Barker Central School District

It has been exciting to see the progress of the capital project work around the District. The beautiful new athletic field has been supporting many old and new activities, with Barker athletes spending more time on their home field. The interior renovations are making rapid progress. We appreciate everyone’s patience and flexibility as demolition and construction progress in multiple areas. With the passing of the second large capital project in January, most of the classrooms in the District will be updated over the next 2-3 years in support of our educational programs and objectives. Most of the work from the $25 million project approved in 2024 will be complete in time for the start of school in September.

With the rapid changes and uncertainty in the world today, our mission statement is more relevant than ever:

We will provide a school environment that fosters respect, compassion, tolerance, and nurtures life-long learners who make meaningful contributions to society.

Our teachers and administrators have been working hard to enhance our educational programs and outcomes. There has been a major effort to document and align curriculum across the District and to prepare for new state guidelines. New York State has introduced multiple pathways to graduation that will offer some new opportunities for our students. Our updated facilities, including the FACS (Family and Career Sciences) and Technology areas, will support some of these new opportunities.

Also on the academic front, proficiency rates on all Regents exams at the secondary level hover around the 90-95% range with mastery rates (earning a score of 85 or higher on the exam) in the 40-50% range. It is numbers like these that have helped Barker rank high in comparison to other schools in Niagara and Orleans counties. Specifically, in the subject of Math, Barker students' proficiency and mastery rates on Regents exams are in the top 100 of all high schools across New York State.

Turning to financial matters, the proposed budget amount for the 2025-2026 school year will support continuation of all current programs. The local school tax levy is projected to increase 2.4% for a total of $5,283,993. Total state aid is projected to increase by 20.0% over the current school year for a total of $14,244,935.  

The proposed expenditure budget for next year represents an increase in spending of nearly 19% over the current school year for a total of $22,475,710. This is an unusually high increase due to two factors. First is debt service, including the initial payments for the ongoing $25 million capital project ($1,973,116), which will be more than offset by state building aid revenue ($2,116,704). The second factor is a substantial increase in the number of special education students requiring costly outside placements (budget increase of $1,730,000). State aid covers much of the cost of these placements. More details about the budget will be found in this edition of the Banner.

We have a significant number of staff retirements coming up at the end of this school year and over the following two years. We appreciate and commend the longevity and commitment of those who have submitted their retirement plans. We will soon be interviewing prospective employees who will contribute enthusiastically to our educational mission and vision. The total number of staff members is anticipated to remain steady into next year. 

The future looks bright for our school community. We have much to look forward to and appreciate your support. 

Randall B. Atwater
Barker Central School District Board of Education President