Riverhead, Shoreham-Wading River school budgets approved

Riverhead and Shoreham-Wading River voters approved their school budgets Tuesday, both of which stayed within their respective tax caps.

The $218.9 million budget for the Riverhead Central School District’s 2026-2027 academic year passed by a vote of 944 to 841. The spending plan marks a 3.52% increase from this year’s budget, driven largely by special education programs and curriculum development.

The district set aside roughly $40.2 million for programs serving students with disabilities. Special education transportation alone rose by $1.4 million. Employee benefits increased by $2.1 million. The employee retirement system rate also rose to 17.6% from 16.5%.

Incumbents Cynthia Redmond and Erica Murphy secured their second, three-year terms on the school board, with Ms. Redmond receiving 1,274 votes — the highest out of the five candidates. They were both first elected in 2023. Newcomer Jasmine Corwin received 1,180 votes to join the board.

Ms. Corwin is a Riverhead resident who has lived in the school district for 18 years. She is a stay-at-home mother and a graduate of Mattituck High School. She has a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta in communications with a minor in public relations. Her three children attend Riverhead schools and she is vice president of the Aquebogue PTO.

“This community has given so much love and support to my family over the years, and it means so much to now have the opportunity to give back in this role,” Ms. Corwin told the Riverhead News-Review on Tuesday night. “I’m excited to listen, learn and work hard to help make a positive difference for our schools and our children’s future.”

Julio Gonzalez received 891 votes, the fourth highest number, which means he will serve a partial, one-year term beginning May 19 and ending June 30, 2027. He was sworn in immediately at the school board meeting after the votes were fully counted.

The Shoreham-Wading River Central School District overwhelmingly passed its $90 million budget by a vote of 800 to 203. The new spending plan ticks up 0.8% with a tax levy that remains within the allowable cap at 2.84%. The budget maintains all current programs and services.

Both Propositions No. 2 and No. 3 on the SWR ballot also passed.

Proposition No. 2 authorizes the conveyance of a small, unused parcel at 100 Randall Road to Brookhaven Town to complete a road improvement project intended to improve safety at the entrance to Prodell Middle School.

Proposition No. 3, put forward by the Wading River Historical Society, raises $40,000 through the tax levy process to support museum operations and maintenance. The measure is separate from the school budget, meaning no funds would be diverted from school programs or student services.

District enrollment has declined by 15%, leading to staffing reductions through attrition rather than layoffs. Six teaching positions are being eliminated through retirements, saving the district roughly $1.7 million next year.

The 2026-2027 budget includes funding for the settled teachers’ contract, providing nearly 4.75% raises for most staff members, along with a new AI elective at the high school. Planned facility improvements include parking lot repairs at Miller Avenue School. Under this spending plan, the universal free school meal program would expand to include breakfast.

Incumbents Katie Anderson and Henry Perez won new three-year terms on the Shoreham-Wading River school board. They both have served for nine years.

Newcomer Erin Saunders-Morano received 556 votes, taking the third open board of education seat. She is a Shoreham mother of two SWR graduates and one current high school student. She is a special education teaching assistant with nearly a decade of classroom experience in a variety of settings.

“I just want to thank the community for supporting the school district and the budget, our students and our programs,” said superintendent Gerard Poole. “I also want to congratulate the trustees returning to the board or joining the board of education — it’s a lot of volunteer work, so much appreciated.”