School Board notes

The Niagara Falls City School District (NFCSD) Board of Education met on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

Niagara Falls City School District Superintendent Mark Laurrie began the meeting with a few announcements:

• Congratulations to NFCSD Student Board of Education member Harjyot Kaur for receiving the New York State Senate Youth Leadership Award
• The NFCSD conducted a Pre-K audit at Cataract and Hyde Park, which was a perfectly clean audit. Thanks to the staff who led the program
• The Zero Eyes equipment the district has installed is a phenomenal security and safety feature at our schools. This technology has cameras that can spot guns and other weapons even inside schools, and is so sensitive that it has even picked up toy guns and water guns

Cataract Elementary School Celebration

Principal Angela Manella and Assistant Principal Michael Corsaro reviewed Cataract Elementary’s achievements in academics, attendance, and social-emotional learning (SEL) for winter 2026. Targeted interventions drove academic improvements. SEL gains came from specialized programs.

Cataract’s attendance rate is 3% above the district average over the past 3 years. Attendance rose 1.5% for Black students, 4.4% for multi-racial students, and 2.6% for Hispanic students. Chronic absenteeism fell 7% from last year, and all grades are above 90% attendance. Staff closely track data, provide support for severe cases, and display attendance on a public data wall.

Academic interventions and after-school programs address student needs. Test data and teacher recommendations help select participants. Academic activities run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sports take place on other days. Older students peer tutor younger ones. Community turnout for Say Yes Saturday Academies is strong.

Students participate in special projects, Kindness Day, family skating, and Northpoint SEL programs, including a calming room, counselor lessons, and staff training.

Behavioral incidents dropped about 44% from last year. No clear link was observed between suspensions and student groups. Kindergarten may need more support.

Teachers rotate classrooms for “Drop Everything and Connect” lessons. This builds a school community. Many staff members volunteer for extra activities. These efforts positively affect achievement and attendance.

Special Education Program Overview

Committee on Special Education Chairs Cheryl Vilardo and Cheryl Meteer gave a presentation and updates on the Special Education Program. There are 1,711 students with disabilities in the NFCSD. The special education enrollment breaks down to 545 students classified as having a learning disability followed by:

• Speech/Language –474
• Other Health Impairment –302
• Autism –193
• Emotional Disability –90
• Intellectual Disability –52
• Multiple Disabilities -43
• Visual Impairment –5
• Orthopedic Impairment –3
• Hearing Impairment –2
• Traumatic Brain Injury -2

School age students ages 5 – 21 spend time in general classrooms:

• 925 students (55%) -80% or more
• 145 students (9%) -40–79%
• 391 students (23%) -less than 40%
• 178 students (11%) -in separate schools

The District provides the following space for its special education students:

• 115 Special Education Classrooms in the District
• 74 Students at O-N BOCES placements
• 165 Students at other out of district placements
• NFCSD provides a full continuum of services:
• Consultant Teacher (CT)
• Resource Room
• Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT)
• Special Class (15:1, 12:1:1, 8:1:3, etc.)
• Declassification Supports
• Out-of-District Placements
• Home Instruction
• Preschool (CPSE)

The 2025 – 2027 District Special Education Plan reflects:

• Compliance
• Fiscal responsibility
• Data-driven improvement
• Student-centered programming
• Commitment to excellence

The Special Education Program Goals include:

• Transition in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) at 100%
• Increase the district’s capacity to implement Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs)
• Special Class Curriculum = implement a new curriculum for students on the 8:13 and 12:1:1 classes Grades K – 12
• Increase the number of trainings offered to special education paraprofessionals by 80%

2026 – 2027 Budget Update

Administrator for School Business Services Julie Jacklin reviewed the latest version of the 2026 – 2027 NFCSD budget. An update on the budget will be presented at every board meeting until the board budget vote on May 19, 2026. The proposed spending plan has increased by 4.29% over the 2025 – 2026 budget. The district has a current budget gap of $6.7 million, down from $7.2 million in the NFCSD’s budget presentation on February 12, 2026. The total budget as of this writing is $210,773,008 and does not include any cuts to services currently offered. There are no cuts in full-time employees, and the NFCSD will not raise the tax levy.

Recommended Actions from the Superintendent of Schools

The superintendent recommends that the board approve 13 short-term contracts at its next meeting on April 16, 2026, including the following:

• A Gray Area Co. Nicholas & Justin Gilmore Student Media Fellowship Program -
• Engineering for Kids Buffalo Lisa Hicks STEM educational activities.
• Lumber City Combat Sports Workshop with Assistant Trainer
• Over the Falls Tours, Inc. transports students to VEX Robotics Championship
• Hilton Garden Inn BWI Airport Linthicum Heights, MD 21090 8th Grade Field Trip to

Washington, D.C.

• D&F Travel 8th Grade Field Trip to Washington, D.C.
• Cold Narly Generation, LLC Student music production workshop

.

The superintendent recommended that the board approve eleven resolutions at its April 16, 2026, meeting, including the following:

• Approval of Amended School Election Procedures, Polling Sites, and Designation of Day and Time of Public Hearing on School Budget for the City

School District of the City of Niagara Falls, Niagara County, New York

• Approval of Appointment of Students as Election Inspectors for May 2026
• Approval of Appointment of Liaison to Students Serving as Election Inspectors for the May 2026 Election
• Approval of Agreement for Professional Services Between the City School District of the City of Niagara Falls and Aries Transportation Services, Inc., for 2025 – 2026 School Year

Superintendent’s Report

• Congratulations to NFCSD Board of Education Member Clara Dunn, Niagara Falls High School Counselor Mia Crumpton, and Harry F. Abate Assistant Principal Alan Cowart for receiving 2026 Black Achiever Awards
• NFHS celebrated 3.14 Pi Day on Friday, March 13, 2026
• NFHS theatre students and others will present the must-see musical All Shook Up. Shows run Thursday, March 19, and Friday, March 20, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Performances take place at the NFHS Performing Arts Center.
• Congratulations to NFHS Honor student Tori Franke. Tori qualified for the New York State High School Diving competition, where she placed 5th. Tori also received a Congressional Appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Tori will be on the Navy Dive Team at the Academy.
• Congratulations to the three young women who qualified for the World Robotics Competition in St. Louis, Missouri - Essie Joyce, Dakota Dixon, and Nora Guarino
• Congratulations to Elias Rodriguez for finishing in second place in restaurant services, and Madison Graham for finishing third in culinary arts in the Skills USA Competition
• The superintendent received an email from 79th Street parent Stephanie Barros thanking Chelsea Kij, music teacher at Abate Elementary School, and G.J. Mann and 79th Street Elementary music teacher Michael Quinn. The Niagara Falls City School District does not have a string instrument program, but these two teachers took it upon themselves to prepare student violinist Lillianah Barros for a successful audition for the All Niagara County Band
• The District is in its final two weeks before spring recess.

The next meeting of the Niagara Falls City School District Board of Education will be on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.