The budget and spending plan support educational excellence and quality facilities while being sensitive to the taxpayers of the district.
Goal: Maintain a strong financial position through the optimization of revenues and cost-effective business practices.
- The financial position of the district improved with additional revenue from New York state and stimulus funds from the federal government. The district has been prudent with these funds, which will allow the school district to plan ahead and save incrementally for the future, mitigating the financial impact on the district’s annual operating budget resulting from major, non-recurring or unforeseen expenditures. Reserve funds can also reduce the future impact on taxpayers, protect staffing levels and programs and services for F-M students in case of economic downturns or reductions in state aid funding.
- District officials anticipate a strong AA stable bond rating, which means the district is considered financially sound. A strong credit rating will enable the district to receive lower interest rates on future financial borrowing, ultimately saving the district and taxpayers money.
Goal: Complete capital improvement projects on time and within budget to improve learning spaces, building security and accessibility.
- Wellwood Middle School’s capital improvement project was completed on time and under budget. The project was part of a $45.2 million building project that district residents approved in 2017 and also included work that was completed at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year at Enders Road Elementary School and F-M High School. The overall project updated aging infrastructure, added instructional space, enhanced security, improved accessibility for people with disabilities and created energy efficiencies across the district.
Goal: Monitor the long-range facilities plan to ensure that district facilities are responsive to contemporary teaching and learning needs and support a productive work environment for all employees.
- The F-M Board of Education’s Facilities Committee and district administrators updated the district’s long-range facilities plan, which sets the course for improvements over the next few years. The identified projects include improving heating and ventilation systems, enhancing security, addressing programmatic needs and updating fire alarm and emergency communications systems.
- In December 2021, district residents approved a $52 million capital project focused on modernizing and expanding F-M High School, the district’s only high school. The project will allow for programmatic upgrades and improvements including a new STEM addition, create a better pedestrian connection between the school’s House 1 and 2, centralize the administrative and counseling offices, improve heating and ventilation throughout the school and renovate existing portions of the building to better meet students’ needs. The project will improve learning spaces, building security and accessibility and ensuring that district facilities are responsive to contemporary teaching and learning needs.