Sunil Subbakrishna to Step Down from Scarsdale School Board After One Term

Scarsdale School Board member Sunil Subbakrishna has informed the School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) that, for professional reasons, he will not be a candidate this year for re­election to the Scarsdale Board of Education. Mr. Subbakrishna has served on the School Board since 2011 and, although eligible for re­nomination, has decided not to seek a second term.  Board colleague Jonathan Lewis, who was elected at the same time as Subbakrishna, also declined to run for a second term, leaving the SBNC with two vacancies to fill on the Scarsdale School Board. The announcement was sent to Scarsdale10583.com by John Clapp and Viveca Teuber who serve as Chair and Vice Chair of the Scarsdale School Board Nominating Committee.

John Clapp said, "On behalf of the SBNC, I would like to thank Sunil for his service to the school district and the community. While we would like to be considering him for re­nomination, we respect his decision to step down at the end of the current school year and wish him well in his future endeavors."

Mr. Subbakrishna said: "I would like to thank the community for giving me the opportunity to serve on the board for three years. I truly appreciate the time I have spent on issues related to the education of our children. It is fulfilling and rewarding work. I regret that I will not be able to continue for the next three years, but the professional demands of my career make it impossible for me to continue. I would also like to thank my board colleagues who have made this such an enjoyable experience for me, and who will remain my friends when my service is complete."

This year, Subbakrishna served as the Board's Vice President, and traditionally the Vice President becomes President of the Board in the subsequent term. During his term, Subbakirshna led an effort to create a five-year strategic plan for the Scarsdale School District, integrating the educational vision with financial planning. During the fall he held focus group and administered surveys to gather community views on the future of the schools.The plan was to use this data to develop a 5-year financial projection for the district.

The Scarsdale School Board's job has become increasingly difficult due to financial pressures posed by the NYS state tax cap, escalating unfunded mandates and challenges from community members who object to rising taxes. In May, 2013, for the first time in 43 years, the district's first school budget failed at the polls. The Board has agreed to reduce reserves or "undesignated funds" that in past years cushioned the community against big tax increases. Without those funds the Board has little wiggle room to maintain the current program or add any new initiatives without raising taxes. Scarsdale's longtime Superintendent Michael McGill also announced that he would retire at the end of the 2013-14 school year, following contentious meetings with residents

Though neither Subbakrishna nor Lewis cited these factors as causes for their decision, it is evident that circumstances have made these volunteer positions difficult. The absence of both Lewis and Subbakrishna will challenge the Board's succession plans. The terms of Board members Lew Leone and Mary Beth Gose expire in 2016 and neither have assumed leadership positions. Leila Shames Maude and William Natbony are serving their first terms this year but may need to step up to leadership positions early on to fill the void left by their more experienced colleagues.

For futher information contact the Scarsdale School Board Nominating Committee at sbncchair@gmail.com or Sunil Subbakrishna sunil.subbakrishna@gmail.com.