Hello, friends! As we reach the peak of the winter season, the Board and I remain diligently focused on developing the proposed spending plan and corresponding school program for the 2020-2021 school year.

In late January, the Governor proposed his 2021 Executive budget to the Legislature. On the surface, this proposal appears to fund public education quite generously. However, the projected school-aid allocation to Hancock is not nearly sufficient to fully fund anticipated expense increases that are necessary to provide an adequate and appropriate public education for all of our students.

That said, we are still relatively early in the budget-development process and the final, reconciled state budget is yet to be developed. I am extremely confident the Board and I will produce a responsible 2020-2021 spending plan that meets the needs of our students while remaining fiscally responsible to our taxpayers in the present moment and, as important, in the years ahead.

More information is forthcoming. I encourage all of our interested stakeholders to periodically check our website (www.hancock.stier.org), our social-media pages (Facebook and Twitter), and local news outlets such as the Hancock Herald for updates.

Now more than ever, I am convinced that we can offer our students the best possible program opportunities by working together. We will continue to support their ongoing intellectual, psychological and emotional growth from elementary school through adolescence and into adulthood.

Please stay in touch!

Respectfully,

Terrance P. Dougherty, Ph.D.
HCSD Superintendent of Schools
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 607-637-1301
Twitter: @SLUDAD2017