinda Person, president of New York State United Teachers, representing 600,000 educators, noted that "even animal shelters have maximum heat limits. Our schools do not, and it is disrespectful to our students and educators. When schools are too hot, students can't l...

Alleges racial discrimination led to dismissal A former elementary school principal has sued the Beacon City School District, alleging that discrimination and a racially charged workplace led to his dismissal last year. Daniel Glenn, hired as principal at South Avenue Elementary in August 2021, filed a civil suit in U.S. District Court on April 18. In the 17-page complaint, Glenn, who is Black, says he was the victim of "disparate treatment and a hostile work environment due to his race." He asked to be returned to his job with back pay. Superintendent Matt Landahl said this week that the district cannot comment on the case. Glenn noted in his complaint that the staff at South Avenue was primarily white. He said that he told Landahl and Deputy Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi in 2022 "that his job was permeated with racial discrimination on a continuous basis in the structure of how the school operated." For example, according to the complaint, when white employees at the school "did not get their way, they leveraged their race as a way to avoid accountability and to cast aspersion and blame on others perceived as less important, less powerful or less privileged." A minority teacher wrote to Landahl, he claimed, "unequivocally exposing the toxic and racially charged discriminatory work environment," yet, according to Glenn, "no meaningful investigation was conducted." In contrast, Glenn alleged, the complaints of white staff members were "taken seriously and handled expeditiously." Glenn claimed that his job performance was "exemplary" but said he was terminated for "pretextual reasons." He cited two incidents in 2023 that he portrayed as retaliation for his opposition to "unlawful discriminatory practices": an allegation that he made an inappropriate comment to a female teacher who had recently returned to work after having a child and, a month later, a charge that he failed to adequately address a student's complaint. Glenn said he received no notice allowing him to contest allegations against him before being terminated by the school board on May 8, 2023, effective June 7, on Landahl's recommendation. Glenn had been removed from his position months earlier; when Kelly Amendola, the current South Avenue principal, was hired in July, the district said that Brian Archer, its director of evaluation and student services, had been the acting principal for five months. Glenn criticized what he called a "preconceived determination" to fire him, and said the district's lack of a human resources department deprived him of the right to respond to Landahl's recommendation. His "career prospects are now ruined," according to the complaint. In addition to reinstatement and back pay, Glenn is seeking unspecified compensatory damages. The school district has 21 days to respond. Before being hired in Beacon, Glenn taught first and second grade for 19 years in the Newburgh district and was an assistant principal for three years in New Paltz.

Spending plan, capital project could mean dual tax increases While the breakdown of state aid, property tax revenue and district funding will not be known until next week, the Beacon City School District has set its tax levy for its 2024-25 budget at $47.68 million. That's a 3.91 percent increase over what it collected for 2023-24 and would trigger a modest tax bump. The levy increase is based on Beacon's tax-base growth factor (one of the highest in Dutchess County), the consumer price index and other factors and does not exceed a state-mandated cap. Voters will consider the proposed budget on May 21. According to the district, the annual increase for a Beacon resident who owns a home worth $425,000, the median value in Dutchess, would be $88. For Town of Fishkill and Town of Wappinger residents in the district, the estimated increase would be $100 and $106, respectively. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a tentative budget agreement with lawmakers on Monday (April 15); once the plan is finalized, public school districts will know how much state aid they will receive for 2024-25. According to the governor, the budget will include $35.9 billion in school funding, including $24.9 billion in Foundation Aid, which considers factors such as a district's relative wealth and the number of students it serves. On Monday, Superintendent Matt Landahl told the Beacon school board that he expects the district will receive about the same amount it did last year, which was $30.8 million. "Everything that we're reading is that school districts in the 'save harmless' [no decrease] category, which Beacon is, should not be expecting an increase in Foundation Aid," he said. "That's been the messaging for the last several weeks." Despite flat funding, Landahl said the district plans to maintain small class sizes, full-day pre-K, expanded extracurricular clubs, access to collegiate and advanced coursework, and salary increases and professional development opportunities for employees. A pilot program to support reading instruction for elementary students would also receive funding. "It may not be a budget where we have a laundry list of things we're adding next year, but it's a budget where we're really proud to be keeping these wonderful things in place that we've fought hard to get," Landahl said. The district intends to implement a "position-control" policy to determine, case-by-case, whether to replace staff members who resign or retire. The policy isn't meant to cause panic, the superintendent said, but administrators will look "at every single aspect of the district" in trying to save money through attrition. Positions funded by federal American Rescue Plan funds will be reviewed, along with contracts, most of which are for services provided by the Dutchess Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). In addition to the budget and three board seats, the May 21 ballot will include two propositions related to student transportation and one to allow the district to borrow money for a proposed $49 million capital project. The first proposition would allow the district to purchase a second electric school bus. Voters approved buying one electric bus last year but it has yet to be purchased. The district has received conditional approval from New York State for vouchers providing $257,250 for each bus, which, including a charger, sells for $495,000. The second proposition would permit the district to spend $485,000 to buy three 72-passenger, gas-powered buses. (State law requires that school buses purchased after 2027 run on electricity; all 50,000 gas-powered buses in New York must be replaced by 2035.) The third proposition asks voters to approve an initiative for capital improvements across all six district school buildings. It would include heating, ventilation and energy-efficiency upgrades, new roofs on some buildings, secure visitor entrances and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, among many other repairs. Many classrooms will re...

