The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District Board of Education took a detailed look at the "vision and values" driving the proposed 2025-26 school budget during a work session held on March 27. Superintendent Brendan Walker opened the meeting, noting that while the financial figures are important, the budget is ultimately a reflection of the district’s educational priorities. "Budgets are not just about dollars and cents, they're about vision and values," Superintendent Walker said. {{quote:270}} The presentations, led by district administrators including the Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services (PPS), outlined a spending plan designed to support a growing and diverse student body. The district is asking residents to consider investments in specialized staffing, mental health resources, and programs that foster inclusion. **Meeting Newcomers Where They Are** A significant portion of the evening’s presentation focused on the district’s multi-language learners (ENL) and families new to the community. Over the past two years, Croton-Harmon has seen a rise in students entering the district who require additional support to learn English and integrate into the school system. District officials credited the addition of a Community Aide and a bilingual social worker—positions funded in recent budget cycles—with making a tangible difference for families. The social worker, specifically hired to bridge the gap with Spanish-speaking families, has utilized connections from Lower Westchester to bring outside resources into the "little pod" of Croton. "Our families have reported that they feel welcomed, they feel heard, and they feel supported," a district administrator said regarding the impact of the bilingual support team. {{quote:540}} The surge in enrollment of students needing ENL services was immediate enough to require adjustments for the current school year. Following kindergarten registration in the spring of 2024, screenings identified about 13 incoming kindergarteners who needed maximum support in English language acquisition. "We realized there just wasn't enough minutes in the day... for her to accommodate all students," the presentation noted, leading to the hiring of a part-time ENL teacher to support the upper grades while the current teacher focused on the lower grades. {{quote:780}} **Proposal for a Bilingual Psychologist** Looking ahead to the 2025-26 school year, the administration has identified a need to deepen mental health support at the elementary level. The proposal includes exploring the hiring of a bilingual school psychologist for Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School (CET). This role would focus on supporting the mental health and social-emotional needs of students at the entry level, where the district is seeing the highest concentration of non-English speaking families. "[The goal is] to further enhance the team by exploring... the possibility and hiring of a bilingual school psychologist at C," an administrator stated during the presentation. {{quote:960}} **Beyond the Classroom: Unified Sports and Sensory Support** The budget presentation also showcased how district funds are used to create inclusive environments outside the traditional academic setting. The board heard updates on the "Spark" program, which integrates kinesthetic activities to help students retain skills, and the district’s new Unified Sports league. The Unified team, which pairs students with and without disabilities, recently completed its bowling season and is moving into basketball. "It gives you chills, it really does give you chills... to see the kids really the level of sportsmanship and compassion," said the administrator, describing the atmosphere at the bowling games. {{quote:600}} The work session precedes the adoption of the final budget, which will be voted on by the Board of Education later this spring. Residents will have the final say on the spending plan at the annual budget vote in May.