Sayville superintendent Marc Ferris leaving for Miller Place district

Sayville Public Schools is losing Superintendent Marc Ferris just as voters approved a $107,721,878 budget for the 2026-27 school year, creating an immediate question of continuity for families, teachers and the board entering the next school year.

The Miller Place Union Free School District formally appointed Ferris as its next superintendent at an April 29 board meeting. He is scheduled to begin as deputy superintendent on Aug. 1 for a one-month transition and then take over as permanent superintendent on Sept. 1, after current Superintendent Seth Lipshie retires on Aug. 31.

For Sayville, the timing matters. The district’s approved budget, which passed on May 19, was built to keep current student programs and staffing levels in place while raising the spending plan by $2,045,085 over the current adopted budget. Voters also approved a $1.1 million capital reserve proposition for facility, instructional and security upgrades, including auditorium sound and lighting work, a relocated weight room, math classroom whiteboards and added districtwide security cameras.

Ferris has led Sayville for four years, and his departure comes while the district is still managing the practical work of budget implementation, staffing decisions and long-range planning. Sayville’s website still lists Dr. Marc Ferris as superintendent, underscoring that the transition has not yet fully landed in the district’s public-facing operations. The district also says reserve funds have been used to help balance budgets since the 2017-18 school year, which makes steady leadership especially important as officials move from a newly approved spending plan into the next academic year.

In Miller Place, Ferris arrives as a known quantity. The district described him as a former teacher, middle school principal and assistant superintendent for instruction in Wantagh before his Sayville tenure. Ferris said he was grateful for the opportunity and wanted to support a smooth and seamless transition while helping advance Miller Place’s strategic plan.

That leaves one Suffolk County district gaining an experienced administrator and another beginning the transition process. For Sayville parents watching class sizes, program stability and security upgrades, the key issue now is whether the district can keep its budget promises and administrative rhythm intact while replacing a superintendent who has been part of its leadership structure for four years.