On Tuesday, May 19th, Wynantskill voters approved a $11,600,397 budget for the 2026-27 school year. One candidates was re-elected to the Board of Education. To learn more details of the 2026-2027 school budget, you can view the budget newsletter here. or visit our budget resources page here.

“We are proud to provide tax relief for our community while continuing to support high-quality learning opportunities for all Gardner-Dickinson students through this upcoming budget and transition year with Troy CSD,” said Superintendent Dr. Yodis.

PROPOSITION #1 – Passed-  119 YES  / 34  NO

PROPOSITION #1: THE 2026-27 BUDGET Shall the Board of Education of the Wynantskill Union Free School District, Rensselaer County, New York be authorized to expend the total amount of $11,600,397 during the school year 2026-27 and to levy the necessary tax, therefore.

BOARD OF EDUCATION-Re-elected  Eric Strang 133 Votes

Calling all GD alumni graduating high school this year:

Visit Gardner-Dickinson for a walkthrough and class reunion picture on June 15th at 1:00 pm.

PLEASE RSVP TO KYLE BARBER at kbarber@wynantskillufsd.org or

(518) 283-4600 ext 250

Transportation may be offered from Troy High, Averill Park, Brittonkill & Columbia but you must rsvp.

Dear Wynantskill UFSD Community,

The Wynantskill Union Free School District community recently participated in a significant vote that will help shape the future of our schools. On March 31, 2026, residents approved the proposed reorganization with the Enlarged City School District of Troy by a vote of 709 in favor and 507 opposed. This outcome reflects strong community engagement and a shared commitment to expanding opportunities for our students. We extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who took part in this important decision-making process.
Yesterday afternoon, we received the official Annexation Order from the New York State Education Department, signed by Commissioner Dr. Betty Rosa. The order will take effect on July 1, 2027. While this marks the dissolution of the Wynantskill Union Free School District, it also represents an important opportunity to preserve and strengthen our school community and Gardner-Dickinson School for future generations.

Although this transition is bittersweet, the annexation with the Enlarged City School District of Troy represents a significant step forward in strengthening educational opportunities, expanding programming and resources, and providing long-term stability for Wynantskill students and the entire community.

Over the coming months, both districts will begin the transition process and develop a detailed implementation timeline while remaining committed to keeping the community informed through regular updates throughout the process.

Please click here to view the official Annexation Order issued by the New York State Education Department.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we move forward together.

Sincerely,
Superintendent Mary Yodis
and the Wynantskill Union Free School District Board of Education

The Wynantskill Union Free School District community recently participated in a significant vote that will help shape the district’s future. On March 31, 2026, residents approved the proposed reorganization with the Enlarged City School District of Troy (Troy CSD) by a vote of 709 in favor and 507 opposed. This outcome reflects strong community engagement and a shared commitment to expanding opportunities for students. The district extends its sincere appreciation to all who took part in this important decision.

Following the approval of the reorganization, the Board of Education took action at its April 21, 2026 meeting to revise its initial budget plan. The Board has pivoted from the previously proposed 6.4% tax levy increase and instead adopted a 0% tax levy increase for the 2026–2027 school year.

This approach avoids placing an additional burden on taxpayers while positioning the district to benefit from approximately $241 million in future state incentive aid associated with the merger, anticipated to begin in the 2027–2028 school year.

To support this plan, the district will address a budget gap of just over $1 million through the use of reserves and fund balance, rather than implementing the previously projected tax increase.

The proposed budget for the 2026–2027 school year is $11,600,397.

“This is a pivotal moment for our district,” said Superintendent Dr. Yodis. “We are proud to provide tax relief for our community while continuing to support high-quality learning opportunities for all Gardner-Dickinson students through this upcoming budget and transition year with Troy CSD.”

Please see the full presentation from Dr. Yodis by clicking here.

Click here to view the April 21, 2026 board meeting minutes.

The Budget Hearing will be held at 7:00pm on Tuesday, May 12th in the GD Library.

The annual Budget Vote and Board of Education Election will be held on Tuesday, May 19th from 12:00-9:00pm in the GD Library.

The 2026-27 One-Page Attendance Calendar was approved at the April 21 2026 Board of Education meeting. Click here to view:

Wynantskill UFSD 26-27 Attendance Calendar

WYNANTSKILL, NY – The Wynantskill Union Free School District today announced the results of the public vote regarding the proposed reorganization with the Enlarged City School District of Troy.

On March 31, 2026, district residents cast their ballots on the proposal to merge the Wynantskill UFSD with the Troy Enlarged City School District. The final vote tally was:

• Yes: 709
• No: 507

Based on these results, the proposition has passed.

