School Board notes

The Niagara Falls City School District (NFCSD) Board of Education met on Thursday, March 26, 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. Kaur was honored with a special ceremony with State Senator Robert Ortt

Kaur was also awarded the Small City School Districts of New York State 2026 Scholarship.

Buffalo Niagara Water Keeper Young Environmental Leaders Program Presentation

Sandy Smith, Director of Community Engagement at Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, shared details of the Young Environmental Leaders Program (YELP), a partnership with Niagara Falls High School (NFHS). Smith explained that YELP gives high school students an alternative educational pathway focused on environmental learning and leadership.

• Real-world, experiential, place-focused
• STEM experiences
• Environmental career
• Pathways are not always.
• visible or accessible
• Access to early college
• exposure and credit
• opportunities
• Prepares students to become future environmental stewards and leaders

Smith provided further details about YELP, explaining that all learning takes place at local waterways, where students participate in kayaking and hands-on observation of environmental systems. Activities include exploring wastewater treatment, tracing stormwater and pollution pathways, and analyzing how humans affect water systems.

Smith continued, sharing the specific building skills, such as teamwork and project planning, and outlining the career pathways highlighted in YELP lessons, positioning NFHS students to build.

• Critical thinking and observation
• Exposure to environmental
• careers and college campuses
• Learning alongside the community
• partners and experts
• Confidence in STEM spaces
• Coursework connected to the real world
• systems and academic
• learning
• Opportunity to earn college credit
• Developing confidence as a future
• leaders in their community and
• beyond
• Looking to the future, the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeepers outlined goals for continued partnership with the NFCSD:
• Serve more Niagara Falls students each year
• Build a multi-year leadership pipeline through middle school engagement
• Connect more NFHS students to internships and career pathways
• Deepen partnership with NFHS
• Expand access to college credit

In addition, YELP will be offered for prep school students. Currently, 34 NFCSD students participate in the program.

2026 – 2027 Budget Update

Administrator for School Business Services Julie Jacklin and Budget Manager Markasia McCreary reviewed the latest version of the 2026 – 2027 NFCSD budget. The proposed spending plan has increased by 4.02% over the 2025 – 2026 budget. The district has a current budget gap of $8 million. The total budget as of this writing is $210,994,223 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 board approved 14 short-term contracts including contracts with the following:

• A Gray Area Co. Nicholas & Justin Gilmore Student Media Fellowship Program -
• Engineering for Kids Buffalo Lisa Hicks STEM educational activities
• The Buffalo Zoo – Animal biofacts and animal ambassadors
• The Aquarium of Niagara - Animal biofacts for hands-on learning
• Lumber City Combat Sports Workshop with Assistant Trainer
• Over the Falls Tours, Inc. will transport students to the VEX Robotics Championship
• Hilton Garden Inn BWI Airport Linthicum Heights, MD 21090, for the 8th Grade Field Trip to Washington, D.C.
• D&F Travel for 8th Grade Field Trip to Washington, D.C.
• Cold Narly Generation, LLC Student music production workshop

The board approved 13 resolutions, including the following:

• Amended School Election Procedures, Polling Sites, and Designation of Day and Time of Public Hearing on School Budget for Niagara Falls City School District, Niagara County, New York
• Appointment of students as election Inspectors for May 2026
• Appointment of liaison to students serving as election Inspectors for the May 2026 Election
• Agreement for professional services between the Niagara Falls City School District and Aries Transportation Services, Inc., for the 2025 – 2026 school year

Superintendent’s Report

• Mr. Laurrie presented a plaque for former board member Michael Capizzi, who served on the board from December 16, 2021, to February 12, 2026
• On Friday, March 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., the NFHS will partner with the Niagara Falls Housing Authority and 200 of our prep school and high school students for a “Let’s Talk” seminar. The subject: relative student issues
• NFHS, Niagara Wheatfield High School and North Tonawanda High School students will be getting together on April 15, 2026 to investigate the Native American culture and the Tuscarora School on the campus of Niagara Wheatfield
• Congratulations to NFHS students who were recognized at the BOCES Skills USA Area One Competition at Alfred State

Chrismarie Benitez – Cosmetology

Madison Graham – Culinary Arts

Natashia Jones – Advertising

Aiden Printup – Collision Repair

Elan Rodriguez – Restaurant Services

Joel Winkfield – Computer Applications

• Spring recess will run from March 30, 2026, to April 12, 2026
• The NFCSD schools will be open every day during spring break from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., except for Friday, April 3, 2026

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.