School Board Approves Facility Fees and Arts Waivers, Debates AI and Pre-K Advocacy

The Croton-Harmon school board approved a new facility-use fee schedule and waivers for two arts groups on October 1. It also moved $130,000 between existing budget accounts for a year-end sewer-assessment entry. A nearly hour-long discussion of proposed statewide education positions ranged from safeguards for artificial intelligence to the cost of universal pre-K. The BoardDocs consent vote carried with five yes votes listed. The board voted on the consent agenda as a group, which included the fee schedule, waivers and budget transfer.

What the facility vote means

The approved 2026–27 schedule sets hourly building and field rates: $15 for a classroom, $45 for a library or cafeteria, $60 for the high-school auditorium, $75 for the PVC turf field and $200 for the Spencer turf field with lights. Custodial charges are listed separately at $65 an hour outside regular weekday or Saturday shifts and $90 on Sundays and holidays, with a two-hour minimum under the schedule's stated conditions. Before the vote, Board President Anamika Bhatnagar praised the business office's fee document because “everything's very clearly itemized.” Read 120:28▶ Afterward, policy committee chair Ana Teague said weekend custodians serve a safety role at school events: “there is always a custodial person there who is an actual first responder.” Read 125:10▶ The waiver resolution approves facility-use fee waivers for CHAMP, the Croton-Harmon Arts, Music, Performance boosters, and Croton Academy of the Arts for 2026–27. CHAMP's request letter describes fundraisers and performances at district schools, including elementary art-room tile events scheduled for January and February. The board also approved a $130,000 facilities-account transfer. The original transfer form moves $118,900 from an operations-and-maintenance account and $11,100 from supplies and materials to assessments on school property. It describes a 2025–26 year-end audit adjustment for sewer assessment, rather than a new construction award.

A long discussion of state advocacy

Trustees spent much of the meeting on proposed New York State School Boards Association resolutions. These are potential positions for the association's statewide advocacy, not changes to Croton-Harmon classroom policy. The district's worksheet includes proposals on student-facing AI products, vendor notice and limits on AI making consequential educational decisions. Bhatnagar, reflecting on a recent educators' discussion of technology, said “teachers are really grappling with challenges that are being presented by AI.” Read 34:08▶ Teague outlined a proposal to require vendor opt-out options when existing software gains AI features. Another written proposal in the worksheet “prohibits artificial intelligence from serving as the educator of record”. These are proposed state advocacy positions, not new district rules. Bhatnagar described the resolution choices as preferences for the association's legislative advocacy, not district commitments: "Let's focus on some of these other things that we think are more priorities." Read 69:48▶ Members also debated a proposed pause in mandatory universal pre-K implementation and whether more cost study could delay or protect existing funding. Near the end of that discussion, the chair summarized the group's direction as opposition to the pause. BoardDocs lists this as a discussion item and records no formal local vote on it. The NYSSBA delegates' guide schedules the association's own vote for October 15.

Curriculum and student access

The superintendent's report sets an early-December target for a public curriculum-overview website. A separate slide lists a November 16 community conversation with morning and evening options. Both are plans, not completed launches.

Asked whether the $20 homecoming dance ticket would keep any student away, a district administrator said “all students who want to attend will be able to.” Read 29:20▶ The administrator said students can work with school counselors if they need help with the cost. The full October 1 agenda, meeting documents, recording and timestamped transcript links above let readers check the discussion and decisions directly.