Superintendent Yodis acknowledged the significance of the vote and expressed appreciation for community participation.

“We are grateful to our residents for engaging in this important decision and making their voices heard. This process has reflected the strong commitment our community has to the future of our students and our schools.”

The approval of the reorganization marks a significant step toward combining resources and educational opportunities for Wynantskill students. The districts will now begin the transition process, which will include coordination with the New York State Education Department and the development of a detailed implementation timeline.

Board of Education President Nichole Hurbanek added:

“We respect the outcome of the vote and remain committed to supporting our students, staff, and community as we move forward together.”

The district will provide additional information and next steps in the coming weeks. Residents are encouraged to visit the district website at https://www.wynantskillufsd.org/ for updates and resources related to the vote and its implications.

Dear GD Community,

It has come to my attention that there is some confusion regarding Wynantskill’s Fiscal Stress Score as reported by the New York State Comptroller’s Office.

Wynantskill has received a “No Designation” status (meaning in good standing) from the Comptroller’s Office as of Dec 2025 from their review of the 2025 ST-3 (annual financial report). 

As we have discussed throughout this budget process, Wynantskill, like many districts, has been managing its finances year to year with a level of struggle and uncertainty. We have worked diligently to make the most of our resources, reducing costs wherever possible in order to balance the budget.

Over the past 5.5 years, our finances have been tight. However, with the help of federal grants, including approximately $700,000 in COVID-related funding, we have been able to meet our obligations while carrying over roughly $400,000 annually. This has allowed us to build a modest reserve, as recommended by Dr. Rick Timbs in 2021.

During the last five budget cycles, we have reduced staffing through retirements and made significant cuts across nearly all budget lines. We have been extremely careful with spending and have consistently aimed to carry over about 4% of the budget (approximately $400,000), with last year’s carryover exceeding that amount at $558,684.

As noted in my presentation, Dr. Timbs strongly advised that the district aim to carry over at least $600,000 annually to help close projected budget gaps over the next three years. This recommendation comes in addition to a necessary tax levy increase to 6.4% and the use of reserves to balance future budgets.

Looking ahead, identifying approximately $600,000 in annual carryover will be increasingly difficult given the reductions already made. For example, this year alone, an unanticipated special education placement and transportation cost exceeded $150,000. Expenses like these make it very challenging to meet higher savings targets. Any shortfall in carryover will need to be addressed through the use of reserves.

It is important to understand that the Comptroller’s Fiscal Stress designation reflects past financial data as it is, in essence, a “rearview mirror” assessment. While we have been able to meet our financial obligations and maintain a healthy fund balance up to this point, the outlook is more challenging.

As shown in both my presentation and Dr. Timbs’, the district will not be able to sustain its current level of expenses without either increasing revenue or drawing down reserves. At our current trajectory, reserves are projected to be depleted within the next 2–3 years, depending on budget decisions and tax levy increases. Currently, we have just over $1 million in reserves to cover annual shortfalls. This year’s shortfall was $578,813, and next year’s is projected to be $608,910.

Dr. Rick Timbs, a highly respected financial expert across New York State, emphasized to the Board of Education that the district may face significant financial challenges within the next 24 to 48 months if corrective action is not taken.

We encourage all community members to review the data carefully and reach out to the district with any questions. If you see information shared publicly and are unsure of its accuracy, please contact the school directly as we are always happy to provide clarification.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Dr. Mary Yodis

Attached are presentations from Dr. Yodis regarding the budget planning as well as the long range financial analysis from Dr. Timbs:

Wynantskill Final Community Presentation PDF: Community-Recap-from-Wynantskill.pdf 

Wynantskill Final Community Presentation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kKLHUCtjqg

Long Range Financial Analysis by Dr. Timbs: Wynantskill-LRFA-2025-November-2025-1-2.pdf

Questar Feasibility Page: https://www.questar.org/feasibility/

The Wynantskill PTA is proud to provide memorable experiences for our students and families – through field trips, fun events, in-school prizes, and more. None of this would be possible without the incredible support of those who plan, donate, and volunteer.

While we’re so grateful for that support, the PTA is in urgent need of more volunteers for the rest of this school year and beyond. We’d love to offer even more opportunities for our students, but we are currently stretched very thin, not just for events, but even to reach quorum at meetings to vote on important items.

If you’re able to help in any way, whether volunteering your time or simply attending a meeting, we would truly appreciate it. Please reach out at PTA@wynantskillufsd.org to get involved. It’s a meaningful way to support our school and students.

There is a PTA Meeting Tonight @ 6:00 PM in the library if you have any interest in attending.

We hope to see you there!