The Onteora Central School District is making its final push ahead of a December 10 vote on two capital propositions that officials say will modernize facilities, support the district’s transition to a single K–12 campus in Boiceville, and avoid an increase to the tax levy.

The plan is a scaled-down revision of the $70 million proposal voters rejected in May, and was presented in detail at this week’s Board of Education meeting. Administrators emphasized that the new version lowers overall costs by 40 percent and cuts borrowing by more than half, while separating classroom expansion at Bennett Elementary from districtwide “nuts and bolts” infrastructure work. The two propositions appear separately on the ballot, and voters may vote “yes” or “no” on each one.

Proposition 1: K–5 at Bennett
The first proposition asks voters to decide whether Bennett Elementary should become a districtwide K–5 school. If approved, fifth graders would remain with younger students. If not, Bennett would operate as a K–4 school and fifth grade would move to the middle school.

Proposition 1 includes eight new classrooms, an expanded library and art room, a secure entrance with relocated offices, and exterior-access restrooms. It also covers boiler and electrical upgrades, drainage improvements, sewer line replacement, and a redesigned pickup loop aimed at separating vehicles from students.

The $26.9 million project would be financed through a 15-year bond. District officials say state building aid and about $3.2 million in annual savings from consolidating all students onto one campus by 2028 will fully offset the bond costs.

Proposition 2: Infrastructure, No Borrowing
Proposition 2 funds $15 million in districtwide renovations, including expanded and soundproofed music rooms at Bennett, replacement of an aging wall of windows, upgrades to three high school science classrooms, improvements to the nurse’s suite, athletic field drainage work, and resurfacing of the track.

The district plans to use capital reserves, cash on hand, and state aid. Because no borrowing is required, Proposition 2 carries no tax impact.

Leadership: Lower Cost, Long-Term Planning
Superintendent Victoria McLaren said the revised plan reflects the community’s request for a leaner project with clearer choices.

“The Board significantly reduced the scope and cost of this project, lowering the overall price by 40 percent, cutting borrowing by more than half, and ensuring that there is no increase in the tax levy for either proposition,” McLaren said in an email. She added that savings from a central campus will support “safety enhancements, stronger infrastructure, modern art, music and science spaces, and improved accessibility.”

Community concerns have focused on several areas. Some residents objected to the district’s decision to operate a single polling site for the vote, a change KWA members argued in an Oct. 23 Board of Education meeting would suppress turnout in Woodstock. The district has since announced that early mail ballots can be dropped off at a ballot box at Woodstock Elementary School on Dec. 10. Others have questioned whether the Bennett expansion will be large enough to hold all K–5 students by 2028, citing recent enrollment growth. And for families upset by the scheduled closure of Woodstock Elementary, the capital plan has renewed frustration over the district’s shift toward a single K–12 campus. A number of taxpayers also remain wary of the overall cost, despite the district’s assurance that the plan will not raise the tax levy.

In a statement, the Board of Education called the upcoming vote “a chance to move forward together and shape a sustainable, student-centered future for Onteora.”

The Board also acknowledged the emotional weight of earlier decisions, including the impending closure of Woodstock Elementary in 2028. “The decision to close Woodstock Elementary School—like the earlier closure of Phoenicia—has been felt most directly by the students, families, and communities connected to those buildings. We have never taken that lightly and we are deeply grateful for the resilience and involvement of the communities most affected,” the Board said.

Voting Logistics and Early-Mail Access
Polls will be open on December 10 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Onteora Middle/High School wrestling room. A ballot drop box will be available at Woodstock Elementary from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Early-mail ballots must be returned by 5 p.m. that day.

Applications for early and absentee voting are available online and at libraries, schools and town halls.

More information, including design renderings and FAQs, is available at the Onteora School District’s website.