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Barker residents, staff urge delay on proposed BOCES relocation; board says not the time
Summary
Multiple staff and community speakers said placing BOCES’ Tonawanda Learning Center in Barker buildings would displace students and staff and strain shared spaces; the board and superintendent concluded the district should not pursue the move while capital construction continues.
Mr. Ryan Maurer, a community member and parent, raised the first public concern about a proposed relocation of the BOCES’ Tonawanda Learning Center to district facilities, saying he was troubled by what he described as inconsistent numbers in earlier presentations and worried that “behavior issues could result in a contagious impact on the Barker students.”
Several teachers, a school union leader and residents told the board they share that concern. Mrs. Pavlock, a teacher and district parent, warned the plan could displace four grade levels and eight teachers and limit space for PreK and kindergarten. BTU President Mrs. Phillips said the union gathered staff feedback via a Google form and asked the board to read the roughly 120 essay responses before acting; she said about thirty staff completed the survey.
A written message from resident Bill Wilson, read into the record by a teacher, emphasized taxpayers’ stake and urged conditions if the board moves forward: "If Barker students are better off than they were before the lease agreement" and "Barker students need to come first." The message asked for higher compensation from BOCES, priority access for Barker students to programs, and a pause until construction disruptions settle.
Superintendent Dr. J. Reimer acknowledged staff and public concerns and summarized internal feedback, saying the staff responses and his review suggested caution; as he put it, "the data was pretty clear that this was not the time to undertake this opportunity." Board members including Mr. Atwater and J. Sweeney, Jr. concurred and said the district should stabilize while construction continues. Mr. Atwater said the door remains open for future consideration but that the board would not pursue placement of BOCES during the current construction period.
Why it matters: The proposal would use district-owned classroom and shared spaces during an ongoing capital improvement effort. Speakers urged the board to prioritize current Barker students’ instructional time, ancillary services and staff capacity when evaluating any lease or partnership.
What’s next: Board members indicated the district will not move forward now and will revisit the opportunity only after facilities and staffing pressures ease.
