Candidates for the May 16 Onteora school board election air their views -
(From Hudson Valley One) The Onteora Central School District’s trustees last week voted 6-1 to close Phoenicia Elementary School at the end of the 2023-24 school year, as well as approving an eventual central campus in Boiceville that would house all students in grades k-12 by 2028. The decision comes in the wake of a rapid decline in student population of around 1000 students over the past decade. Many expect the eventual closure of Woodstock Elementary School as well.
Despite near-unanimous approval by the school board, the decisions — and their inclusion on the May 2 agenda just hours before the meeting — have proven controversial in the community, with some criticizing trustees for a lack of transparency.
Three incumbents who voted in favor of both the closure and central campus, board president Emily Sherry, and trustees David Wallis and Kristy Taylor, are running for reelection. A community advocacy group called Onteora Parents Engaged Now (OPEN) has asked local residents to vote for two official challengers, Clark Goodrich and Emily Mitchell-Marell, along with Caroline Jerome as a write-in.
Each of the five candidates on the ballot were asked to share their thoughts about the closure of Phoenicia Elementary School and the concept of the central campus concept. They appear in the same order as they will on the ballot on Tuesday, May 16. Although she is not on the ballot, we included the views of OPEN’s write-in candidate last.
Emily Sherry (incumbent, board president)
What are your thoughts on the Phoenicia Elementary closure?
I’m very sad that Phoenicia will close. It was an incredibly difficult decision.