PORT BYRON -- There is a lot of gratitude in the Port Byron Central School District.

During a board of education meeting Wednesday, Superintendent Neil O'Brien publicly thanked state Sen. Michael Nozzolio for securing $50,000 in state funding, ensuring the district's ability to continue the middle school after school program and the summer remedial program.

In the past, these programs were funded through state aid, O'Brien said. Due to a decrease in aid, this year they were written into the budget and would primarily fall to the taxpayer.

The funding, written into the 2008-09 state budget, would pick up the local share and reduce the tax levy, he said.

Taxpayers will see an estimated tax levy increase of 5.5 percent when they go to the polls May 20; when the tax levy is calculated in August, O'Brien said the tax levy will fall below that number.

"Again, I would like to thank Senator Nozzolio," he said. "It was a great help for that money to come in."

The after school program, which runs for two hours until early evening, provides students opportunities to participate in activities and have positive social experiences while receiving academic support.

The summer remedial program is available to elementary school students who need academic assistance.

"As we re-align, we really want to do something for the fourth through sixth graders," O'Brien said.

The district recently re-aligned education for universal pre-kindergarden through the second grade.

"We are going to put a lot of time and effort into the fourth through sixth grade and enhance the programming there," he said"

For the full report see Thursday's edition of The Citizen.