Additional details shared about a proposed redistricting of Congers Elementary School students for the coming school year led to numerous questions and criticisms from parents at Thursday night's school board meeting.



Clarkstown School Superintendent Dr. J. Thomas Morton explained his recommendation to the school board to reassign Congers students for at least the 2014-2015 school year whether the $6.5 million bond to repair their school was passed or not. He recommended that the district not rent the former St. Augustine's School for a second year and instead divide up the school's 300 students between the Lakewood and New City elementary schools. However, his plan did not include information about where special education students would attend classes. Congers PTA Co-President Irene Lawlor said the plan was short sighted and remedial and looked at the situation short term not long term.

"Ultimately you'll end up killing our community," she said. Lawlor said she did not understand how the superintendent could leave special education students out of his plan, saying their parents needed to know what the future plans might be for their children.

Parent Vicki Gianetti said she was unhappy to hear the words "assume" and "should" in the explanation of the plan. Board member Wendy Adolff also asked about where Congers' two self-contained special education classes would be housed and was told no decision had been made.

Dr. Morton said the proposal would reduce the district budget by more than $1,250,000 because it would eliminate the positions of eight classroom teachers and several arts and music staffers, one principal, one nurse, two custodians, numerous clerical employees, one greeter and an undetermined number of teaching assistants.

Dr. Morton was his plan was based on the assumption that the kindergarten enrollment for September 2014 would be the same as in September 2013.