Emilia Teasdale is reporting in the Columbia Paper approximately 100 Ichabod Crane teachers, teaching assistants and other employees showed up for a meeting of the Board of Education, Tue., Feb. 2. The district is currently in negotiation with its teachers' union over a new contract. However, when union president Karen Vecellio spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, she said nothing about those negotiations, but chose instead to describe what district teachers do for students without compensation. That list of voluntary contributions included writing grant applications, organizing fundraisers, and leading after-school clubs. Her comments were made in conjunction with a board conversation about the proposed 2016-17 school budget. Superintendent George Zini announced the tax levy increase for the coming year would be 0.67 percent. Zini said the budget will increase by nearly half a million dollars. As things currently stand, the district is short $469,000. Zini told the board he will know how much state aid the district will receive next year in time for a review of the spending plan at the April board meeting. Read the full story in the Columbia Paper.