The Onteora Central School District Board of Education is leaning toward placing a new capital spending proposition before voters in December. The move comes after residents in May rejected a $70 million plan to redevelop the central school campus in Boiceville and close Woodstock Elementary School.
At its Aug. 19 meeting, administrators told the board that in order to be ready for a December vote, they would need a “solid two months” to prepare for the election.
“We need to decide on where we are going to land,” said Board President Cindy Bishop, noting that members must still prioritize what makes the final cut in the capital measure. To meet deadlines, the board scheduled special capital project discussion meetings for Oct. 7 and Oct. 14. At those sessions, members will rank their top priorities from the 25 items outlined by architects.
The failed May proposal had allocated $46 million for elementary school improvements, $10 million for the middle/high school, and $14 million for campus-wide upgrades.
Board Vice President Rick Knutsen urged a different approach this time. “The board has a responsibility to lead in the community. We did a lot of deferring to the administration and the public. That won’t work. We need to assume a stronger leadership role and provide greater clarity to the community. My hope is we will develop a vision and do what is right for our students. And, we have to reduce the price tag somewhat.”
At this week’s meeting, the board gave no indication of what the new figure might be. However, following the defeat of the $70 million measure, two revised plans have been considered—one at $63 million and another at $56 million.
Superintendent Victoria McLaren raised concern about how federal budgeting in Washington might affect New York’s education funding, citing a memo from the state school boards association warning that “there could be significant cuts to New York’s federal aid and impact the state budget.”
Declining enrollment also looms over the district’s future. A January report by Assistant Superintendent Monica LaClair showed a drop from 1,325 students in 2015 to 1,041 in 2025—a 21.4% decrease. Projections show enrollment falling another 6.1% by 2029, down to 978 students.
Also at this week’s meeting, McLaren announced a new $25,000 operational grant from Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha’s office. The funds will be used to purchase student workbooks across subjects and to support program expenses for Onteora’s on-site professional development day.
