Scotia‑Glenville board tables decision on Glenwarden Elementary after parents urge more data on special‑education, fences and boundaries

The Scotia‑Glenville Central School District Board of Education on Jan. 26 delayed a decision to close or repurpose Glenwarden Elementary after hours of public testimony and a lengthy board discussion.

The superintendent’s recommendation to close or repurpose Glenwarden was presented as an option to help close an estimated budget gap; a motion to approve that recommendation was made and seconded but ultimately was tabled after a motion to postpone passed by voice vote.

Parents and advocates who addressed the board warned that moving the district’s developmental skills (DS) classrooms could harm students who require sensory rooms, in‑class bathrooms and stable staffing. “I charge you with waiting for all of the facts and full transparency before making a decision,” said Katie Walters, a Glenwarden PTA member and special‑education teacher, who told the board the reimagining subgroup she joined produced no follow‑up data and that meetings were canceled.

Mary Mauriello, a parent, said she had been told that a fence would be installed if DS programs relocate and that the budget includes a $100,000 annual line item that could be used for such projects. She also told the board the district could face out‑of‑district placements costing about “$45,000 per student, per year” if it cannot meet students’ needs.

Board members pressed administrators for multiple scenario analyses: transportation boundary studies for each possible school closure, projected class sizes and staffing impacts, and a timeline for teacher notifications. Several board members said they were not yet comfortable making a final decision without those data. Administrator presentations acknowledged the work would be time‑consuming and likely require principals, transportation staff and consulting tools such as Transfinder to model family‑by‑family placements.

The tabled motion followed continued public calls for clearer timetables and for the board to produce redistricting scenarios that show how student assignments and transit times would change if Lincoln, Glendale, Glenwarden or Sacondaga were closed. Parents and residents urged the board to consider safety features such as fencing, the location of sensory rooms and whether receiving schools could maintain the DS program’s services and staffing.

The board did not record a roll‑call vote on the tabling motion in the meeting minutes; the motion passed by voice vote. The board asked administration to prepare the requested scenario analyses and a concise checklist of the top outstanding questions before the next meeting so trustees can better assess options.

Next steps: The board voted to table the superintendent’s recommendation; administrators were asked to return with boundary and transportation scenarios, staffing and program‑placement plans, and clarifications about facility changes such as fencing and in‑class accommodations.