The Onteora Central School District Board of Education voted 7-0 on Tuesday to formally close Woodstock Elementary School at the end of the 2027-2028 school year and gave final approval to place two capital propositions totaling about $42 million before voters on Dec. 10.
In addition to taking decisive action to close Woodstock Elementary, the board emphasized that rejection of Proposition 1 in December will not affect the decision to close the school.
Voters in May soundly rejected a $70 million capital plan, which some observers considered too costly and others believed might help keep Woodstock Elementary open.
“The board believes that district students will be best educated, and the board will be best able to meet its fiscal responsibilities to residents if the district transitions to a K-12 central campus by September 2028,” the resolution states.
In recent weeks, board members had appeared sympathetic to residents seeking to preserve the school, but Tuesday’s meeting marked a shift toward accepting its closure as inevitable.
“This is not what I wanted, but we have to accept reality. It took me years to get here,” said trustee Emily Mitchell-Marell, tearing up as she spoke during Tuesday’s meeting. “The transition will be hard and heartbreaking, but we will come out of this, and I encourage voters to vote for both propositions.”
Board President Cindy Bishop commended her remarks. “That took a lot of courage.”
Trustee Caroline Jerome encouraged strong voter participation. “We want people to vote. We want it to be your choice. We encourage everybody’s voice to be heard.”
Trustee Jenny Jared said the board acted responsibly amid statewide fiscal challenges. “Doing it this way gives us a two-year runway, if Prop 1 is voted down, and it allows us to ask the community to keep K-5 together,” she said.
During public comment, several residents supported the board’s decision. Others voiced concern about voting logistics. Adam Snyder, a Woodstock parent, criticized the plan to open only one polling place for the Dec. 10 vote, calling it “voter suppression.”
District officials said that instead of polling locations at Bennett and Woodstock Elementary Schools, there will be a single site at the Onteora Middle/High School wrestling room in Boiceville, open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Applications for early and absentee voting will be available online and at local libraries, schools and town halls 30 days prior. Completed ballots may be returned by mail or dropped off at Woodstock or Bennett Elementary Schools or the district office.
Leaders from Keep Woodstock Alive (KWA) told The Overlook they are “exploring legal options” regarding the single voting site.
“Closing the Woodstock polling site suppresses the vote in Woodstock, and intent is not the standard; the effect is fewer people able or willing to vote,” said Ed McGeady, a KWA leader.
When voters head to the polls in December, they will decide on:
- Proposition 1: $26.9 million, focused on adding eight classrooms, an art room, and an expanded library at Bennett Elementary, along with infrastructure upgrades. It would be financed through a 15-year bond with annual debt payments of about $2.4 million.
- Proposition 2: $15 million, funded through capital reserves and cash on hand, covering new windows and lighting at Bennett, music room upgrades, renovations to three high school science classrooms and the nurses’ suite, drainage improvements, and resurfacing of the track.
KWA member Tansy Michaud questioned whether the proposed Bennett expansion would accommodate future enrollment.
“Regardless of what side of the Woodstock closure people are on, everyone should be very concerned that the $26 million expansion they are being asked to vote on might not actually be large enough in 2028,” she said.
According to Michaud, enrollment at Woodstock and Bennett totals 440 students—up 15 from last year. “If we continue to add 15 more elementary students per year, the new Bennett will be at or over capacity by the time its doors open in 2028, yet families are being told fifth graders will stay in the elementary building if they vote yes on the bond.”
In response to concerns about capacity at Bennett, Superintendent Victoria McLaren told The Overlook the district typically experiences a significant number of changes around student enrollment during each school year. For example, McLaren said district enrollment at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year was 1,049 students compared to 1,007 for this current school year.
As the district moves toward a December vote and a 2028 consolidation, both supporters and opponents of the closure say they hope residents will stay engaged in shaping what Onteora’s next chapter looks like.
Scott Widmeyer is co-founder of The Overlook. He can be reached at scott@theoverlooknews.com