Board of Ed Focusing on Four School Closure Options

Two weeks after the West Islip Study Group unveiled a series of recommendations designed to help the school district find cost savings, the board of education has narrowed the number of options it is considering to four.

At a public meeting Wednesday night at the high school, trustees were officially presented with the Study Group’s recommendations. Each board member received a thick blue binder packed with a variety of information ranging from current and future student head counts, to financial numbers and studies about the impact of school closures on students.

The four recommendations now being considered by the board include three options unveiled at the , which attracted upwards of 500 residents to the high school auditorium, and a new idea put forth on Wednesday. All four options include closing schools.

“The board is keenly aware that this is a difficult time and the closing of a school or schools will be an emotional time for many,” said Steve Gellar, president of the board of education. “But no decisions have been made and no building has been targeted for closure. This process will proceed publicly and thoughtfully.”

During the meeting, the new proposal unveiled by School Superintendent Richard Simon included the closure of one elementary school and one middle school. Five elementary schools would remain, each housing Kindergarten through sixth grade, one middle school would be home to grades seven and eight and the high school for grades nine to 12. If implemented, the cost savings with this option would be between $3 million and $3.6 million.

The other three plans also under consideration by the board of education include:

• Option 2A: Close two elementary buildings; four elementary buildings remain housing Kindergarten through grade 5; two middle schools for grades six to eight; and the high school for grades nine through 12. This plan has an estimated cost savings of between $2.4 million and $3.2 million.

• Option 4: Close one elementary building; five elementary buildings remain housing Kindergarten through grade 5; two middle schools for grades six to eight; and the high school for grades nine through 12. Estimated cost savings of this option is between $1.2 million and $1.6 million.

• Options 5: Close one middle school; six elementary buildings housing Kindergarten through grade 6; one middle school for grades seven and eight; and the high school for grades nine through 12. This plan’s estimated cost savings would be between $1.8 million and $2 million.

A copy of the school closing options developed by the Study Group can be found on the school district's website.

During Wednesday’s meeting, residents were again given an opportunity to speak on the options the board has decided to consider. As with the , some residents spoke against closing one or more elementary schools while others said closing a middle school would be an unfavorable option. The crowd on Wednesday was considerably smaller than that of the meeting two weeks earlier.

The board of education will hold its next meeting Nov. 29 at the high school, when more information to questions asked Wednesday night by trustees will be discussed. The public will again be given an opportunity to offer input.

A BOE meeting on Dec. 8 will be the final chance for West Islip residents to offer their thought on the Study Group and the options the board is weighing.

Gellar said he is hopeful the board will render a final decision on a course of action at its Jan. 12 meeting.