Letters from the Community

Three of the letters printed in this week's Woodstock Times. See here for a longer piece about last week's board meeting and what it means to the future of the District.

Signs Of Onteora Confusion

A few weeks ago I took my daughter to registration for kindergarten for the coming school year. The registration took place at the non-functioning West Hurley school, which I thought was a strange choice of venue. Although the teachers who were there to help with registration were certainly pleasant, it was an odd and alienating experience to be in a school that had no sign of children, activity, or any real life at all. I had to keep explaining to my daughter that she would not be going to that particular school in the fall but that we simply had to spend the morning there getting her registered. I had some specific questions I wanted to ask teachers about Bennett and Phoenicia schools, as I'm currently trying to decide where to send my daughter. No one was able to help me, as they were pulled from various schools and seemed unsure themselves of what exactly would be going on in the district. One person implied that having registration at the defunct West Hurley school was just another sign of the confusion surrounding the school board's plans for the district. I hope that there is some progressive change as a result of the upcoming school board election and that people will consider voting for Donna Flayhan, Ralph Legnini, Laurie Osmond, and Ann McGillicuddy to help save our Onteora schools.

Janet Steen
West Shokan

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Who Really Puts Students First?

Anyone who travels Route 28 through West Hurley, Shokan and Olive can see the signs that incumbents Vanacore, Bernholz and O'Connor have put up.

Emblazoned on the signs are the words, "Students First."

Students first? The incumbents have made clear that they plan to close an elementary school but they refuse to tell us if it will be Phoenicia or Woodstock until after the election. Closing an elementary school will mean longer bus rides and more students per classroom. It is common sense that this will mean less time spent per child, which will make the teachers' jobs more difficult. As a teacher, I know whereof I speak.

And this places students first...how?

Although there has been much harping on the need to consolidate due to declining enrollment, a quick look at the actual figures tells a more nuanced story. For instance, according to the Census Bureau, in 2002 there were 127 kids born in the Onteora School District. In '03, there were 181. In '04 and '05 there were 140. In '06, there were 146. This hardly shows a solid trend of less local children who soon will be bound for school.

Also, it should be noted that at the start of this school year, due to overwhelming demand, two extra days of Kindergarten enrollment were needed, and two pre-K classes were added that did not exist in the '06-'07 school year.

And finally, KSQ architects' plans for enlarging whichever two elementary schools remain after consolidation calls for footprints for additional space. No cost is given for these additional spaces. Obviously, the architects know that there is a real possibility that in the future, there could be a need for more room.

So why close a school? Could it be that to do so would send teachers packing so that taxpayers don't need to pay their salaries anymore? Or could it be that two buildings packed to the rafters with kids are cheaper than three in which kids receive more attention from teachers and thus a better education?
Whatever the reason, it most definitely is not "Students First."

Vote For Flayhan, Legnini, McGillicudy and Osmond. Three Elementary Schools, Transparency With All Taxpayers, and more than anything STUDENTS FIRST.

Robert Burke Warren
Phoenicia


Current Board Not Responsive

If you ever wondered why there is such low attendance of Onteora Central School Board meetings, spend an evening at one. After listening to reports for in excess of four hours, during which the architects of KSQ provided a power point presentation on what is perhaps the most critical decision upon us, the board unanimously came to the conclusion that one of the three current elementary schools must be closed. It is unfathomable to think that the board could or would consume that volume of information and make a decision of this magnitude within 15 minutes. Several board members declared their visions of ultimately having one school, under one roof. Let me warn you that that school will not be in our community it will be up on Route 28 nestled into Boiceville. This is not a vision that it representative of our district as a whole.

The impending plan is riddled with holes; unanswered questions and ramifications. The architects were asked several questions that they were unable to answer, yet despite that, the board was confident with moving ahead with a decision. How is it possible that we are allowing architects to determine the fate and course of our educational system and the impacts upon our local economies? One scenario calls for the combining of the middle school and high school to the tune of $42.3 million (part of the larger $70-75 million "Master Plan Presentation"). This plan outlines that, given that renovation there is only room for excess capacity of one pupil more in Grade 1, three pupils for Grade 2 and one pupil for Grade 3. This plan does not take into account a shift in student population increases by one student. After securing a bond for anywhere in the neighborhood of $70 - $86 million, what happens if one child moves up from the city, one child leaves private school to attend Onteora, and or if one child is no longer home-schooled? Further, this plan does not include any provisions for the space that would be needed for the implementation of a pre-K enrollment as mentioned by a board member during the meeting. Expanded enrollment or this addition would require further expansion to any existing building. Where will the additional funding come from then? Will the board go back to the public yet again for more funds? This doesn't appear to be solid planning. In effect, this need to consolidate and close schools is a derivative of the adoption of a highly opposed 5-8 middle school structure.

This is a board that does not listen to the public. Well, in fact that is not entirely true, public comment is allowed for a whopping 15 minutes. After listening to four hours of presentations, the community had 15 minutes to respond to the presentation by KSQ, share thoughts with the board, but ask no questions; hardly a public forum.

This letter picks up on the sixteenth minute. I know for a fact that there were letters forwarded to the board for the distinct purpose of being read into record that were never read or acknowledged last night. These board members are elected officials with an obligation to represent the voice of the public. They hand select committees that support their agendas and when not, they ignore their recommendations as they did with disregarding KSQ's original recommendation of "Plan A" with respect to the 5-8 configuration.

One budgetary committee member recently stated that the portion of the community comprised of residents who do not have children within the school system, could care less about education and are only concerned with the impact it will have upon their taxes. What a sad state of affairs. What is more important than the quality of education to any school system? Education and vital school systems are the cornerstones of communities and the future of our towns.

I do not share the vision that long bus rides to school co-mingling children of all ages, cramming classrooms to capacity and not listening to the public that you represent, makes for the best outcome. Recently resigned school board member, Herb Rosenfeld quoted in the April 24 Phoenicia Times concurs that the school board "studies do not support any positive outcome." He additionally states explaining his resignation that "I felt like I didn't fit into the way the board processed information and came to conclusions." A school system is a vital component of any community. The closure of any school in any community will have devastating effects upon all facets of that community - the economy, the social fabric and at the forefront - the quality of education that our children receive. This is to the detriment of all. The dismantling of a school dismantles a community.

Although this board contends that it has not yet made a decision as to which elementary school is going to be closed, they will announce this on May 6. There is a small window of opportunity to have your voice be heard. Demand answers, ask questions and stop this train before we end up in one big red school house on Route 28. Think about your local economies, your community-based school, the vision you have for the future of your town. I highly doubt it will include the closure of your school. In essence this further supports the fact that this board is unable to manage this district. It is time to be amenable to hearing out other approaches and options. Community-based education is a thread that binds a community together. Towns with children are towns with life and vitality.

I also see the Olive Matters organization as a highly exclusionary coalition which shows no regard for the broader constituents of the OCSD. As evidence, Judith Boggess was quoted in the April 24 Phoenicia Times as saying, "We're definitely not supporting anyone not from Olive...Olive only candidates, that's who we support." Please come out and vote on May 20. Let's turn this board around and elect the candidates: Ann McGillicuddy, Laurie Osmond, Ralph Legnini and Donna Flayhan. This is certainly where your voice can be heard.

In conclusion, you can now choose to brace yourself for the negative impact and huge expense of this Board's catastrophic plan or you can get yourself and everyone you know to come out and vote in the upcoming school board election on May 20. Please come out and vote!

Kristen Eberhard
Woodstock