The Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Board of Education will act on the future of the Unadilla attendance center Thursday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Syracuse elementary lunchroom.
Monday, Jan. 18, the board continued discussing options for the facility. Two patrons spoke on the issue.
Janet Harder told the board that she was happy that the Monday, Jan. 4, hearing was well-attended. She appreciated the board’s attention to the issue. Harder asked when and how the board would answer questions that were raised.
Regarding transportation issues to Unadilla and for preschool, Harder said that the board has supported transportation for athletic activities, which provide an indirect benefit. She said that preschool provided a direct benefit for the first years of a child’s education.
Chuck Porter told the board that he appreciated the attention given at the Jan. 4 hearing. He called attention to a letter from Mary Robison. School officials were urged to guard against an “us versus them” situation; that Unadilla youth have attended high school at Syracuse since 1958 and that the Unadilla facility was an asset for the S-D-A district and needed to be utilized.
Board members expressed thoughts on the issue.
Andy Burr, board president, thanked all patrons who sent information by various means.
“It did not go unnoticed. It was well appreciated,” Burr said.
He said the school board was considering the future of the Unadilla building basically because of enrollment. Kindergarten through third grade enrollment has declined since 2006, when it was 31 students. It was 29 in 2007, 22 in 2008, 15 in 2009, and projected to be eight to 12 for 2010.
Burr said that he would like district officials to retain ownership of the building.
“We’ve got a tough decision ahead of us,” Burr said.
Dean Neels, board vice president, said that there were benefits to prekindergarten. Prekindergarten was among the options being considered for the Unadilla facility.
Neels suggested that pre-kindergarten be at Unadilla, and that school officials consider possibly future all-day preschool or a combination use of the building.
Tyler Crownover said that the best interest is to have some form of all-day classes at the Unadilla building. He said that placing all pre-kindergarteners and kindergarteners would increase the numbers at Unadilla. That would also take congestion out of the Syracuse elementary building and open up opportunities, he said.
Crownover said that his thought of progress was to move children from an older into a newer facility.
“(The) Unadilla (building) is a good set up for young children. It’s an up-to-date facility. It’s perfect for smaller children,” Crownover said.
Efficiency and numbers are the major issues in keeping the Unadilla building open as a school, Crownover.
He said that he had heard concerns about busing, but he said that it was only five minutes from Syracuse to Unadilla. Crownover said that it would be a waste to close the Unadilla building. The building might save district officials money, he said.
Gary Kuenning said that whatever the board decided, the community had to be involved.
Numbers and economics are the major issues, and how the board can be the most efficient for the school district, Kuenning said.
Greg Mueller said that, in 2007, when the bond issue for the new middle school was approved, the goal was to keep both the Syracuse and Unadilla buildings operating as elementary schools.
Major issues since 2007, Mueller said, are concerns about enrollment numbers and implementation of a new reading program, which is more in-depth and involves a lot of testing.
Mueller said that the Unadilla building was a nice facility, there was community pride involved and a lot of volunteer labor was put into the planning. He said that a vacant building was not good for the community. Mueller said that there was some interest in the facility as a community building. He said that it is important that the library stayed in place. The Unadilla Community Library is open most Tuesdays from 5-6:30 p.m.
With fourth and fifth grades being removed from the Syracuse elementary building, a lot of thoughts have been considered about plans for the Syracuse elementary building. Nothing has been decided, school officials said.
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The Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Board of Education will act on the future of the Unadilla attendance center Thursday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Syracuse elementary lunchroom.
Monday, Jan. 18, the board continued discussing options for the facility. Two patrons spoke on the issue.
Janet Harder told the board that she was happy that the Monday, Jan. 4, hearing was well-attended. She appreciated the board’s attention to the issue. Harder asked when and how the board would answer questions that were raised.
Regarding transportation issues to Unadilla and for preschool, Harder said that the board has supported transportation for athletic activities, which provide an indirect benefit. She said that preschool provided a direct benefit for the first years of a child’s education.
Chuck Porter told the board that he appreciated the attention given at the Jan. 4 hearing. He called attention to a letter from Mary Robison. School officials were urged to guard against an “us versus them” situation; that Unadilla youth have attended high school at Syracuse since 1958 and that the Unadilla facility was an asset for the S-D-A district and needed to be utilized.
Board members expressed thoughts on the issue.
Andy Burr, board president, thanked all patrons who sent information by various means.
“It did not go unnoticed. It was well appreciated,” Burr said.
He said the school board was considering the future of the Unadilla building basically because of enrollment. Kindergarten through third grade enrollment has declined since 2006, when it was 31 students. It was 29 in 2007, 22 in 2008, 15 in 2009, and projected to be eight to 12 for 2010.
Burr said that he would like district officials to retain ownership of the building.
“We’ve got a tough decision ahead of us,” Burr said.
Dean Neels, board vice president, said that there were benefits to prekindergarten. Prekindergarten was among the options being considered for the Unadilla facility.
Neels suggested that pre-kindergarten be at Unadilla, and that school officials consider possibly future all-day preschool or a combination use of the building.
Tyler Crownover said that the best interest is to have some form of all-day classes at the Unadilla building. He said that placing all pre-kindergarteners and kindergarteners would increase the numbers at Unadilla. That would also take congestion out of the Syracuse elementary building and open up opportunities, he said.
Crownover said that his thought of progress was to move children from an older into a newer facility.
“(The) Unadilla (building) is a good set up for young children. It’s an up-to-date facility. It’s perfect for smaller children,” Crownover said.
Efficiency and numbers are the major issues in keeping the Unadilla building open as a school, Crownover.
He said that he had heard concerns about busing, but he said that it was only five minutes from Syracuse to Unadilla. Crownover said that it would be a waste to close the Unadilla building. The building might save district officials money, he said.
Gary Kuenning said that whatever the board decided, the community had to be involved.
Numbers and economics are the major issues, and how the board can be the most efficient for the school district, Kuenning said.
Greg Mueller said that, in 2007, when the bond issue for the new middle school was approved, the goal was to keep both the Syracuse and Unadilla buildings operating as elementary schools.
Major issues since 2007, Mueller said, are concerns about enrollment numbers and implementation of a new reading program, which is more in-depth and involves a lot of testing.
Mueller said that the Unadilla building was a nice facility, there was community pride involved and a lot of volunteer labor was put into the planning. He said that a vacant building was not good for the community. Mueller said that there was some interest in the facility as a community building. He said that it is important that the library stayed in place. The Unadilla Community Library is open most Tuesdays from 5-6:30 p.m.
With fourth and fifth grades being removed from the Syracuse elementary building, a lot of thoughts have been considered about plans for the Syracuse elementary building. Nothing has been decided, school officials said.