In this episode of the Grow Your Wealth podcast, we're honoured to welcome Anthony Landahl, the visionary founder and Managing Director of Equilibria Finance. Anthony takes us through his entrepreneurial journey, from the inception of Equilibria to becoming a pivotal figure in the finance industry. He shares the emotional highs and lows, the strategic decisions, and the pivotal moments that have shaped his path from founding to leading one of the most respected firms in finance. From the challenges of establishing a new company in a competitive market to the insights gained from scaling operations and making impactful hires. [00:00:00] - Introduction to Anthony and the founding of Equilibria Finance [00:02:15] - The early days: Setting the vision and building the foundation [00:04:20] - Navigating the finance industry's challenges as a startup [00:08:33] - Key milestones and growth strategies [00:13:47] - Building and maintaining client trust and relationships [00:17:59] - The role of technology and innovation in financial services [00:22:11] - Lessons learned from expansion and scaling [00:27:26] - The importance of culture and values in team dynamics [00:31:40] - Facing adversity: Resilience and adaptation [00:36:55] - Anthony's personal growth and leadership insights [00:41:07] - The future of finance and Equilibria's place in it [00:45:22] - Advice for aspiring finance entrepreneurs [00:49:36] - Conclusion: Reflecting on achievements and gratitude Follow Anthony: linkedin.com/in/anthony-landahl-equilibria iPartners Website: www.ipartners.com.au Register Here: https://ipartners.iplatforms.com.au/register/register-as-wholesale/ iPartners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipartners-pty-ltd Follow Travis Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travismilleripartners #growyourwealth #finance #ipartners

