Our Schools Are Worth It: Letters from the PT Council and Edgewood PTA

Updated May 13, 2026 (The following letter was written by The Scarsdale Parent-Teacher Council Executive Committee

Dear Editor,

On Tuesday, May 19th, Scarsdale residents will have the opportunity to vote on the school budget and bond, and the Scarsdale Parent-Teacher Council Executive Committee is urging our community to vote “YES” on both.

We understand that budget season brings real questions. Taxes are not abstract as they are felt by every household in Scarsdale, and we respect that residents are weighing this vote carefully. That thoughtfulness is a reflection of our engaged, conscientious community.

We want to speak directly to anyone who is uncertain, or who may have heard arguments for voting “no”: please consider what is actually at stake.

Scarsdale’s schools are not just excellent; they are exceptional in ways that take generations to build and that can erode far more quickly than they were built. Our nationally recognized academic programs, small class sizes, diverse curricula, and talented, experienced faculty exist because this community has consistently chosen to invest in them. A “no” vote on the budget would likely unwind that investment in immediate and impactful ways: larger classes, further reductions in aides and staff, fewer electives, cuts to non-sanctioned, JV, and VarB sports, reduced enrichment programming, and limits on academic innovation.

The bond vote is equally consequential. Our school buildings, many of which are over a century old, have infrastructure needs that cannot be wished away. Voting “no” does not make those needs disappear. Families at Fox Meadow and Edgewood are already experiencing overcrowding. Students at Heathcote, Quaker Ridge, and Greenacres lack air conditioning in key areas. Our fields remain in short supply. These are not hypothetical future problems — they are present realities that grow more expensive and more disruptive to address with every year of inaction.

Scarsdale has always understood that great schools do not sustain themselves. They require commitment, year after year, from the community that depends on them. Strong schools are also the foundation of Scarsdale’s property values — a fact that matters to every homeowner in our community, not just those with children currently enrolled.

On Tuesday, May 19th, we hope you will vote “YES” on the school budget and bond for our students, our teachers, and the Scarsdale we all chose to call home.

Sincerely,
The Scarsdale Parent-Teacher Council Executive Committee:
Erica German, PTC President
Rokaya Hassaballa, PTC President Elect
Shilpa Spencer, PTC Treasurer
Jeannie Adashek, PTC Secretary

(The following letter was written by Edgewood PTA Co-Presidents Jackie Nimer and Chelsey Mitchelle)

To Our Edgewood Community:

We know we’ve spent a lot of time this year talking about the bond and budget, and we appreciate everyone who has stayed engaged and informed along the way. We also understand that people are tired and ready to move on from this conversation. But fatigue does not lessen the importance of what is at stake here. This vote will have a direct impact on our children, our schools, and the experience we are able to provide as a community, so we’re asking you to take a few minutes to really read this and really think about what matters to you. We want to speak honestly and candidly about what is happening on May 19th, because there is a lot of mixed emotions and misinformation.

There are three things on the ballot on May 19th: the budget, the bond, and the Board of Education candidates. What is important to understand is that the budget and the bond are separate votes, both appearing on the same ballot. While you can technically vote differently on each, the outcome of this ballot will ultimately be a pass or a fail.

That said, if the budget does not pass, additional cuts will need to be made. And if it fails twice, the district is required to move to a contingency budget, which would mean roughly $6 million in immediate reductions.

That impact of it not passing is immediate and we assure you that the implications will be difficult to absorb and even harder to come back from in coming years.

A failed vote means nearly $6 million may need to be cut before going into the fall of 2026. That is not abstract nor is it insignificant and has serious ripple effects across the district that will directly impact your child’s educational experience. It likely will mean teacher lay-offs, larger class sizes, and fewer resources for our children in this community.

We are not talking about small adjustments. We are talking about real changes to what our children experience every day in the classroom.
If the bond does not pass, Edgewood does not get the infrastructure improvements, renovations, or the addition that our school needs. In the near term, that means continued overcrowding, limited space, and learning environments that are already stretched. Over the longer term, it means falling further behind on critical upgrades, higher costs from deferred work, and a school that is not set up to support the experience we want for our kids.

We know there are frustrations some community members are experiencing. Not everything is working perfectly. Reveal Math has been a big point of conversation. There are things people want to see improved, changed, rethought. That is fair. But if we misdirect those types of frustrations into this vote, we are not fixing any of those problems but in fact, exacerbating the issue making them harder to solve. There is the question of curriculum, and there is the reality of physical space. Without the space, there is nowhere for that curriculum to be effectively taught, whether we agree with every aspect of it or not.

Cutting staff and increasing class sizes does not improve curriculum. Voting no on the bond and budget in order to bring attention to other issues is in direct conflict with some objectives parents are trying to accomplish. It directly conflicts with the values and standards most of us have for our children and community.

A very real scenario is classrooms of close to 30 students. If it feels hard to get attention and support now, it will feel very different under those conditions. This has been a charged year. That is not lost on anyone. People care deeply about education here, and that is part of what makes this community what it is. We have been honored and privileged to be a part of the journey this year and are really proud of how Edgewood and other schools in Scarsdale have shown up and supported one another.

Many of us chose to live here because of the schools. We want our children to have the best experience they can and that experience is shaped by the people in the building every day. Our teachers. Our staff. The environment we create for them to do their jobs well.

Last week we celebrated Teacher Appreciation, and it feels important to say this out loud. Our teachers show up every single day for our kids. They care for them, they teach them, they support them in ways we don’t always see. Most of us can point to a teacher who changed our life in some way (I’m sure many of you still remember their names and faces and still can share stories on how they have shaped the person you are today).
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and their own vote. That is part of what makes this community strong. But we are asking you to take a step back and think about what you value. As families, as community members, but most importantly as parents.

What do you want your child’s day to actually feel like in school? And just as importantly, are you comfortable with them feeling the impact of cuts across the district if this doesn’t pass?

Every vote does matter. Truly. If there are two eligible voters in your household, it is important that both show up. If you cannot make it to Scarsdale Middle School on May 19th, you can vote at the district office at any point leading up until May 19th. The need is real, the data is clear, and the time to act is now.

We are incredibly lucky to be part of this community.

We are asking you to really think about what matters over the next couple of weeks and to vote in alignment with what you want for your children and for this community.

With gratitude,
Jackie Nimer and Chelsey Mitchell