Voters approved the revised New Rochelle school budget yesterday by a comfortable margin of about 64% to 36%, albeit in low turnout. (A prior version of the budget was rejected in May.)
It has been an intense year for New Rochelle parents, children, and educators — beginning, of course, with the heartbreaking loss of a student in January, and then shaped by sometimes contentious debates about school programming, personnel, financing, and security. Given this backdrop, I will admit to receiving news of the budget’s passage with relief more than pleasure.
But even as we continue wrestling with important questions, let’s not lose sight of something fundamental: New Rochelle’s public schools are an extraordinary asset, providing outstanding educational opportunities and experiences to youngsters of every interest, circumstance, and tradition.
My older son, Jeremy, will enter New Rochelle High School this September; Catie and I are truly excited to send him there, deeply grateful for the quality of our local schools and teachers, and thrilled by the remarkable diversity of our kids’ classmates.