The Yorktown Central School District board on Dec. 15 received a year‑in‑review presentation that outlined academic, facilities and personnel priorities as the district begins building its 2026 budget.

A presenter for the district summarized 2025 highlights across curriculum, athletics, facilities, technology and pupil personnel services, and said the district will continue a zero‑based budgeting process designed to align positions and expenditures with student needs. "We want to continue to improve in every aspect of the organization," the presenter said. "We will continue to get better." The presenter also noted that the district employs "almost 700 employees," and described ongoing recruitment and digitization efforts in human resources.

On facilities, the district said it will complete several athletic renovations in 2026, including upgrades to the baseball and field hockey fields planned for June and a new multipurpose field later in the year. The presentation credited facilities staff — including Dennis, Diego Araujo and Dan Satterale — for recent projects such as seal coating, LED lighting upgrades and a new middle‑school bus loop that separates bus staging from general vehicle traffic to improve dismissal flow.

The business office reported the district had implemented a zero‑based budgeting approach last year; officials said the method produced savings and will continue to be used. The timeline for budget development begins with an overview presentation in January, detailed presentations between February and April, an anticipated board adoption in April or May, and the public budget vote on the third Tuesday in May — May 19, 2026.

Technology and security were highlighted as priority areas. The district described investments in network and data safety, updated camera systems and selective uses of artificial intelligence to support instructional and non‑instructional efficiencies.

Next steps: staff will present budget details to the board and community in the coming months, and the district expects to bring a proposed budget forward for adoption in the spring ahead of the May 19 vote.