After voters in May rejected a $70 million capital spending proposition to redevelop a central school campus in Boiceville and close Woodstock Elementary School, the Onteora Central School District Board of Education continues to wrestle with what to do next.
In the nine weeks since the failed May 20 vote, the board has considered two revised plans: one with a reduced capital budget of $63 million, and another presented on July 22 with a further-reduced price tag of $56 million. This most recent option is split into two propositions. The first would add 10 classrooms to Bennett Elementary to accommodate students from the to-be-closed Woodstock Elementary School, upgrade the high school science lab, and make a range of infrastructure improvements at the Boiceville campus. The second would cover renovations to the middle/high school, improvements to the athletic fields, and further infrastructure upgrades. It eliminates earlier plans for a new student commons.
At this week’s meeting, School Board President Cindy Bishop emphasized that discussions are ongoing.
“We are just talking and sorting things out. We don’t have a plan yet,” Bishop said, adding that she did not think the final number would be $56 million.
Board members raised several concerns and priorities, including:
- Developing a capital plan that reflects recent state and federal budget cuts impacting school funding.
- Creating a modern campus aligned with the state’s revised Portrait of a Graduate, emphasizing academic preparation, innovation, and critical thinking.
- Upgrading the district’s aging electrical system, installing air conditioning in all schools, and exploring the addition of solar panels.
“We need to figure out what is essential. The fiscal outlook has dimmed for our whole state. We do not want to hit a fiscal iceberg,” said board Vice President Rick Knutsen.
He added that the board has a significant responsibility to engage the public in developing plans for a new ballot initiative, particularly given the limited turnout for town halls ahead of the May vote.
Board member Emily Mitchell-Marell urged the board to focus outreach on parents ahead of a future referendum.
“I think parents are much more malleable in switching their votes to yes,” she said. “I don’t want to please people who are unpleasable. I don’t want to pander to them.”
Board member Clark Goodrich acknowledged he once opposed closing Woodstock Elementary but has since changed his position.
“I have been converted to be a central campus supporter. The central campus is what’s best for the student,” he said. Goodrich recommended that outreach efforts target Woodstock voters to build support for a revised proposal.
Following two hours of discussion, the board agreed that each member would now outline their top three or four priorities for a reimagined Boiceville campus. These priorities will be reviewed by the district’s architectural and construction consultants, who will then develop a revised pricing model. Representatives from Schoolhouse Construction Inc. said the process will likely require two to three more board meetings.
The next meeting of the Onteora School Board is scheduled for August 19.
With additional steps now part of the board’s deliberative process, The Overlook reached out to Superintendent Victoria McLaren to ask whether a ballot measure could still be structured for a November 4 vote or whether a delay until later this year—or early 2026—is more likely. McLaren did not respond to a request for comment.
Scott Widmeyer is co-founder of The Overlook. Reach him at scott@theoverlooknews.com.