Capital project would mean tax increase The Beacon City School District has proposed a $49 million capital project, its largest in years, for district residents to consider when they vote on the 2024-25 budget and elect three school board members in May. The proposal would fund sweeping improvements at all six of the district's school buildings, with the work to be completed in the summers of 2026, 2027 and 2028. If approved, it would also be the first school capital project to trigger a property tax increase in at least 15 years. Before being added to the May 21 ballot, the school board must approve the plan, which is expected to happen at its March 18 meeting. The district estimates that a home valued at $300,000 would see a $127 annual tax increase. With the state STAR exemption, which affords homeowners savings on school taxes, the increase would be $114, and it would be $91 for seniors enrolled in the Enhanced STAR program. The tax impact could decrease over time if new construction, which would spread the district's tax levy, continues in Beacon. Superintendent Matt Landahl told the school board on Monday (Feb. 26) that building condition surveys, which New York State requires every five years, led the district to consider a range of upgrades. "We're struggling to keep up with the needs of our older buildings, including the high school, which is our newest building" from 2002, he said. Regarding the tax increases, "we don't take this lightly at all. We're racing to keep up with our aging buildings," Landahl said. "It doesn't make sense to make any of these investments a la carte anymore," said Kristan Flynn, who chairs the board's Facilities & Operations Committee. "If we're going to fix them and make them most effective, we have to fix everything around them." If voters approve the funding, the district would make heating and ventilation upgrades at the six schools, replace selected roofs depending on need, address Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, create secure visitor entrances and make energy-efficiency upgrades, among many other projects and repairs. Many classrooms will receive new flooring, ceilings, lighting, windows and doors, while the stage and theater at Beacon High School will be upgraded and new playground equipment installed at Sargent and Glenham elementaries. The tennis courts and baseball and softball fields at the high school will be improved and the cafeterias and gymnasiums at the four elementary schools and Rombout Middle School will be air-conditioned, creating "cooling centers" for students to rotate through on hot days. Landahl said he plans to meet with parent-teacher organizations at each school in March and April, and will hold virtual and in-person community meetings in April to discuss the projects. The school board on Monday approved an emergency resolution for one repair that can't wait. The gymnasium ceiling at South Avenue Elementary, the district's oldest building, is in danger of collapsing after back-to-back heavy snowfalls and rain in January, Landahl said. The repair, which could cost up to $300,000, will be paid for through a combination of insurance coverage and a capital fund approved by voters in 2021. Physical education classes have been held outside or in a sectioned-off area of the cafeteria while the gym has been inaccessible. Because it's an emergency, the state is expected to fast-track the design approval, and the goal is to have students back in the gym this school year, the superintendent said. Meanwhile, the bulk of the work on the $26 million capital project from 2021 will conclude this summer. At Beacon High School, highlights of the projects that remain include upgrades to two science classes and the television and media studio. The athletic track will also be refurbished. Two science labs and two art classrooms will be renovated at Rombout, among other projects. At the elementary schools, a new library will be constructed at Sargent near the entrance o...

I det här avsnittet är det debutantpoddaren själv, Hanna Landahl, som tar plats och berättar om författardebuten och allt det som har hänt därefter. Hennes författarresa har inte på något vis varit enkel och det hon nu, efter 11 utgivna böcker, kan konstatera är att det främst är hennes hårda pannben som har tagit henne till platsen hon idag befinner sig på. Hannas relationsroman "Orosmoln hos familjen Hoffman" släpps i dagarna. Den handlar om familjehemligheter, kärlek och sorg. Läs den du också! Lyssna på den på Storytel här: https://www.storytel.com/se/books/orosmoln-hos-familjen-hoffman-2788012 Lyssna på den på BookBeat här: https://www.bookbeat.com/se/bok/orosmoln-hos-familjen-hoffman-1229928 Du är också varmt välkommen att beställa ditt signerade ex direkt av författaren här: mail@hannalandahl.se Vill du också bli författare? Se Hannas kostnadsfria webinar här: https://skrivringen.se/f/komigangmeddindebut

I det här avsnitten har jag med mig Hanna Landahl som är författare och skrivcoach. Det tog ett tag innan hon förstod att hon kunde bli författare. Hanna testade tusen jobb innan hon till slut bestämde sig för att bli författare. Det var sju år sedan hon bestämde sig för att skriva på sin första skönlitterära text. Nu skriver hon på sin elfte bok!  Hanna hamnade i depression och utbrändhet, hon trodde dessa saker berodde på jobben hon hade. Det hon dock upptäckte var att det handlade mer om strukturen och att vara bunden på en arbetsplats. Idag som författare och skrivcoach mår hon bra, då hon kan styra över sin egen tid. I det här avsnittet pratar vi om: Hur Hanna blev författare och har lyckats skriv 11 böcker  Hur hon hjälper andra att bli författare  Hur hon tog ur sig en utbrändhet och depression Hur man kan skapa en bra och sund relation till sig själv  Hur man kan hitta förhållningssätt till adhd  Vi pratar om mindset och perspektiv Vi pratar om normer i samhället och hur Hanna har brutit dom   Det här blev ett väldigt intressant samtal där jag och Hanna hade en väldigt bra kemi.  Jag hoppas att ni gillar det här avsnittet! https://hannalandahl.se/ Ni hittar Hannas böcker överallt där man hittar böcker!

