The Onteora Central School District’s trustees last week voted 6-1 to close Phoenicia Elementary School at the end of the 2023-24 school year, as well as approving an eventual central campus in Boiceville that would house all students in grades k-12 by 2028. The decision comes in the wake of a rapid decline in student population of around 1000 students over the past decade. Many expect the eventual closure of Woodstock Elementary School as well.
Despite near-unanimous approval by the school board, the decisions — and their inclusion on the May 2 agenda just hours before the meeting — have proven controversial in the community, with some criticizing trustees for a lack of transparency.
Three incumbents who voted in favor of both the closure and central campus, board president Emily Sherry, and trustees David Wallis and Kristy Taylor, are running for reelection. A community advocacy group called Onteora Parents Engaged Now (OPEN) has asked local residents to vote for two official challengers, Clark Goodrich and Emily Mitchell-Marell, along with Caroline Jerome as a write-in.
Each of the five candidates on the ballot were asked to share their thoughts about the closure of Phoenicia Elementary School and the concept of the central campus concept. They appear in the same order as they will on the ballot on Tuesday, May 16. Although she is not on the ballot, we included the views of OPEN’s write-in candidate last.
Emily Sherry (incumbent, board president)
What are your thoughts on the Phoenicia Elementary closure?
I’m very sad that Phoenicia will close. It was an incredibly difficult decision. However, I’m grateful that the educators that shape so many lives at Phoenicia will follow the children as we transition to the Bennett School. Education is defined and provided by educators, not by a building — even one that has held so much love. We are fortunate to have so many fantastic educators. The decline in enrollment that precipitated the closure is heartbreaking. Onteora has lost over 1000 students since 2005, with no end to the declining enrollment in sight.
What about the potential for closing Woodstock Elementary and the possible creation of a central educational hub?
I think it’s important that people understand two things, that this can’t happen without voter approval and that a central campus is envisioned to create a safer, equitable, learning environment for generations to come. When Onteora was created in 1952, it was in one building, with the same number of students that we have today, 1000. The students were brought together from schoolhouses all over the area under one roof to provide each child with equitable education and opportunity. This opportunity isn’t just about money, it’s about addressing generational divides of equity in our community which has always been split along socioeconomic lines. When you look beyond that, there is no denying that the district can no longer sustain the model we have now. Our buses travel 5000 miles a day, pulling children all the way from West Hurley to Phoenicia in order to try to keep the schools balanced, as we are required to do by law. One Onteora imagines a district that addresses the myriad of learners we have with educational equity and opportunity.
What, if anything, would make you change your mind on the subject?
As a board, we ultimately speak as one voice. Although each of us have individual votes, we are taught by the NYS School Board Association that we are obligated to support the decisions of the whole. At this point, our board has voted, and it is now our role to support the implementation of the decision. It is impossible to know what the future will bring. I never imagined a pandemic in my lifetime. As the parent of four children, a business owner and the daughter of a Marine, I know that one must always be willing to improvise and adapt.
David Wallis (incumbent)
What are your thoughts on the Phoenicia Elementary closure?
Who enjoys closing a school? Not me. It was an emotional and painful decision. But it was also the clear and responsible decision to make for the entire community, including students, staff and taxpayers. The district has less than half the students it did at its peak, and Phoenicia needed a major investment to modernize. Right now, the majority of students attending that school — kids from Olive for instance — are rolling right past Bennett. That makes no sense. Once Bennett turns into a k-5 school starting in 2024-5, it can absorb all of Phoenicia’s students with minimal investment.
What about the potential for the possible creation of a central educational hub?
I encourage folks to actually read the board’s resolution to work toward a central campus: https://go.boarddocs.com/ny/onteora/Board.nsf/vpublic?open. There are still steps to take before a central campus happens, including the development of an architectural and financial plan, an environmental review and voter authorization.
A conversation for our town boards to have — and for the critics of school consolidation to mull — is the lack of affordable housing that makes it difficult for public schools to retain and attract students. Take a look at Zillow. In the Woodstock zip code, for instance (which is only partly in Onteora’s district) there are just 19 long-term rental options (https://www.zillow.com/homes/12498_rb/). Average cost: $8005 per month. Next, visit AirbnB and see the countless options available for tourists. Many families, unfortunately, can no longer afford to live in our district in part because our local elected leaders have failed us by encouraging AirBnBs.
What, if anything, would make you change your mind on the subject?
As a board, it is now our responsibility to support the administration as they plan for a central campus. I’m proud to be part of a board that finally took action.
