BALDWINSVILLE -- This may be the last September where young students roam the halls at Van Buren Elementary School. The Baldwinsville Central School District Board decided to delay a vote on closing the school for the 2013-2014 school year.
The board has debated the issue before. They voted against closing the school last February after community members and staff spoke out against the proposal. But Superintendent Jeanne Dangle says the decision was not solely based on the opposition from parents.
"The goal was to keep communities together. Do it early enough so we can spend the year with our staff and administration who are wonderful people and figure out how do we build transition plans," says Dangle.
Kristen Muncy has a long history with the school since both of her sons attended Van Buren.
"It concerns me because there are so many kids that go here and I'm attached to the teachers but I understand a lot of places have to make cutbacks," says Muncy.
Rebecca McClain has been been involved with the proposal from the beginning and still questions whether a closure is a good decision.
"I've been on the feasibility committee and the utilization committee and I'm still not comfortable with it. I understand the decision has to be Van Buren but I'm still not comfortable that's the best decision for our district," says McClain.
The school board says the closure would save the district $1.3 million. The board will vote again on the issue on October 1st.
