Oyster River board advances FY26 budget, approves $530,920 for elementary design work

The Oyster River Coop School District school board opened a public hearing on the proposed FY26 budget and approved a package of warrant articles that includes $530,920 for architectural and engineering design work on two elementary schools, the board announced during a regular meeting.

Dr. Schaps, superintendent, told the board that the budget “is really representing the financial plan of our values our goals and objectives,” and outlined drivers of the budget increase including health insurance, IT upgrades, transportation, special education services and capital repairs.

The board’s general fund operating budget for FY26 is proposed at $56,002,463; the district reported total budgets across funds of $58,002,091. The administration said the operating budget would grow by roughly $1.4 million, a 2.65 percent increase over the current year; the district’s default budget would reflect a smaller increase of about $924,069 (approximately 1.89 percent). With a separate first‑year guild warrant of about $1.1 million the administration said the combined operating increase and guild commitment would amount to roughly a 4.75 percent rise.

Key budget drivers the district identified were: a $210,000 increase in health insurance costs…