|
|
Pine Plains Board of Education President Helene McQuade provided a brief re-cap as the process which has lead to this meeting before the audience was afforded their turn at the mike.
Three years ago there was an imbalance among elementary school classes, McQuade said, prompting an "exhaustive process" involving the Elementary Facilities Utilization Committee to study and rectify the imbalance. The conclusion was made, which outside consultant input, that one of the elementary schools could be closed, citing declining enrollment and potential cost savings - among other reasons.
"I want to emphasize that the Board of Education has made no decision at this point," McQuade said. "There has been no discussion about these options. We wanted feedback first ... We're here to listen to your comments."
The options are to consolidate elementary schools by closing either Cold Spring or Seymour Smith Elementary School, structure a kindergarten through second grade program at Cold Spring and a grade three through five program at Seymour Smith, or do nothing.
The residents in attendance preferred the later, or the closure of Seymour Smith, which was built in 1932 and needs significant structural improvements to the exterior masonry.
"If we lose a school in our community, we will have no sense of community," said one concerned parent, adding that after school and extracurricular activities like Stanford soccer and the Stanford Library children's group would be no more.
Virginia Stern, resident and town councilwoman, said there is no certainty that enrollment will be on the decline in the near future, with major development projects like the massive Carvel/Durst project in the planning pipeline.
"No one can predict right now that there will be a decline in population," Stern said, citing that there are moratoriums in place in two of the school district's townships holding off major developments. "It will be a terrible financial burden if population explodes and this school needs to be re-opened ... Think about closing Seymour Smith."
Uproarious applause came from Stanford residents at the thought of closing the Pine Plains elementary school and expanding, via modular units, Cold Spring.
"We've been down this road before," said Cold Spring alumni Elisa Shay in reference to when Cold Spring closed several years ago, "and perhaps history might not want to repeat itself."
A calming voice, it seemed, did rise above the fray to quell some of the nay-saying about the elementary school on the opposite side of the district.
"Don't think that Seymour is an old beat up building, I don't think that it is in the right spirit," said Henry Boehringer, a Stanford resident. "Seymour Smith parents and kids want to have their school too ... There's not going to be a perfect ending."
Boehringer, whose own child is dismayed over the closure of Cold Spring, said that there may not be significant development for some time and closing the elementary school may not be the perfect choice either.
Questions on what the cost savings of the closure would be garnered mixed reactions from folks.
"We're not talking about a lot of savings," said Mary Zayas, member of the school board. "It is not a big number to some people and a very big number to some people."
Most of the cost savings, according to McQuade, would come from a reduction in staff and state law states that seniority rules.
Some speakers' reiterated comments that growth will be coming soon and that the school will not be underutilized.
"We do have a future here," said resident Mark Stern. "We need to maintain the school in our town if our town is ever going to be the reflection of diversity it needs."
Perhaps the most moving question, of a most implacable innocence, came from a dark-haired fifth-grader by the name of Katy Hanlon: "Why can't we keep it the way it is?"
McQuade, trying to address such a simple question without the complicated answer it entails, said that the board wants to do the best thing it can for all the children of the district, while also keeping taxpayers in mind.
"We have to figure out a way to make sure we're planning for the future, in the best way possible." McQuade said.
With a projected $700,000 reduction in state aid, McQuade says, it will be challenging to keep the district thriving.
Further information is available at the district Web page, www.ppcsd.org. Additional comments may also be made by e-mailing options@ppcsd.org.
