Hyde Park board approves administrative reorganization, projects $227,000 net savings

HYDE PARK, N.Y. — The Hyde Park Central School District board on July 22 approved a district reorganization that will eliminate the deputy superintendent position, create two new assistant superintendent titles and reallocate responsibilities across human resources and student support services.

Superintendent Dr. Roman told the board the district is seeking to “right size” administrative roles and implement recommendations from outside audits, and that not filling the deputy superintendent position produces a $275,000 savings that, after adjustments, yields a net savings of $227,000 going forward. Dr. Roman also said the district is advocating for the release of frozen federal Title grant funds and estimated the freeze could negatively affect “approximately just under, 300,000.”

Board members said the reorganization bundles curriculum and accountability work with student supports while elevating human-resources and professional-development duties to assistant-superintendent level. Dr. Roman described the redistribution: student supports will take on curriculum and programming, multilingual learners, homeschooling, Universal Pre-K, compliance monitoring, accountability and state testing reporting; the HR-focused assistant superintendent will absorb professional development, Title IX investigations, APPR, service-credit tracking and leadership development.

“By not filling the deputy superintendent position, there’s a savings of $275,000,” Dr. Roman said during the meeting. He added the district is working with civil service on one role and estimated no more than $15,000 for an accountability manager position.

Trustees debated pay and timing. One trustee said the salary adjustments should be understood as pay for a retitled position rather than an additional raise for an individual, noting that if the district had posted the job it would start at the level shown in the agenda. Another trustee expressed concern about public perception when a recently hired staff member receives a higher salary shortly after joining and suggested greater transparency about job posting and advertising. That trustee said, however, they supported the overall restructuring.

The board voted to create the assistant superintendent of student services title and to create the assistant superintendent of human resources and professional development title. The HR/professional-development title vote was recorded as 6–1 in favor. Trustees also approved personnel items including an unpaid leave request and retirements for three bus drivers.

Dr. Roman said the estimated net savings will be included in the district’s general fund and noted the board may later decide how to allocate those funds. He also said the district will produce a fuller impact statement if the Title grant freeze is not resolved by the next board meeting.

Votes at a glance - Creation of assistant superintendent of student services: motion approved (mover/second not specified in record). Outcome: approved. Notes: wording provided by district attorneys (TDWPM) per board record. - Creation of assistant superintendent of human resources and professional development: motion approved, vote tally recorded as 6 yes, 1 no. Notes: parity adjustment discussed to align regional salaries; district said position would be posted at the shown salary if vacant. - Personnel — unpaid leave: approved (mover/second recorded but not attributed by name in public transcript). Outcome: approved. - Personnel matters and substitute/administrative salary items: approved; included acknowledgement of several retirements (Raymond Lobelas, Fred Neuswanger, Thomas Termino). - Appointment of clerk pro tem: approved (Mike appointed clerk pro tem). Outcome: approved. - Motions to amend and adopt the agenda and to enter executive session: passed (procedural). Outcome: approved.

The board’s discussion also referenced outside advocacy related to federal Title funding; Dr. Roman said she had sent letters to “congressman Pat Ryan,” “senator Hinchey” and “assembly person D. Barrett” to request that the frozen funds be released and that the district will set up meetings to discuss impacts. Trustees asked that the district provide a clearer impact statement for the board and community if the freeze persists.

The superintendent framed the restructuring as both a response to audit recommendations and a move to make district operations “more efficient and effective.” Supporters said elevating HR and centralizing professional development will help implement instructional initiatives and districtwide professional learning; critics focused on sequence, transparency and perceived timing of pay adjustments. The board did not take public comment on the reorganization during the meeting; public participation was added to the amended agenda but no members of the public addressed the board on the restructuring.

The reorganization actions approved on July 22 change job titles, reassign responsibilities and leave one role subject to civil-service review, while producing the district’s reported net savings of $227,000 going forward. The board also directed staff to provide additional information about the Title funds freeze and the fiscal impact if the funding remains unavailable.