Hilton voters pass budget, 1,391 to 1,080

In step with all of the other school districts in Monroe County, Hilton voters turned out to pass the $54.4 million budget, 1,391-1,080. The budget is projected to raise school taxes nearly six percent for a budget that is more than $6 million higher than last year.

One quarter of the increase will go toward the mortgage payments responsible for the district's capital projects. However, the increased budget means more than simply completing the renovations. Josephine Kehoe, Interim Superintendent of Schools, said this budget is focused on ensuring student success.

"The biggest benefit to the Hilton students is the continuation of our strong instructional program and our new full-day kindergarten which begins in September," said Kehoe. In addition to expanding the kindergarten program, this budget will allow Hilton to:

• Install a new security system and place personnel at all school entrances; budgeted at $25,000 per building.
• Relocate the Alternative High School to the new corridor at the High School.
• The Quest Elementary School will apply for the Primary Years International Baccalaureate program.
• The High School will add the Early Childhood/Elementary Education CTE Regents Diploma endorsement; other CTE endorsements include Project Lead the Way (pre-engineering); CISCO Networking Academy; and Visual Communications.

Leslie Vermeulen, of Huffer Road, is one resident who is pleased to see the school budget pass. She has a son who is in sixth grade at Quest Elementary. "I've noticed that our schools are really trying to improve the way our children are educated. I think they're changing for the better," said Vermeulen. "If others checked out what is going on in Hilton school they would get excited about it, too."

Voters also approved a $760,000 bus proposition and elected Barbara Cutrona, Ted Welch and Steve Beauvais to the Hilton Board of Education. Just under 2,500 voters turned out.