Niagara Falls School Board notes

(Editor’s note: below is a summary of the most recent meeting of the Niagara Falls School Board.)

Summary

The Niagara City School District held a board of education meeting on Thursday, May 14, 2026.

The meeting began with a moment of silence to recognize the victims of the mass shooting four years ago at Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo.

Final 2026 – 2027 Budget

Superintendent Mark Laurrie, Administrator for School Business Services Julie Jacklin, and Budget Manager Markasia McCreay presented the final $211,260,990 school budget for 2026 – 2027. The budget is sound and fair for staff, students, and taxpayers, and it is the best budget created without having a figure for foundation funding. The district predicted the amount of the New York State Foundation aid based on our prior years.

This budget does not raise the tax levy and instead will use its reserve funds to close a small budget gap of $8 million. The gap was created by several factors. Some of the most notable are: the high cost of diesel fuel, three more out-of-district placements, health and other insurance costs. The money in the reserve fund is intended as a “rainy day” fund for the district in times like these, to avoid raising taxes to fill the gap. The board feels that raising taxes while the district has a reserve fund created for moments just like this gap would be unethical. The reserve funding is there as a safety measure and is meant for use in years like this

Recommended actions from the Superintendent of Schools

The board approved five short-term contracts, including contracts with the following:

• Surdej Web Solutions for the district calendar and newsletter
• Kenneth Badger, DJ for Saturday Academy
• Just Maximize Effort – Saturday Academy Basketball Tournament
• Dan Cappellazzo – Art show photography

The board approved 7 resolutions, including:

• Acceptance of funds for the 2025/2026 ESEA Title 111 E11, Part A grant
• Acceptance Funds for the 2025/2026 Statewide Universal Full-Day Pre-Kindergarten (SUFDPK) Grant (SG1 ,3)
• Acceptance of additional funds for the 2025/2026 School-Based Mental Health Providers Pipeline
• Approval of extensions of transportation contracts and the contract between the School District of the City of Niagara Falls, New York, and Niagara Falls Coach Lines, Inc. for transportation services September 1, 2026- August 31, 2031

Superintendent’s report

• The Seal of Biliteracy: students will be recognized at the June 11, 2026 board meeting
• There will be a brief statutory board of education meeting that will take place on May 20, 2026, to certify the budget and election results
• The district will recognize Eid al-Ahha designate March 10, 2027, as a superintendent’s conference day. Students will not report to school, and all staff are to report
• During the New York State Testing on April 30, 2026, the system shut down, creating confusion for staff and students
• On May 3, 2026, the Tom Hewitt Award was held to honor exceptional high school student-athletes in the Niagara region for their academic excellence, athletics, and community service. Two Niagara Falls High School students were awarded: Torianne Franke, the female top honoree, holds league and school records in 1-meter diving and carries a 113.4 weighted average; and Adam McNab was the top male honoree, who is a 3-time NFHS record holder in the 100 backstroke. He carries an impressive 106.2 weighted average. McNab will continue his academic and athletic journey at Niagara University
• On May 4, 2026, science teacher Kate Johnson took her students to the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Two students were recognized for their work on killing diseases caused by bacteria
• The Niagara Falls Foundation Scholarship dinner was held on May 6, 2026. Thirty scholarships were presented to Niagara Falls High School students. In addition, former Niagara Falls City School District Board Member Robert Kazeangin and 2011 NFHS graduate Dr. Jawdat A. Mustafa were recognized as Emerging Leaders
• The softball team held its game on May 11, 2026, in the name of Dominick Strangio, a young man who recently passed away from cancer. The team raised $850.00
• On May 12, 2026, the district met with the building trades union to recognize their project labor agreement
• On May 12, 2026, LaSalle High School alumni held a grand opening of the LaSalle Alumni Hall of Fame. The Hall is located at LaSalle Prep School
• National Grid presented NFHS with an award for having all district schools air-conditioned. The Young Environmental Leaders Club, consisting of students who are studying ecosystems and the environment, was also recognized
• The district's Title 1 grant of more than $6 million was audited, and no problems were found with the documentation
• The Saturday Academy on May 16, 2026, was held at Harry F. Abate Elementary School. So far, 1,500 students and parents have attended the Say Yes Niagara Falls Saturday Academies
• The District Art Show opened Thursday, May 14, 2026, and will run through May 28, 2026, at Niagara Falls High School from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Schools are closed on Monday, May 30, 2026 for Memorial Day
• On May 30, 2026, the District’s PTECH team will hold a job fair at Niagara Falls High School
• The 2026 Senior Awards will be presented on June 4, 2026

The next meeting of the Niagara Falls City School District Board of Education is June 11, 2026, 5:30 p.m., at the Administration Building, 630 66th Street