As Onteora Central School District officials begin to discuss how staff will be divided among the new grade configuration changes for the 2012/2013 school year, trustees approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that gives senior teachers a window of retirement incentives. Such a measure, it is hoped, will prevent massive layoffs. The incentive provides a boost of $26,000 to teachers who worked beyond their eligibility of retirement and lifts penalties for teachers who are coming upon eligibility. Teachers will have until March 14 to take the incentive “and based on that, we are hopefully going to positively impact the budget by being able to reduce the amount of people that might require unemployment,” said district superintendent Dr. Phyllis Spiegel-McGill. She said that the district is in similar discussions with the Onteora Non-teachers Association. “We may want to open that up to people who have either passed (retirement) eligibility and also who may experience a penalty, but are getting ready to retire,” McGill said. “The other piece that I want the board to discuss is if we want to offer $7500 or if you think we should be looking at a little bit more, or where we should be in terms of coming into an MOA.”
The new configuration calls for two Kindergarten-through-three schools on each end of the district, at Phoenicia and Woodstock Elementary Schools, while Bennett Elementary at the Boiceville site will become an intermediate school housing grades-four-through-six. As a result 28.5 employee cuts are projected — a number that may fluctuate, according to the superintendent. McGill said in order for Bennett to retain its third grade for the one year, a part of the plan designed to keep young students from having to switch schools in consecutive years, it may need an additional teacher. Also, to date there are 97 incoming Kindergarten children for the fall of 2012. McGill said Woodstock will most likely get three kindergarten classrooms and Phoenicia Elementary will house two. An outlined budget will be presented at the next board of education meeting on March 20 at Woodstock Elementary.
Board trustees discussed what action to take, if any, on the West Hurley school buildings. McGill recommended an updated appraisal on market value, including ones on the other school buildings in the district. Trustee Rob Kurnit said the town of Hurley has the property assessed at $3.9 million. However, he said, in 2008 the Pyramid group assessed the market value of the property between $650,000 and $750,000. Trustee Tony Fletcher said, “So the Hurley assessment and the realtor’s assessment appears to be very different.” The board agreed that an updated valuation was necessary.
Kurnit listed a few possible problems with restricted zoning and the bond for the roof that is not completely paid for. Assistant Superintendent Victoria McLaren said it’s zoned for school. Fletcher asked, “What does that mean if we were to put the building on the market?”
“I believe we would need to speak to the Hurley zoning board,” McLaren said.
Kurnit said, “It also has an overall residential zone. So if you wanted to put in a home for the aged there perhaps it would be feasible, but that is what we need to find out.”
Trustee Tom Hickey said, “Generally, the whole area is zoned residential then you have an exemption for the school…so whoever would want to use it would have to apply for a variance depending on what they would want to use it for.”
Fletcher was concerned that the playground equipment was a liability. McLaren said, they have posted signs, “but ultimately it’s our responsibility.” Trustees will tour the facilities and look into equipment removal.
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