Mamaroneck Considers Tuition Increase for Elementary School Summer Program

Mamaroneck Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Shaps has recommended the Board of Education consider inacting a tuition increase for the elementary and Hommocks Co-Op camps run duing the summer.

Whether such an increase occurs, and how much it may be, was not decided during a board meeting Tuesday when Shaps made the suggestion. He said the increase is needed to keep up with rising costs, and he also suggested the district look at other ways to help off-set expenses.

“Co-Op Camp has been in existence in our district since the 1960s,” said Shaps in a statement. “Now is the perfect time to explore partnerships.”

Below is a recap of the Tuesday board meeting with Shaps’ proposal:

At Tuesday evening’s Board of Education meeting, District Administration reviewed the current model/purpose of its summer academic programs and revisited recommendations from the December, 2013 summer program review. Click here for the PowerPoint presentation.

While the program will remain intact for this coming summer, 2015, Superintendent Dr. Robert Shaps did suggest that the Board consider raising tuition for the elementary and Hommocks Co-Op camps to meet the demands of rising costs, help reduce District expenditures, and more closely reflect comparable rates of Town/Village camps. He also asked that the Board support his efforts to re-design the program so it remains sustainable and continues to serve as a vibrant, rich program for students who would benefit from a summer academic experience. Among the actions to be taken through September, 2015:

• Identify/design research-based academic interventions that lead to improved academic performance and limit “summer slide” (regression that often occurs in students after the summer months).
• Meet with municipal partners to discuss summer programs and potential future partnerships and/or shift of program responsibilities.
• Meet with non-profits, private camp providers, and STEM Alliance to discuss enrichment program design options (partnerships/stand alone programs).
• Meet with library boards to discuss partnerships and/or complementary programs.

Additionally, Dr. Shaps recommended – and the Board agreed – that the District should continue to work with Maker Corp, as it did last year, to deliver a Maker Program component at Hommocks Co-Op Camp. The Board discussed reducing the number of participants from last year’s 325 (254 elementary students; 71 middle school students) to 305 (235 elementary students; 70 middle school students) this coming summer.

When the Superintendent puts together his 2015-2016 Recommended Budget, he plans to allocate budget funds for these summer programs, as well as for a credit recovery/Regents Exams program at the high school under the direction of The Center for Continuing Education. “Co-Op Camp has been in existence in our district since the 1960s,” Dr. Shaps said. “Now is the perfect time to explore partnerships.”

Patch file photo.