Dear Editor,
It’s springtime and once again the season to select school board candidates
who will best represent the children and taxpayers of the Onteora School
District. The current school board has made some big changes with the
reconfiguration of our school district. At first I was apprehensive about
the reconfiguration, and thought it best to close a school to solve our
fiscal challenges, but closer examination of the plan has changed my
thoughts considerably.
In the fall we will have a new configuration plan with grades K-3 in
Woodstock and Phoenicia and grades 4-6 at Bennett in Boiceville. This plan
presents exciting new educational opportunities for students as well as
cost-saving flexibility in staffing and curriculum for the administration.
It is a plan that will move Onteora forward towards its goal of academic
excellence and fiscal responsibility. The decision to reconfigure was based
not only on the recommendations of our superintendent and other educational
professionals, but also on research and extensive input from the public. It
was a complex decision that none of the board members took lightly. Nearly
every Onteora school board in the last twenty years has considered a
reconfiguration plan, so I must commend the current board for demonstrating
the leadership and political will necessary to further advance the
district’s educational and fiscal goals.
Laurie Osmond and Tony Fletcher are the incumbents running for
re-election. They have served our district well by keeping taxes low and
the education of the district’s children squarely at the center of their
attention. Onteora faces upcoming contract negotiation, a 2 percent budget
cap, increased state and federal mandates and ongoing infrastructure
needs. These challenges require experienced board members with demonstrated
dedication to solving complex problems.
The Onteora School District has seen too many contentious issues divide us
in the last decade. Now is NOT the time for a change in the direction of the
school board. Now is the time for stability and cohesiveness. Now is the
time for experience and accountability. Now is the time for the leadership
and courage so clearly demonstrated by our current board. Let’s re-elect
Laurie Osmond and Tony Fletcher to the Onteora School Board. Please give
them your vote on Tuesday, May 15th from 2pm to 9pm at your local elementary
school.
Jim Sofranko
West Shokan, NY
