Special state funding to help Greenwood Lake school clubs and field trips only

Earlier this month, State Sen. James Skoufis announced that his office secured Due $56,000 in state funds to protect several Greenwood Lake Union Free School District student clubs and class trips, which were previously cut from the revised budget approved by voters in May.

This funding however, does not cover other reductions including an assistant principal, an elementary school teacher, two teaching assistants (one of which has since been restored based on special education needs), a bus mechanic, a head custodian, a bus purchase and tutoring.

“The $56,000 in special aid is specifically being used to support clubs and academic field trips,” Greenwood Lake Superintendent of Schools Sarah Hadden said. “It does not restore the other reductions included in the revised budget. Those, unless otherwise indicated, still were reduced or eliminated.”

State aid saves school clubs and trips

In May, voters in the Greenwood Lake Union Free School District voted down the district’s proposed 2026-2027 budget and instead approved a revised budget in June with some $700,000 in cuts.

Among other reductions, this resulted in the planned elimination of several student clubs for this school year and a school trips funding gap.

Before securing the state funding, certain clubs would have been eliminated and parents would have had to foot the bill for field trips themselves, officials said.

“Without the additional funding, the adopted reductions would have remained in place,” said Greenwood Lake Superintendent of Schools Sarah Hadden. “The affected clubs would not have been restored, and field-trip costs would have been passed on to parents. We will fairly fund as many field trip experiences [as possible] across grade levels.”

Hadden said the following clubs have now been fully or partially restored with the aid for this school year: Paws to Read, Cooking, Adventure, Archery, Intramurals, Fishing, Mindfulness & Meditation, Chess, Game Play, Garden, Multicultural, Laker Kids, Instrumental and Choral Experiences & Rehearsals.

Hadden said the district did not contact Skoufis or any elected officials to request assistance.

“After our initial budget failed, Sen. Skoufis contacted the district and asked to be kept in the loop about the revised budget,” Hadden explained. “Once we submitted and had our revised budget approved by the voters, Sen. Skoufis reviewed our new budget and later offered to provide the special aid specifically toward clubs and field trips.”