I detta avsnitt möter vi den fantastiska kvinnan, yogaläraren och inspiratören Annki Warberg Landahl. Annki är en av Sveriges mest erfarna Kundaliniyogalärare. Hon har jobbat som lärare inom olika områden i 35 år, undervisat yoga intensivt i 20 år och har 11 års erfarenhet av yogalärarutbildningar. Hon är certifierad Gravidyogalärare, Medicinsk yogalärare, Yogaterapeut, Sat Nam Rasayan-healer och har stor kunskap inom Ayurveda. Hon är även utbildad i Hathayoga. Annki har korsat våra vägar i olika epoker av våra liv men har påverkat oss på snarlika sätt genom att guida oss att öppna upp vårt sinne för andra riktningar i livet. Josefina träffade Annki när hon gick hennes otroliga kurs Female Balance. Annkis lugn, trygghet och erfarenhet var utmärkande för hennes sätt att leda och få med sig hela klassen in i utforskandet av ens inre genom Kundaliniyogans tekniker. Emma har haft Annki som lead teacher trainer under hennes Kundaliniyogalärarutbildning april -21 till juni -22 och har bokstavligen henne att tacka för att slöjan, som legat som ett raster över sinnet och fördunklat tankar och framtidsutsikter, lyfts och bidragit till att hon numera kan gå genom livet med klarare blick och med en förmåga att heala sig själv och andra genom Kundaliniyogans tekniker. I avsnittet diskuterar vi vikten av att känna och vara med våra känslor. Att stanna upp och med hjälp av andetaget hitta balans mellan feminint och maskulint, mellan Yin och Yang. Vi pratar om vad som händer med oss alla bekvämlighetsjunkies, där ingenting får vara obekvämt och ingenting får smärta. Vad händer om vi istället tänker att smärtan är vår riktning. När vi tillåter oss att känna känslor av sorg, ledsamhet och övergivenhet så kan det vara något sorts levande som kommer in, känslan av att "jag kände någonting". Vi pratar om det tillitsbaserade hållbara ledarskapet för att människor ska må bra och kunna utvecklas i sin takt som anställda och som människor. Vi avslutar denna text med ett underbart citat från avsnittet:”Var med det som är, det är inte farligt, det är livet, och livet är nu – enjoy the ride. Det är inte dåligt det är inte bra, det bara är så, det som är”- Annki Warberg-LandahlOm du är nyfiken på Annki och vill veta mer om hennes kurser och Kundaliniyogacenter kika in på www.kundaliniyogacenter.se. På Instagram hittar ni henne som @femalebalance_annki.Följ gärna oss på @spiriturious. Josefina hittar ni på @jflowsthlm och Emma på spirituous_emma.TACK för att ni lyssnar!Peace & LoveEmma och JosefinaSound: Tex, produktion & musik: Alvin Wetterholm och Eskil Lindh Hedegård, Digital Musikproduktion StorumanArtwork: Mikaela Aare Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hanna Landahl är aktuell med "Branden", en bok som med fint tempo berättar om Sebbe, Ali och Hedda och deras kompisar i Falköping. Martin pratade med Hanna om boken, men också om hennes skrivprocess och vad som väntar framöver!

Författaren Hanna Landahl är aktuell med nya ungdomsboken Branden. Vi pratar om boken och vägen från debuten med romaner för vuxna till att nu vara en etablerad ungdomsboksförfattare. Vi får även ett smakprov ur boken.

