Community Q&A

PLEASE EMAIL COMMUNITY QUESTIONS TO:  questions@fabiuspompey.org

Question and Answers from the Public March 2025

Question: How did you get to the percentage for the tax increase? 

For the 7-year forecast without the supermajority, the tax increase percentage is based on the state reported allowable tax increase…calculated as 3.6% for the 2025-26 school year.  It’s a 15-step calculation that’s prescribed by the NYS Comptroller.  

Question: Will teachers be hired in the next seven years? 

Yes, the district will hire teachers to fill essential positions as they become vacant and as student needs require. Additionally, any staff members affected by reductions will be placed on a seven-year recall list, in accordance with tenure regulations, and will be considered for rehire should a position in their certified tenure area become available.

Question: What if we have an increase in students in the future and how will we staff this increase?

Based on current live birth rates within the district and the county as a whole, it is highly unlikely that the district will experience a significant increase in student enrollment in the coming years. Over the past two decades, the district’s K-12 population has steadily declined from nearly 1,000 students to approximately 624 students.

Question: How in the last couple of years have you cut staff and increased salaries?

Staff salaries are determined through negotiations with unionized bargaining units and follow a three-year contractual agreement, which includes scheduled salary increases each year.

Question: Why are you not looking into sharing a Superintendent and an Assistant Superintendent with other school districts  in order to save cost?

The district continues to explore shared service opportunities where appropriate. However, the challenge with sharing any position lies in aligning both districts’ needs and schedules. For example, we thoroughly explored the possibility of sharing an athletic director with a neighboring district as part of our budget process this year, but the other district ultimately declined. We also previously shared a business official with a neighboring district for about a year and a half, but the arrangement proved unsustainable due to workload demands and logistical complications.

The key to making shared services work is finding a bordering district that is equally committed to collaboration and to meeting the needs of both communities. In New York State, there are 731 school districts, but only about a dozen currently share a Superintendent of Schools, highlighting how rare and complex these arrangements can be.

That said, we have had success with collaboration in other areas, most notably, athletics. Through our partnership with neighboring districts, we’ve created the Southern Hills athletic program, which allows us to reduce costs while expanding athletic opportunities for our students.

Question: For the Questions and Answers, what website will have it and when will updates be available?

We have a dedicated Q&A page available on our website at www.fabiuspompey.org.  We have created a dedicated email address to answer community questions, questions@fabiuspompey.org.

Question: What grade-level elementary teacher will you not be staffing?

The current 4th grade has class sizes of 13, 13, and 14 students. Based on current projections, next year’s 5th grade cohort will have two classes, each with approximately 20 students which is similar to other grade levels in the elementary. While this is a change from the current smaller sections, research and classroom experience show that around 20 students per class is still well within the range considered effective for instruction and student engagement. In fact, this size often provides an optimal balance—large enough to foster meaningful class discussion and peer learning, yet small enough to allow for individualized attention. We believe this structure will continue to support a high-quality educational experience for our students.

Question: Will library services be available for elementary students?

Yes, elementary students and staff will continue to have access to the library, which will be staffed by an elementary librarian.

Question: Are there any alternatives to BOCES creating the Q & A platform?

Yes, the district created a dedicated email address, questions@fabiuspompey.org, for community members to submit questions to the Board of Education.  Responses will be posted on the district’s website under the Q&A section.

Question: Why is the forecast so poorly put together?  The projected revenue appears inflated.  

The financial forecast for 2027-28 and beyond is based on a standard assumption of a 2.2% annual increase in property tax income, which aligns with typical trends in local funding.  However, you will notice that projected revenues in 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years are higher.  This is due to a temporary increase in state building aid tied to the $19.1 million dollar capital project currently underway.  The additional aid is expected as reimbursement for approved construction costs and is matched by a corresponding increase in debt service expenditures in those years.  Our forecast reflects this timing, and while these fluctuations can make it look like projections are inflated, they are the result of one-time funding related to capital improvements, not an overstatement of ongoing revenue. 

 Question: Why is our Superintendent’s salary so proportionally high?

