Dear Wynantskill School Community,

As we come to the close of 2025, we want to take a moment to thank our families, staff, and community members for your continued support, engagement, and care for our school district and our students.

This has been an especially emotional and demanding year for our community. The feasibility study process brought uncertainty, reflection, and many thoughtful conversations. Throughout this process, the Wynantskill Community remained focused on what matters most, our students and the overwhelming strength of our school community. That commitment has been evident and deeply appreciated.

Last Thursday night, the final recommendations from the feasibility study were shared with the Board of Education. As discussed, the recommendation is to move forward with the report and formally ask the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to allow for a public vote. This decision followed an extensive, data-driven process that included more than 2,200 community and stakeholder engagements. Both districts successfully completed the petition process, exceeding the required number of signatures. The study and petitions will now move forward for review by NYSED.

Attached for your reference is the final PowerPoint presentation prepared by our feasibility consultants, Mr. Bob Breidenstein and Dr. Brian Schmitt, which outlines the data, analysis, and considerations that informed this recommendation.

This information brings with it a wide range of emotions. Please know that every step of this process has been guided by care for our students and a commitment to ensuring the best possible opportunities, supports, and programs for their future. 

We wish you and your loved ones a peaceful holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year. 

https://www.questar.org/wp-content/uploads/Troy-and-Wynantskill-Feasibility-Study-BOE-Presentation-12.17.2025.pdf

Please see various questions and answers below about the current status of the study:

Q: Is the Feasibility Study Completed?
A: The Wynantskill UFSD–Troy City School District Annexation Feasibility Study final report is now being drafted after a detailed, data-driven review that included more than 2,200 community and stakeholder engagements.

Q: What is the current status of the process?
A: The petition process has been successfully completed in both districts, exceeding the required number of signatures. This successful petition process was accepted by the BOE at their meeting on 12/18/25. This information will be included in the study’s final report which will also be sent to New York State Education Department (NYSED) for their review on or around January 15th. 

Q: What did the feasibility study conclude?
A: The study’s preliminary recommendation is to proceed with a public vote for annexation, pending NYSED review and approval.

Q: What is NYSED’s role?
A: NYSED will review the study to ensure it meets all regulatory and procedural requirements. 

Q: When will the full study be available to the public?
A: The full feasibility study will be shared with the community as soon as it is approved by NYSED.

Q: What happens after NYSED approval?
A: If approved, the process would move forward to Board of Education actions and a community vote (on or around March 31st) as required by New York State law.

Q: Where can I learn more about the feasibility study?

A: Please visit https://www.questar.org/feasibility/

Every quarter, our amazing librarian, Mrs. Fecura, puts together a library report detailing everything students have been learning and researching about during their class time together! Check out the awesome report, filled with a ton of information and pictures, by clicking here: 1st Quarter Library Report

Dear Wynantskill Community,

Yesterday afternoon, a letter was sent to the Averill Park community regarding the tuition agreement with Wynantskill students should the district merge with the Troy City School District. Superintendent Franchini reached out to Superintendents Yodis, Carmello, and District Superintendent Gladys Cruz yesterday to give us advance notice that this letter, with additional details, would be forthcoming.

We were all surprised and disappointed to learn that Averill Park has decided not to accept new Wynantskill students should a merger with Troy take place. At the same time, we fully respect their decision, as we have valued Averill Park as a high school choice for more than 20 years and are grateful for their partnership.

From our recent correspondence, we would like to share what we know as of now:

• Students currently enrolled at Averill Park High School may remain there through graduation if they choose.
• If the merger with Troy is approved, Averill Park will not be a high school choice option for any new students (including our current 8th graders).

As you are aware, Superintendent Carmello has been soliciting feedback from the community and was preparing to announce at our upcoming community meeting Troy’s commitment to continuing high school choice for Wynantskill students for an extended number of years. Mr. Carmello will still do so at tonight’s scheduled meeting. This commitment was to include all six high school options that our district currently offers. While we are saddened that Averill Park has chosen to step away from being one of those options, the Troy City School District is committed to offering our families high school choice with the districts Wynantskill has been partnering with. It has been reaffirmed that our students will continue to be welcomed by our partner districts, including East Greenbush, Brittonkill, Tech Valley High School, and P-TECH at HVCC.

