A Message from the Board about Inaccurate Information Circulating

As our December 10 Capital Project vote approaches, the Onteora Board of Education feels compelled to clear up some inaccuracies recently published in news media and restate its commitment to providing every voter with the information they need to participate in making this very important community decision.

Although we will not comment directly on legal proceedings, we must refute misleading statements that introduce fear or create confusion.

Your vote matters on December 10. A request made to the New York State Education Department by two citizens to halt voting on our Capital Project was denied, and the vote will proceed at the Middle/High School in Boiceville. Participation is vital as our voters decide Onteora’s future.    

It is essential to remember this is not a vote to create a central campus—that decision was already unanimously made by elected members of the Board of Education (not the Superintendent) on October 21. We have been consistently transparent and painstakingly clear that all students will be on the Boiceville Campus in September 2028. Supported by solid facts and purposeful plans, Onteora is moving to a Central Campus in 2028 whether the Propositions pass or fail. 

Proposition 1 supports the desire for Grade 5 to become a part of the Elementary School. If not passed, Grade 5 will join the students next door in the Middle/High School building. 

Hours of difficult and emotional discussions informed by enrollment data, fiscal realities, construction estimates, and advice from our external financial experts occurred over many months and are chronicled in our Board meeting recordings that are available on our website. The District cannot spend more than voters approve, and construction estimates already account for market fluctuations and include contingencies.

A nearly three-year timeline for consolidation in Boiceville was developed to support the transition to a Central Campus. Educationally, much planning has to be done and it cannot be rushed, and this timeline allows our educators and administrators the time necessary to plan. 

If the Propositions are approved, this timeline also supports the specific steps that are necessary for executing a project, which include a design phase, submission of plans to the New York State Education Department for approval, and conducting a competitive bidding process. These steps must occur before construction can begin, and implying that building alterations would be rushed to bypass this process is false.   

The Board hopes for a large and informed turnout in this Capital Project Vote. To that end, we widely publicized the ease of voting by mail and distributed Early Mail Ballot applications; established a special ballot drop box at Woodstock Elementary; and expanded in-person poll times at a central, ADA-accessible location with ample parking and inside space for voters to wait their turn to vote. As a reminder:

• In-person voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, December 10, at the Wrestling Room of Onteora Middle/High School.
• Early Mail Ballots should be received in the Central Administration Office in Boiceville or in the special drop box at Woodstock Elementary School by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10.

We understand this situation brings up strong emotions, but we owe it to our students to be clear-eyed. A vote that so affects their futures should be an accurately informed one.

 

Respectfully,

The Onteora Board of Education