Somers–Lakeside School District - Board of Trustees Meeting Recap
Date: January Board Meeting
Location: Lakeside Elementary School
The Somers–Lakeside School Board met for its regular January meeting and covered a full agenda focused on district operations, finances, staffing, and student learning. Thank you to everyone who attended or participated.
Opening & Agenda
The meeting was called to order with the Pledge of Allegiance. The Board reviewed the agenda and, hearing no additions, proceeded as planned.
Consent Agenda
The Board unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included:
· Meeting minutes
· Warrants and payroll
· Current budget reports
Staff highlighted the addition of year-over-year budget comparisons, allowing clearer tracking of district financial trends. Transportation expenditures were noted as timing-related and not a concern at this time.
Board & Committee Updates
· Transportation & Wellness Committee:
Reviewed transportation and food service budgets, discussed playground walkway planning, funding streams, and ongoing work related to district safety planning and alignment with Lakeside.
· Buildings & Facilities:
Continued review of grounds and facilities needs, including discussion around long-term staffing for maintenance roles.
Administrative & School Reports
· Lakeside Elementary:
Updates included ongoing facilities work, notably a boiler motor repair that is nearing completion pending correct part delivery. The principal clarified that strategic plan materials included in the report reflected the 2024–2025 plan, with updated data to be shared at the February meeting.
· Somers Middle School:
Winter activities and ski trips were reported as successful. Academic discussions included student growth trends, Title services, and progress following COVID-era disruptions. While statewide assessment data continues to evolve, local STAR growth data shows encouraging progress.
Superintendent’s Report
Key items included:
· Upcoming staff and community culture surveys, with steps in place to ensure feedback remains constructive and respectful.
· District budgets remain stable and closely aligned with projections.
· Attendance continues to be an area of focus, with strategies underway to improve consistency and engagement.
· Calendar planning discussions included aligning parent-teacher conferences across buildings, with additional stakeholder input planned.
· State approval of General and Transportation budget amendments. *
· Discussion of district participation in upcoming professional conferences, supported by scholarship funding.
Budget Amendments Recap/Update
As previously announced, at the August 2025 budget meeting, the Board approved a modest mill levy reduction intended to lower taxes by approximately 5%. A data entry error later resulted in a significantly larger reduction—closer to 25%—which caused the district to under collect revenue and temporarily draw from reserves in the General, Transportation, and Retirement Funds.
To address this, the Board discussed three budget amendments. At this meeting, the Board approved collecting only two of the three amendments, restoring the General and Transportation Fund reserves while delaying the Retirement Fund collection at this time. This approach reduces the immediate impact on taxpayers while still protecting essential school operations.
The planned February 2026 assessment will not increase taxes beyond what was originally approved. It simply recovers revenue that was unintentionally not collected due to the error. Even with this correction, most households are still expected to see an overall tax savings of approximately 5%.
Why this matters:
Maintaining adequate reserves ensures the district can continue to operate safely and reliably—covering core needs like transportation, staffing, and daily school operations—without disruption to students or classrooms.
Staffing Actions
The Board took the following actions:
· Accepted the resignation of a staff member transitioning away from teaching.
· Approved multiple new substitute teachers.
· Declared and filled an open trustee vacancy.
Trustee Appointment & Oath
The Board unanimously appointed Shannon Jones to fill a vacant trustee seat through the upcoming election cycle. Ms. Jones was sworn in during the meeting and officially joined the Board.
Additional Business
· An update was provided on continued efforts to gather information related to a cell tower near district property, including outreach to ownership and regulatory agencies.
· The Superintendent evaluation was tabled to executive session.
Adjournment
The meeting concluded with the Board entering executive session. The Board thanks district staff, administrators, and community members for their continued engagement and support of the Somers–Lakeside School District.
Respectfully submitted,
Chance Barrett on behalf of the Somers/Lakeside School Board