The district Superintendent has a contractual base salary of $186,666 for the 2024–25 school year. This salary is commensurate with the Superintendent’s education and experience and is consistent with compensation in neighboring districts and within the OCM BOCES region.  All New York State K-12 public school districts’ Superintendent salaries for 2024-25 can be found at this State Education website in a downloadable spreadsheet:  https://www.p12.nysed.gov/mgtserv/admincomp/

Question: What happens with UPK teachers moving forward? Especially if we cut a teacher this year.

No UPK teaching positions will be eliminated this year. Instead, the district took a creative approach by assigning two teachers to one UPK classroom for the 2025-26 school year, as it is fully grant-funded. If Pre-K enrollment increases in the future, we are prepared to return to a two-classroom model. It should be noted that Pre-K is grant funded though and is dependent on continued availability of funding.

Question: What are the other ideas that have been discussed by the BOE to try to balance the budget?

The Board of Education, along with the administration, has been actively exploring a range of ideas to help balance the budget, with a strong focus on minimizing the impact on students and educational programs. These discussions have included reducing non-essential spending, exploring shared services with other districts or agencies, evaluating staffing needs based on enrollment, reviewing extracurricular and athletic offerings, assessing facility usage and maintenance costs, and considering alternative funding sources such as grants and partnerships.  We have further explored a freeze on salaries for specific years as well.

Question: How can we operate as a district with one social worker?

Five years ago, our district did not have positions such as additional school counselors, social workers, or a school psychologist. These roles were made possible through temporary COVID relief funding, which has now ended. We are confident that our current mental health team is well-positioned to continue supporting the needs of our students as they grow and change.

Question: Can we look into sharing a social worker with another district?

The district is continually exploring opportunities to share resources with other interested districts.

Question: Can we contract with Liberty Resources for a social worker?

The district does not currently have a contract with Liberty Resources. One of the challenges in contracting with an outside provider is that the Fabius-Pompey Education Association’s collective bargaining agreement designates the social worker position as part of their exclusive bargaining unit.

Question: Are you considering keeping the current benefits for your current employees or are you looking to change them?

For employees who are paid directly by Fabius-Pompey, the conditions of employment are determined through either collective bargaining agreements or individual contracts.  At time of agreement or contract renewal, negotiations always entail reviewing both current and future benefits of employees.

Question:  What is the reason for the Assistant Superintendent position, while comparing data viewed from the New York State Administrative Compensation link the other two community schools Tully and LaFayette do not have this position listed? The provided data for 2024-25 shows the Assistant Superintendent with a total salary of $194,688, this sum can be used to retain cut Staff members.

The Assistant Superintendent position was not newly created.  Rather, our current Business Official assumed additional responsibilities and was given the title Assistant Superintendent of Business Services to reflect the expanded scope of his duties.  This role represents a hybrid position, combining the responsibilities of a traditional School Business Official with those typically held by an Assistant Superintendent.
 
This change was made in recognition of the fact that Fabius-Pompey operates with fewer administrators than many neighboring districts, which maintain a larger administrative staff.  It’s important to note that all neighboring districts employ a full-time business official, which underscores the value and efficiency of this dual-role structure in our district.
 
When reviewing total compensation figures for any school district employee, it's essential to understand that the reported amount includes more than just salary, it also reflects the district’s contributions to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS), employer-paid taxes, and health insurance costs.
 
This strategic consolidation of roles ensures fiscal responsibility while continuing to meet the operational and financial demands of the district.

Question:  If the student population is declining are additions to the schools, buses and fields being evaluated with that mindset instead of losing teachers? Are capital projects looked at through that lens as well? Are there conversations with the town board to work with the district on how to draw new families to the area?

Yes, the district continually reviews its transportation and facilities needs. Although student enrollment has declined over time, the geographic distribution of our students remains unchanged, and the physical size of the district has not diminished. Capital projects remain essential for maintaining and updating our existing facilities to ensure they are safe, functional, and aligned with modern educational needs. It is important to note that there are no plans to expand beyond the current footprint of our school buildings.
While there have not yet been formal discussions with the town board regarding shared space or collaborative planning, the district is open to those conversations and welcomes opportunities to explore partnerships that benefit both the school and the broader community.