Non-Instructional District Overview &
Frequently Asked Questions
Over the past year, the New Suffolk School Board has received a significant amount of feedback from current district parents, who believe that the school enrollment, and predicted future enrollment is not allowing for the best educational environment for our district’s children. In response to this outpouring, we would like provide detailed information surrounding the move to a non-instructional district.
The New Suffolk Community passed a resolution on March 5th, 2024 to move to a non instructional school district. The vote represented a record turn out and resulted in a 83-14 margin in favor. After months of working with the community and neighboring schools districts the support was overwhelmingly in favor of the plan.
Beginning in the 24-25 school year The New Suffolk School District will tuition all of its students to Southold. New Suffolk will function as a non-instructional school district which will continue to advocate for and support the students of the community.
What is a Non-Instructional School District?
A non-instructional school district is a district which does not provide for instruction within its own buildings, but instead resident students are sent to neighboring school districts under tuition agreements. The cost of instruction is included within the home district’s operating budget. This means that New Suffolk School District will continue to operate as its own District, with its own operating budget. The home school will be maintained, but the District may consider alternate uses of the existing building. That is to say, New Suffolk School will continue operate as its own district - negotiating tuition agreements, engaging with receiving districts, providing transportation, and monitoring the education of its students. We maintain our district for tax purposes as well. The district continues to own and manage the current district properties and buildings, maintains a superintendent and is an active participant and advocate for its students. It will continue to have a school board and host school board meetings.
Could New Suffolk be forced to Merge with Another District?
New Suffolk would NOT be absorbed by any other district and in fact, could not be forced to merge with another district. Any decision to alter or dissolve the operation of a school district must come from a community vote.
What does New Suffolk Common School District’s Current Enrollment Look Like?
There are 7 district students PK4 – 6 in New Suffolk School
There are 17 district students in Southold School District
There are 4 district students attending private school
What Would Happen to the District’s Taxes?
Based on preliminary projections taxes would stay relatively the same, with prospective budgets not needing to exceed the annual cap. This course of action would also enable the school building to generate potential income to enhance the financial health of the district, should the Board decide to pursue this course. Potential income from renting out the building is NOT contemplated within the projected budget.
When Would This Transition Take Place?
With the appropriate community voting / budget approval, students would be tuitioned to a neighboring school district commencing with the 2024/2025 school year.
Can You Provide Us with Details Around Other Schools That Have Gone Down This Path?
Both Piseco Common School District and Raquette Lake have transitioned to the Non-Instructional School District model. They are mountain towns located in the heart of the Adirondacks - and had growing second home communities and declining enrollment. The New Suffolk Board Members have spoken with the Superintendent who guided both schools through this process, and we have engaged the law firm of Girvin & Ferlazzo, P.C. - who worked with both districts on this process.
In terms of how they have used their buildings / facilities post-transition. For Piseco, in addition to the administrative office for the district, they have a fitness room with equipment for residents only, pickleball court, a playground and a piano they can use to offer music lessons. They have an informal library on the honor system, with an employee who comes in once a week to tidy up. They have an exchange of services with the Town where the Town provides the maintenance of the building and they in turn have offices located in the building for the Highway Department and the Town Court. The school has a lease with the Cooperative Extension, as well. The Town and the Cooperative Extension share the cost of utilities for the building. Raquette Lake is a much smaller building. They also have a fitness area for the community and their district administrative offices.
Where Would Our Students be Tuitioned?
The New Suffolk Common School is pleased to inform our community that after much consideration, the Board of Trustees has chosen to select Southold Union Free Schools as the District of attendance for New Suffolk students, should the Non-Instructional District be approved with the vote on March 5, 2024, Southold will be the District of attendance for all school age students. The Board of Trustees will act to formalize this selection at its next regularly scheduled board of trustees meeting on March 12, 2024 at 7pm. We thank all parents, students, community members and any other stakeholders who have provided input for the Board’s consideration as it relates to a selection of the District of attendance. Given the prior relationship with Southold, and in consideration of Southold’s academic and athletic offerings, we believe it to be in the best interests of District students to continue our agreement with Southold to educate New Suffolk students. This will be a four year contract beginning in 2024/2025 School Year.
We recommend visiting the Southold UFSD website for more information regarding the facilities, programs, and offerings.
Is this a Permanent Decision?
No. If, at any point in the future, it makes sense programmatically and/or financially to return to an instructional model, we retain the authority to do so.
Other Information on the Website
Take the Community Survey HERE
Detailed Timeline for the Process HERE
Parent Testimonials can be found HERE
What happens to the School Building and District Properties?
The district will continue to own, operate, and maintain the building and the adjacent ball field. There would be no effect to the management or jurisdiction of the School Building and District Properties. Meaning, usage of the building and district properties will continue to be under the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees. This jurisdiction is the same as it has been for the history of the school and will continue whether there is a Non-Instructional or Instructional District in place. The intention of the Board of Trustees is to continue with the ballfield being open to public use as green space, and to groups with the proper use forms as found on the website. As the budget may provide, the Board would hope to continue to improve the district building and grounds, and may entertain leasing the school building at some point in the future. The Board fully intends to solicit community input in those decisions, including considering landmarking the building, and preserving the ballfield.
What are the Anticipated Benefits to the Students in Transitioning to this Education Model?
The New Suffolk School District would be able to tuition its students into local districts, which still afford our kids a small school environment. However, these districts have enough scale to provide many of the additional services that we just cannot given our size and budget constraints. Our students would be given a chance to increase their social emotional development within a broader peer group. Their education could be deepened with the inclusion of more fulsome music, art, second language, technology, and physical education programs. Though we are proud of what we can, and have, accomplished within our school – the sheer size of the enrollment does not allow for us to provide the offerings our families are wanting.
What are the Drawbacks to Transitioning to this Education Model?
The district would need to excess its teachers, a very hard decision to make, that the Board does not take lightly. Should the community elect to go this route, the Board and hopefully the community expect to be extremely supportive in helping to find new placements for our staff. We do not foresee drawbacks to our current student body.
How Does the Board Imagine the Additional Budget Dollars Could be Helpful to the District Students?
The School Board believes that in the next three years, in a non-instructional district environment, the New Suffolk school budget will once again have a healthy fund balance and provide for budget room to improve on the district facilities - specifically building and grounds projects that have been postponed due to tight budget environments. This could be done in a budget environment that does not demand additional community tax dollars outside of the minimal increase to adjust for inflation of costs. Additionally, budget dollars can be put towards enrichment of district student’s education - summer programs, after school programs, scholarships etc. As a community, we will be able to make meaningful investments in our children’s educational experience, while preserving our beautiful spaces.
How Would the District Operate After Moving to Non-Instructional?
A quick reminder that our secondary program has already been non-instructional for over 100 years, with grades 7-12 being tuitioned to a neighboring district. Our district would still employ a Superintendent and Administrative Assistant. Both of these individuals would help to manage the budgeting process, oversee our district students (enrolling students, acting as their second-line advocates, monitoring performance), work closely with the districts where our students are tuitioned to coordinate special services if needed, oversee transportation, and provide our community with school information / updates as necessary. It will continue to have a three-person School Board, these trustees are elected officials and voluntary in nature. We would also maintain our District Clerk, Treasurer, Technology Support, and any other supplemental positions necessary to maintain our school buildings.