- Budget Vote:
Tuesday, May 19, 6:00 am – 9:00 pm
HS Gym Lobby (signs on campus) - Budget Newsletter:
PDF available here - Propositions:
School Bus & Vehicle Reserve Fund
School Bus Purchases - Board of Education Candidates
Candidate bios
Schalmont’s budget for 2026-2027 once again preserves all programs and supports for our students, requires no cuts to faculty or staff, and continues our Pre-K program that we started at Woestina Elementary this year.
The proposed budget includes a 1.95% tax levy increase, largely needed to help address rising health insurance costs, a challenge facing most districts.
The budget marks 15 straight years that Schalmont has stayed within the NYS Property Tax Cap, which allows for a 4.2% increase next year. Instead, next year’s budget continues eight straight years of keeping the tax levy increase at or below 2%.
“We are excited to continue the great opportunities for students that our community expects while even creating some new ones,” said Superintendent Dr. Thomas Reardon. “This budget keeps Schalmont financially strong despite the financial challenges facing school districts.”
Dr. Reardon noted Schalmont expects to add new classes next year such as AP Physics 2 and a second Home Improvement & Maintenance elective. New opportunities such as an Acapella Club would join other recently added activities such as Middle School Drama Club and Pickleball.
“Our faculty, staff and administrators are always looking at ways we can add more things that our students are interested in,” said Dr. Reardon. “We are proud to support their efforts that result in meaningful new opportunities for our students.”
The budget also continues Schalmont’s Pre-K program at the reopened Woestina Elementary. Once again, our community has shown great interest in the program, which has already started registering families for next year.
The $61,854,952 budget increases spending by 2.3% over this year (See page 6 in our budget newsletter for tables and charts).
School Bus & Vehicle Reserve Fund Q&A
Voters will decide May 19 on a proposition that would create a Capital School Bus & Vehicle Reserve Fund, which would help Schalmont reduce the amount of borrowing needed to purchase school buses, vans or maintenance vehicles.
Q: Why create a Reserve Fund?
A: A Reserve Fund allows Schalmont to set aside savings at the end of a school year to help pay for future vehicle purchases. It is something that our auditing firm recently recommended we create.
Q: How much money can be set aside?
A: The district can put up to $3,000,000 in the Reserve Fund over the next five years.
Q: Where does money for the Reserve Fund come from?
A: Funding primarily comes from fund balance. Schalmont’s proposed budget is an estimate of costs for the upcoming year. When costs are less than projected, or revenues are higher, some of those savings can be placed in the Reserve Fund.
Q: How will the community know how funding is used?
A: Schalmont needs voter approval to use money from the Reserve Fund so our community will vote on a proposition to purchase school buses as part of the school budget vote.
Bus Purchases Part of Long-Term Plan
As part of Schalmont’s long-term bus replacement plan, a proposition on the May 19 ballot would allow the district to purchase three diesel 66-passenger school buses and two diesel 35-passenger mini school buses.
The total cost would not exceed $764,722.15. Schalmont pays about one-third of the cost because New York State reimburses the district for approximately 65% on bus purchases.
Schalmont purchases school buses each year as part of a long-term plan to keep the district’s fleet in safe, working order. New buses replace old buses based on the vehicle’s mileage, age, repair history and condition.
Board of Education Candidates
This year, there are three individuals running for two seats on the Board of Education. Both seats are three-year terms. Candidates are listed in random order, as they will appear on the ballot.
Kevin Thompson
Kevin Thompson is running for his eighth term on the Schalmont Board of Education. He is the Chief Financial Officer of Eckert Mechanica. He also is licensed in New York State as a Certified Public Accountant. He has previously served as Vice President and President of the Board. Since his first term, he has served as a member of the Audit Committee. Prior to serving on the school board, he served on the Schalmont Budget Advisory Committee for seven years. His active professional memberships include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the NYS Society of CPAs. Mr. Thompson received his bachelor’s degree from the University at Albany. He and his wife Carol live in Rotterdam and have two children who are Schalmont school alumni.
Makayla Tebano
Makayla Tebano is a mom of five daughters in Schalmont, from a soon‑to‑be graduate to a future preschooler, giving her a deep and long‑term commitment to Schalmont’s success. She brings 25+ years of experience in marketing, communications, innovation, and leadership, currently serving as Vice President of Marketing at Fenimore Asset Management and previously holding senior leadership roles at MVP Health Care. A Leadership Capital Region graduate and alum of The College of Saint Rose, Makayla’s strengths include strategic planning, communication, stakeholder engagement, consensus‑building, and data‑driven decision‑making. She is dedicated to empowering students, supporting teachers, and keeping the Schalmont community connected.
William Mau
William Mau is a Schalmont graduate (Class of 2003) who has lived in the district his entire life. He and his wife, a third grade teacher, have two children in Schalmont schools. Will holds a degree in Social Studies 7-12 from the College of Saint Rose and taught for three years before spending 15+ years in operations and data. He serves as Chief Operations Officer at TalentSmartEQ and volunteers as Committee Chair for the Scout Troop at Jefferson Elementary. Will joined the board two years ago after attending meetings as a parent concerned about class sizes, and remains focused on keeping Schalmont strong for every student.