Clark Goodrich
What are your thoughts on the Phoenicia Elementary closure?
First, let me say closing both Phoenicia and Woodstock will probably increase taxes, not lower them.
The Onteora School Board [OSB] rushed the vote into the agenda in less than 24 hours to close Phoenicia and Woodstock. This is not the way it should be done. The OSB just lost the trust of the public. It will be difficult to gain that trust back. There was no transparency why they made this difficult decision that affects all the Onteora communities and businesses.
I agree with lone OSB dissenter Sarah H Hemingway Lynch that there had been no firm capital expense cost estimate for closing both Phoenicia and Woodstock and constructing ten new classrooms and a gym at the central location at Bennett Elementary. The public has been pleading with the OSB for weeks for an estimate of restructuring capital expense cost before voting. Is it $20 million? Is it $70 million? OSB will not say.
Time on Bus [TOB] was rated number four concern in the Dr Kevin Baughman report survey. Very little was said in the report about TOB. Note bus miles does not equate to TOB. Closing Woodstock School will add three hours of TOB every week for students that will be bused passed the Woodstock School to the centralized campus at Bennett.
I am against spending tens of millions of dollars on centralized campus capital improvements that will significantly increase Woodstock students’ TOB, when Woodstock Elementary does not have an enrollment problem.
What about the potential for closing Woodstock Elementary and the possible creation of a central educational hub?
Let’s start with [that] Onteora schoolteachers are some of the best and can teach anywhere. We are not going to lose our teachers. There have been many studies on the advantages and disadvantages of a large centralized elementary school versus a smaller decentralized community school.
I am not an expert on this. Superintendent Victoria McLaren has stated the advantages of a centralized district. Yet for some reason, I am trying to better understand myself, the public in this school district seems to adamantly prefer decentralized community elementary schools that provide a more personal, less intimidating education environment. It is no wonder why our communities love Phoenicia and Woodstock Elementary tucked into the beautiful Catskill Mountains on a sunny fall day.
What, if anything, would make you change your mind on the subject?
If the advantages of a centralized campus can be better communicated transparently by the superintendent with examples, then there is a chance the communities may buy into it. If elected to the Onteora School Board, I need to put the time in to read, listen, and listen some more.
Emily Mitchell-Marell
What are your thoughts on the Phoenicia Elementary closure?
We are devastated about Phoenicia Elementary closing next year as well as Woodstock a few years later.
I feel strongly these small community based schools are the best option for our children. We have them now, and they work very well and are adored by students and parents. Why fix what isn’t’t broken?
They feel loved and special there, the size is manageable for their young minds, the teachers, administrators and staff are excellent, and the community events bring us all together. These things come together to form the pillars of our towns. To close them would be deeply hurtful and disruptive to our communities and children.
What about the potential for closing Woodstock Elementary and the possible creation of a central educational hub?
A central hub is expensive, many renovations are involved to make that work, and overall it’s entirely unnecessary. We can easily put k-5 in both our elementary schools.
Students will need to be bused from their own towns to this new school. We have a great thing happening now at our beloved primary schools — Woodstock and Phoenicia. Why are we changing this? The financial difference is negligible if at all in the end with all the change and long-term construction.
Rural towns need schools. Otherwise both towns, but especially Woodstock, will officially just be a tourist town with Airbnbs, smoke shops and tie-dye tee shirts. Our schools are what make us a legitimate place to live, where people want to move to start and raise families.
Have you seen the West Hurley School? It’s rotting in a community. Do we want two more empty elementary schools in our towns? How depressing. This makes just absolutely no sense.
I see absolutely no reason to close these schools. If you need to close something, close Bennett, which will only have two grades soon and does not have the deep ties and roots of our elementary schools. This would still save them money if that is truly what they are after.
The board passed these closings with no regard for public outcry, adding it to the agenda the day of the meeting. They haven’t offered real numbers of construction costs, and we really don’t understand why they think this option is better. Parents, teachers, students, community members — we all are begging and pleading for them to keep Woodstock and Phoenicia open, and we do not understand why they will not listen to us. They seem to want to forge ahead with this plan regardless of reason or popular opinion.
Kristy Taylor (incumbent)
What are your thoughts on the Phoenicia Elementary closure?
It’s sad when any school has to close. I do not relish having to close Phoenicia and potentially Woodstock.
What about the potential for closing Woodstock Elementary and the possible creation of a central educational hub?
