Hauppauge board holds budget hearing as parents press over Forest Brook class sizes and playground repairs

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. — The Hauppauge Union Free School District held a public budget hearing Tuesday, May 13, ahead of the district’s budget vote and board election on May 20, as officials explained the proposed 2025–26 budget, described a ballot proposition tied to an energy performance contract and responded to parents’ concerns about class sizes and playground repairs.

Bridgette Skinner, the district’s assistant superintendent for business and operations, said the 2025–26 proposal “maintains present class sizes and programs,” expands course offerings at the middle and high school, continues student mental‑health programming and includes capital transfers to replace a kindergarten playground at Forest Brook. She told the board the district’s tax levy limit for 2025–26 is 3.25 percent and that state aid is the next‑largest revenue source. The district’s presentation described payroll and benefits as the top three expenditure drivers.

The budget hearing matters because the school budget and Proposition 2 go before voters on Tuesday, May 20; if approved, the budget will set spending, staffing and capital work for the coming school year. Proposition 2 asks voters to permit the district to increase the state‑aid reimbursement rate for an energy performance contract—raising the district’s share of eligible state aid from 45 percent to 55 percent to offset up‑front costs of an energy audit and subsequent infrastructure work. Skinner said the district expects energy savings to be used to fund improvements, and that the district will commission an energy audit this summer from an energy services provider.

Parents pressed district officials about a decision to consolidate fourth‑grade sections at Forest Brook that will raise that grade’s class size. One parent, identified in the hearing as Jen, challenged the language in the budget brochure that the plan “maintains current class size,” asking: “It says maintains the current class size, but in Forest Brook, you're eliminating a fourth grade class next year. How does that maintain the current class size?”

Dr. Murphy, the district superintendent, said the brochure was intended as a synthesized summary and explained the district reports average class sizes across all buildings. He provided figures the board used during the hearing: the district‑wide average class size is projected at 20.1 next year (compared with 19.5 this year and 20.1 last year) and reflected that averages can mask individual grade‑level changes. Dr. Murphy also cited board policy 44‑20 as governing how he makes staffing and sectioning decisions: “Policy 44‑20 is what dictates how I have to operate in my role as superintendent. Class size as a factor, yes.”

Dr. Murphy and other administrators presented multi‑year enrollment and class‑size charts to show a long‑term trend toward lower average class sizes across the district since the board’s earlier policies. He said the district adds supports—math specialists, social workers and guidance counselors—to complement staffing and noted the board retains authority to require changes before school opens: “The board policy gives me the power up until, I believe, the August to make changes,” he said.

Board members and staff acknowledged the difference between district averages and the experience at an individual school. Dr. Murphy told parents he had prepared a deeper data review in response to community emails and that he would present that information and meet again with parents, and the board directed the policy committee to review the class‑size policy at a future meeting.

Parents also raised the deteriorating kindergarten playground at Forest Brook. The district said the playground replacement is included in the capital plan but must follow a multi‑step process that includes architectural plans, review and approval by the New York State Education Department and issuance of a building permit before purchase orders can be issued. A district staff member (identified in the hearing as Shannon) said short‑term repairs are being explored but that a full replacement would most likely occur next summer because of the state review timeline and vendor scheduling: “The plan in place now is for something that would take place more than likely next summer,” she said, while noting the vendor has some replacement parts and the district is exploring interim fixes subject to cost.

Administrators also discussed UPK (universal prekindergarten) enrollment and how lottery acceptance and subsequent parent confirmation typically change projected counts; the district said it routinely monitors class sizes weekly and over the summer and makes adjustments when new enrollments affect sectioning.

Skinner reminded voters the budget and Proposition 2 will appear on the May 20 ballot with polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; detailed budget materials are posted on the district website, she said. The hearing did not include a vote on the budget itself—the vote is scheduled for May 20.

Separately, the board approved its consent agenda earlier in the meeting, which included the appointment of Dr. Smalley as principal at Brentwood Elementary School; the consent agenda passed on a recorded voice vote of 7–0.