Oysterponds to again explore forming subcommittee with Greenport
Oysterponds school board members and administrators have expressed interest in forming a subcommittee with members of the Greenport school board to discuss their tuition contract.
At an Oysterponds school board work session last Tuesday, Superintendent Richard Malone said he intends to send Greenport members the agenda for the Jan. 28 Oysterponds-Greenport joint board meeting in advance.
He suggested the Oysterponds board brainstorm discussion items to prepare the agenda and recommended the board prioritize a discussion about the formation of a subcommittee with members from both boards.
“I think that ties into our [2020-2025] strategic planning and our long-range budget plan, so we can come up with some thoughts and ideas on something that’s out there every year,” Mr. Malone said. “I think it’s to their benefit as it is to us, because they can then plan accordingly.”
The superintendent said he believes forming a subcommittee would help both parties better determine tuition each year.
Board vice president Thomas Stevenson said the board has been discussing forming a subcommittee with Greenport since he joined the board. Mr. Stevenson was first elected to the board in 2013.
In 2019, the community approved a $5.8 million budget for the 2019-2020 academic year — roughly 19% of which paid for tuition at Greenport. For several years, Oysterponds has paid the district to send its seventh- through 12th-grade students to the school.
Mr. Malone said Thursday that the joint meetings were started to improve communication between both boards and work together on behalf of the assimilation of Oysterponds students in the Greenport program.
He emphasized that the subcommittee was just a preliminary discussion and no committee has yet been established with the district.
Oysterponds will hold a regular Board of Education meeting Jan. 14. The joint board meeting will be held at Greenport school Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.