My oldest child was impacted by the last reconfiguration, that is known as the Princeton plan. My oldest attended Bennett for kindergarten and first grade. She was then moved to Woodstock for second and third grade, then returned to Bennett for fourth through sixth grade. At the time of that board’s decision, I spoke at public [hearings] several times. I asked the board about a central campus back then. I asked where they saw the district in five years, in ten years. They gave no response.
I am not opposed to change. I do want change with a purpose. Change that will benefit everyone, not a select few.
I’m fed up with the district saying every few years that there’s a problem but then not doing anything about it. I’m tired of this district just kicking the can down the road.
The Princeton plan was a fancy shell game. It gave the illusion of doing something when in essence it accomplished nothing. One of the options on the table with the Princeton plan was a central campus. They chose to serve self-interests instead of the children. The Princeton plan unduly shuffled all the children around, broke up friend groups, and destroyed the forgotten communities of Onteora.
Our district is made up of many towns. Not just Woodstock and Phoenicia. The only reason for the Princeton plan was to keep all the buildings open. It benefited only a select few. That decision was not made in the best interest of the entire district. I care about what’s best for the children of the entire district. I’m not fighting for a building, I’m fighting for all our children. I believe that a central campus will service all our children and not leave anyone behind.
We have phenomenal teachers and ancillary staff in our district. I have all the faith in the world that they can flow with these changes and help our children thrive. We have an opportunity here to do great things. I want one Onteora, not several towns fighting against each other. Everyone should have a seat at the table.
Our children follow after our example. It’s up to us to show our children that this is a positive move that will benefit everyone, especially our most at-risk residents. We have been able to accomplish something that every other board wouldn’t do. Our sixth grade is not going to be in the junior high, something our middle school staff has wanted for a long time. Our district is moving in a positive direction. We need to support our children so they can move forward with confidence.
What, if anything, would make you change your mind on the subject?
With all the studies and evidence we have accumulated, I can’t think of any reason for me to change my mind about our resolution to close Phoenicia. The evidence is too overwhelming. Our district has been ignoring the facts for 20 years. Finances aren’t’t the primary factor in my views. Safety, continuity, educational equity, and equality are my primary concerns. It just happens that a central campus also continues to keep us financially solvent.
Caroline Jerome (write-in candidate)
What are your thoughts on the Phoenicia Elementary closure?
I agree with the board that our current system needs adjustment. It is not sustainable. However, three things bother me about the imminent closing of Phoenicia Elementary.
First, with no clear or detailed plan, there can be no cost analysis. No design. No detailed description. My ten-year-old daughter immediately started asking questions like “How will recess work?” Or “How will lunchtime work?” I have other gaping questions like how will facilities be organized? How will the campus improve overall? How will children and youths be both integrated and separated? How much will it cost?
Secondly, the timing of the closure post-Covid. The 2020-21 pandemic changed our world forever. The opportunities for remote or hybrid work offer families options that simply didn’t exist before. Located centrally, two hours from New York City, an hour from Albany, and three hours from Boston, this area has an incredible history, an incredible community. and an incredible library. All these attributes make it an exceptional place to choose to live.
Now, 1 not suggesting that there is going to be a population explosion in this area. I realize numbers across the board in the U.S. show a decline in the birth rate. However, I am suggesting that this area can grow and be at the forefront of what successful, close-knit communities of the future look like.
I would like to see more data surrounding movement to our special post-Covid area. That will take a moment, so I feel it is the wrong time to rush to a vote.
Finally, the timing of the vote. Whatever trust I may have had in the school board crumbled when they put such an important item into the agenda the afternoon of the vote and refused to postpone that vote until after the upcoming election. That night I spoke with my husband, and we agreed that I should participate in this conversation.
What about the potential for closing Woodstock Elementary and the possible creation of a central educational hub?
I think it would be a mistake for the future of our community because I don’t buy-in to the attitude that this area is dying a slow death. That is why I worked so hard with the board and the public to come up with a good solution for more robust library services. I love that this community is so engaged, and is willing to act on what they think is right. To reach the best solution, I believe conversation, connection, and compromise are all necessary
That said, I am skeptical of the mega-campus. Stripping the distinct communities that lay in these hills and valleys of their schools needs to be very carefully considered and various options fully explored before incredibly important decisions are made.
What, if anything, would make you change your mind on the subject?
I just don’t know enough on the subject yet to answer this question intelligently. I will say that personally, I am always ready for a pivot. What I can say pretty confidently is that the vote from last week is not the right solution. Why? Because a good portion of the community is vehemently against it. That alone, should be telling the board something.
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