När författaren Hanna Landahl fick diagnos som 44-åring fick hon en förklaring till varför hennes arbetsliv hade varit så svårt under så många år. Sedan sex år tillbaka har hon hittat hem som författare till böcker för barn, ungdomar och vuxna. Hanna är en produktiv författare som i dagarna ger ut sin tionde bok. Hon brinner extra för att skriva böcker för barn och ungdomar som är läsovilliga. Du kan läsa mer om Hannas författarskap här: https://www.instagram.com/hannalandahlforfattare

Maleren Hilma af Klint er en bombe under kunsthistorien. Hendes billeder, der ikke måtte vises før 20 år efter hendes død, viser sig at introducere den abstrakte kunst længe før de store modernistiske ikoner. Men de er meget andet end dét. De er fyldte med okkulte budskaber. Hilma af Klint arbejdede som medie for åndelige væsner, og skabte sine monumentale malerier efter diktat fra den åndelige verden. Selvom hun døde i 1944, er det først i 1980'erne, at verden var klar til hendes overrumplende kunst, og nu sætter de publikumsrekord overalt i verden. Hun forsagede alt andet i livet for at stå i det åndeliges tjeneste, og forklare hele universets sammenhæng gennem farver og former. Hilma af Klint havde én stor vision, som stadig ikke er blevet realiseret: Et vidunderligt tempel, omgivet af Mysteriernes Have, der skal rumme alle hendes billeder og være et helligt sted for spirituel fordybelse. Templet skal ifølge Hilmas efterladte skrifter ligge på Øen Hven i Øresund mellem Danmark og Sverige, og udformningen er nøje beskrevet af åndelige væsner. I denne udsendelse rejser Katarina Lewkovitch ind i Hilma af Klints visioner og religiøse univers, og ind i visionen om hendes spiralformede Tempel på Hven. For er tiden inde til at Hilmas værker nu skal finde hjem til det sted, det var tænkt for? Medvirkende: Kunstkritiker, Henrik Wivel, Spirituel lærer, Anne-Sophie Jørgensen, arkitekt, Åsa Landahl, direktør for Moderna Museet i Malmø, Iris Müller-Westermann. Tilrettelæggelse, Katarina Lewkovitch.

Beacon's kids are hugely affected by the outbreak. Being home all the time is a fun escape for some and a heartbreak for others, especially those with an uncertain or dangerous situation at home. Superintendent Matt Landahl talks about what the schools are doing to support students and what the coronavirus impact could mean for the district long-term. 

Författaren Hanna Landahl intervjuas av Magnus och Lena på Skövde stadsbibliotek. Är Ljuskällan en Feelgood eller skaver den för mycket för att platsa i den genren? Har Hanna själv bott i kollektiv eller är det en hemlig dröm? Hur är det med klimatångesten?

Göteborgs ENDA renodlade lokalfotbollspodd - Rasta Möter- är tillbaka! I höstens första avsnitt har podden träffat 7C-laget Pushers BK:s ena tränare Kristofer "KL" Landahl. Vi snackar om hans tränargärning i lokalfotbollen, den pågående toppstriden i sjuan med Hjuvik men även allvarligare ämnen som psykisk ohälsa. Ett fint (och långt) avsnitt att börja hösten med! Podden drivs och produceras av Fredrik "Rasta" Airosto. Har ni synpunkter så går det bra att maila: rastaochdalla@rastaochdalla.se

In this episode, we discuss... How nuclear engineering and health physics are connected in education and industry Insight into radiation protection design and emergency planning How Susan Landahl broke down gender barriers in nuclear power plant operation Models, such as the linear no-threshold theory, which are used to analyze radiation dosage and related health effects The role of virtual reality in nuclear power plant training and operation Improving all aspects of the nuclear industry through a culture of innovation Nuclear power’s place in the U.S. electrical grid

Skövde stadsbibliotek träffar författaren Hanna Landahl, som barnboksdebuterar med "Förlåt för hålet" men även är aktuell med romanen för vuxna "Under två timmar". Hon har också skrivit "Välkommen till Himmelsta", även den en vuxenroman.