We will continue to update you as new information becomes available.

Tonight’s Community Meeting, scheduled to be held at Questar III BOCES at 6:00 and 7:00 PM, will now be held via Zoom only due to unsafe weather conditions.
Please join us using the link below:
https://questar-org.zoom.us/j/96269055141?pwd=lEr8dMlnaoGnYiyynGcY7qNYTziry8.1&from=addon

You can view Averill Park’s statement by clicking here: https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/2025/12/01/apcsd-statement-regarding-the-proposed-troy-wynantskill-annexation/

Due to anticipated inclement weather conditions, there will be NO SCHOOL today, Tuesday, December 2nd. No WUFSD transportation is running today. Stay safe!

The Community Committee Working Group scheduled for 6:00 pm at QUESTAR III will no longer be in-person and will be VIRTUAL only. Please find the zoom link to join the meeting below: https://questar-org.zoom.us/j/96269055141?pwd=lEr8dMlnaoGnYiyynGcY7qNYTziry8.1&from=addon

Please join us in celebrating the outstanding achievements of the following middle school students who have earned a place on the honor roll for quarter 1 through their dedication and hard work!

Honor Roll Lists

Dear Wynantskill Community,

Please find the attached newsletter that will be arriving in mailboxes soon. It includes information presented from recent Community Committee Working Group meetings, as well as details about the reorganization petition process (approved at the November 20th Board of Education Meeting) that would allow for a formal community vote on the proposed reorganization between the Troy CSD and Wynantskill UFSD.

If in support of the reorganization, you may sign the petition at any time during school hours (8:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.) in the main office, or at upcoming school events such as concerts, Community Committee Working Groups, Board of Education & PTA meetings, and other gatherings.

If you have any questions regarding the proposed reorganization, please feel free to reach out to troywufsdfesibility@gmail.com or visit https://www.questar.org/feasibility/ for additional resources.

Click here for the November 2025 Feasibility Study Newsletter

PETITION PROCESS:

A long-standing New York State Education Department (NYSED) procedural requirement in the school district reorganization process is the initial assessment of public support. While not a statutory mandate, this assessment serves as an important preliminary step in determining whether the process should advance to the more formal community vote on reorganization.

The Wynantskill and Troy School Districts began the petition process on November 21, 2025. Both districts will collect signatures from qualified voters indicating their support for reorganization.

The Wynantskill and Troy Districts will follow the NYSED guidelines outlined below:

• Both Wynantskill and Troy will utilize the same petition method to assess public support.
• Petitions are considered a district action. Therefore, each Board of Education passed a resolution authorizing the use of petitions to assess community support for reorganization.
  • For Wynantskill, at the November 20, 2025 Board of Education meeting.
  • For Troy, at the November 19, 2025 Board of Education meeting.
• Signature counts must exceed the average total ballots cast (for + against) in the three most recent school district budget votes.
  • Wynantskill must collect a minimum of 176 signatures.
  • Troy must collect a minimum of 712 signatures.
• One copy of the petition must be available for signing at each District Clerk’s Office during normal operating hours:
  • Wynantskill: 25 East Ave, Troy — Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
  • Troy: District Office, 475 First Street, Troy — 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

The Boards of Education have authorized the superintendents to designate one or more District residents to represent and assist the District in gathering signatures at sites, events, or other locations outside of District property.

All signatures must be verified by the District Clerks to ensure that they belong to legally qualified voters of the district. After verification, the District Clerks will deliver the final tally, indicating whether the required threshold has been met, to the Board of Education. The Board must then adopt a resolution accepting the results.

If you would like to sign the petition but are unable to travel to Gardner-Dickinson during school hours (8:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.), and would like a petition brought to you, please call (518) 283-4600 ext. 250.

If you are interested in assisting the district with gathering signatures for this petition, please call (518) 283-4600 ext. 250.

Congratulations to our School Nurse, Shari Mantini, for being awarded the Walter F. Larson award for excellency in nursing at the Annual Hometown Heroes Awards! This award, established by his family after his passing, is given to nurses, particularly in the military or healthcare systems, for excellence in leadership and nursing. Congratulations, Nurse Mantini!