January 2025
Dear Mattituck-Cutchogue-Laurel Families,
As we enter the second half of the 2024-2025 school year, we continue to use our district, building, and department goals to keep our school community focused on the Tucker Mission Statement. At the December Board Meeting, the Board of Education adopted their annual goals, ensuring priorities center on best serving our students and community. (BOE Goals can be found at bottom of the page). We thank the trustees for their service and commitment to the Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District and our community.
We continue to make progress on the Five-Year Plan with many projects both big and small completed over the summer and fall. Prior to the opening of schools in September, we completed the tennis court renovation, roof recoating and field renovation and path to the track at Mattituck Junior-Senior High School as well as completing a new outdoor learning space, partial roof recoating and air conditioning in the kindergarten wing and 2nd floor at Cutchogue East Elementary School. The Junior High Facia and Cupola restoration project is underway and is expected to be completed this summer. This project was approved by district voters last May and all monies for this project will come from the Capital Reserve and have zero impact on the tax rate.
At the December Board Meeting, the Board of Education reviewed and updated the five-year plan and has determined that for the 2025-2026 school year, the following projects will be a priority:
All these projects will be funded through budget balance, repair reserves, and capital reserves with voter permission. None of these projects will have an impact on the tax levy.
At the November Board Meeting, I introduced the development of a Five-Year Strategic Plan, a priority for the district to address the anticipation of significant cuts to our State Aid, increases in the needs of our students (demographic shifts/social emotional) and continued decrease in student enrollment. The purpose of this plan is to maintain our robust programs, expand opportunities and experiences so that our students can continue to meet the mission of the district despite these challenges. There is a link to this presentation on the district’s website.
The second half of the year also centers around preparing and presenting our annual budget. Beginning February 13th, the administration will start to present next year's budget at our monthly BOE meeting as well as at our monthly budget hearing meetings. The schedule can be seen below. I encourage our families and community to be engaged in the process so that they can participate and offer insight, to fully understand the makeup of our annual budget and the district’s fiscal priorities. Detailed information will be released to the community through our annual budget newsletter after the Board of Education officially adopts the budget on April 24th.
Monthly Budget Meetings:
February 13, 2025 - Superintendent's Proposed Budget
March 19, 2025 - Budget Presentations
April 3, 2025 - Budget Presentations
April 22, 2025 – Final Budget & Board Adoption
May 13, 2025 – Public Hearing on the Budget
Board of Education Goals 2024-2025
Stay informed, and never hesitate to contact my office with any questions or concerns.
Tucker Pride!
Shawn C. Petretti
Superintendent of Schools
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