Fjuppen träffar Lars Arell som är enhetschef på Boverket och som har en bakgrund från regeringskansliet. Samtalet handlar om fastighetsbildningslagen och särskilt dess tredje kapitel. Finns det kanske behov av en grundlig översyn av den snart 50 år gamla lagstiftningen? Hur bedrivs lagstiftningsarbete? Vi pratar också om medfinansieringsersättning och om en svensexa för länge sedan. Dessutom ett antal mycket korta intervjuer enligt nedan: 47:26 Elenor Eklind Forslin, Stockholms stad 49:40 Emma Eriksson, Landahl advokatbyrå 52:12 Fredrik Nestor, Österåker kommun 55:05 Sara Haasmark, Samhällsbyggarna 56:45 Tomas Vesterlin, Vesterlins 59:48 Ulrika Ekebjär, Lantmäteriet 1:02:13 Olle Nordberg, Vallentuna kommun 1:04:42 Anna-Karin, Lantmäteriet 1:07:53 Ingegerd Hedmark, Structor 1:11:03 Max Lokrantz, Lantmäteriet 1:12:30 Jeanette Öhman, Bovieran 1:14:53 Maria Dahleman, Cowi 1:16:55 Tomas Shaw, Stockholms stad 1:20:00 Sofia Forsling, JM 1:22:25 Mattias Sjöberg, Stockholms stad 1:25:33 Kristina Thimberg, Vesterlins

Innehållet 4.58 - Nyheten: Exploateringsavtal och kostnadsfördelningen mellan kommun och exploatör 32.26 - Frågan: Kuperingen, juridiken och etiken 41.30 - Begreppet: mindre avvikelse 49.30 - Mänskligt beteende: telefonsamtal 1.04.02 - Intervjun: Susanne Falk, Landahl advokatbyrå 1.28.57 - Life hack: kanelbullarna

Fastighetsjuridiska podden intervjuar Susanne Falk från Landahl advokatbyrå. Samtalet handlar bland annat om förhandsavtal vid bostadsrättsförsäljningar och möjligheterna att backa ur sådana.

Fastighetsjuridiska podden, pilotavsnittet - med Emma Eriksson, Landahl advokatbyrå by Vesterlins & Co

The Adviser talks to Anthony Landahl from Equilibria Finance about his new business and how he balances relations between financial advice practices and their clients by servicing their broking needs. Here, Mr Landahl explains how a clear business plan helped him begin his business with confidence, how he's planning ahead to achieve his career end-goal, as well as his thoughts on the prospect of a 'best interests duty' imposed on the broking industry. Find out how this broker: - Ran various small businesses in financial services for 20 years - Formulated a three-tier service offering for the referral partner market - Balances B2B/B2C engagement for clients and businesses alike http://www.theadviser.com.au

Den här veckan snackar vi hälsa med fokus på kvinnor och hur vi kvinnor kan känna oss på topp oavsett vilken dag det är i månaden. Vår gäst är Annki Warberg Landahl och hon brinner lite extra för just kvinnors hälsa. Annki är yogalärare, är med och driver Stockholms Kundaliniyogacenter, har workshops och retreats och […]

Jenny Strömstedt och Henrik Johnsson tävlar mot Eva Landahl och Eva Hamilton om vem som kan mest om veckans nyheter. Programledare: Annika Lantz. Domare: Sara Lövestam. Skicka gärna tips om nyhetsklipp till oss!lantzkampen@sverigesradio.se

Två riktiga journalister med nyheter som specialitet tävlar mot viktiga humorister med stort intresse för nyheter. Hur ska det gå? Samtliga tävlande i dag är helt nya i sammanhanget men välbekanta för många lyssnare och tv-tittare. I det ena laget tävlar SVTs förra vd Eva Hamilton tillsammans med Eva Landahl som är programansvarig för SVTs nyhetsdivision. I motståndarlaget hörs Mattias Konnebäck, känd för alla P1-lyssnare som hör honom i Public service i God morgon, Världen! varje söndag. Och med honom tävlar komikern och skådespelaren Henrik Hjelt. Annika Lantz ställer frågorna och kvällens domare är journalisten Hanna Lundquist när sara Lövestam är ledig!