OSWEGO – After several weeks of anticipation and worry, Oswego residents attending Tuesday’s Oswego City School District Board of Education meeting broke into a round of applause; the board voting against a measure that would have ultimately closed and repurposed Frederick Leighton Elementary School in the city of Oswego.
Discussion of repurposing the building came about as the school examined potential ways of absorbing rising costs within the district through a four-part outside study done over the summer.
According to OCSD Superintendent Dr. Mathis Calvin III, information taken from the analysis included reviews of the aged building along with lower enrollment data and other relevant information over the last 20 years.
The study also went on to suggest ways to restructure within the district for the best cost effective outcome. According to Calvin, this isn’t the first time reorganization conversations have been had; certain board members also stating the same topic would have to be revisited again in the future.
During the superintendent’s report, Calvin outlined detailed information from this newest report, including 13 other reports done over a 20 year timeline. Calvin pointed out suggested enrollment outcomes for the year 2023 from ten years prior, having shown further decline in numbers that what was previously expected.
Carefully pouring over information in a PowerPoint presentation, Calvin reiterated the good and bad news found in the comprehensive study, offering his own analysis of where the district might want to go.
“I just want to be clear – I enjoy working here at Oswego City School District. I am not here to cause any trouble or cause any problems with our folks. I do have to share information, and it may not make everyone happy. But I have to share information and make sure people know what’s going on here,” Calvin said. “We are in a challenging time, right? Everything’s costing more to do, costs are going up, we’re trying to make our program as robust as we can, and cost is just going up.”
However, the pending decision came under intense scrutiny from the public Tuesday night, with the OHS lunch room filled to capacity as Oswego residents voiced their objections to repurposing the school.
Oswego Classroom Teachers Association Representative Jennifer Cahill spoke on behalf of their 186 member group, urging the board to not repurpose Frederick Leighton; addressing the measure as an “untimely thing put to a vote.”
“I respectfully ask that you do what you feel is best for the students this evening and reject this proposal. The time is not right to relocate our students,” Cahill said.
Board member Pamela Dowd laid out several reasons why she wasn’t in support of repurposing Leighton Elementary, saying “it wasn’t the right time.”
Dowd reminded everyone of the emotional, physical, mental and financial impact the pandemic shutdown had on students, parents/caregivers, teachers, personnel and the district as a whole; while also pointing out that most barriers that can be easily overcome.
“On this subject; just a little tidbit – last year, the Oswego High School Valedictorian – Leighton alumni. The year before that, Valedictorian, Salutatorian – Leighton alumni,” Dowd said. “None of our buildings in this district are just a building. Every different elementary [school], the middle school and the high school – they all are families of their own. And I for one will not disrupt that.”
Board Vice-President Tom Ciappa said he didn’t think the situation was a win-lose position; thanking board members and the community for their work in bringing change to affect the future of OCSD students.
“I don’t think this is a win-lose; I look at it as an opportunity, but I also look at it in terms of the context of the whole. Every school as Pam said is a community. You’re a community and I appreciate everything you do. You’re here because you care. We’re here because we care. Every one of these people are here because we care. We all want the same outcome. How we get there is important,” Ciappa said.
After much discussion throughout the evening, the Board voted against repurposing Frederick Leighton Elementary School by a margin of 6/1. All items on the agenda were unanimously approved.
To view Tuesday’s agenda, please click here. All OCSD Board of Education meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of every month, the next meeting will be held on Dec. 6 at 5:00 p.m.
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