Tuxedo students speak out on upcoming referendum

‘Think about us, and not the money’, By Nancy Kriz TUXEDO — As residents in the Greenwood Lake and Warwick school districts go to the voting booths Dec. 12 to cast their ballots on the proposal to phase-in sending Greenwood Lake students to Warwick next year, there’s one collective voice wanting to make sure it’s loudly heard prior to the election: The students attending George F. Baker High School in the Tuxedo School District. And that combined voice is resolute in its belief that residents in both districts should vote “no.” A group of students, representing the 80 percent of students who said in a recent school survey they don’t want to change schools, met with The Warwick Advertiser this week to talk about their concerns regarding the Dec. 12 referendum. If the referendum passes in both districts, current Greenwood Lake 8th graders would attend Warwick next fall. Current Greenwood Lake 9th-graders would be required to make an irrevocable choice of attending either Baker or Warwick. Current Greenwood Lake 10th- or 11th-graders would remain at Baker, assuming an agreement is struck by the Tuxedo and Greenwood Lake school districts to keep those students at Baker and the Baker program is viable and able to run. Baker High would lose about 80 percent of its student body. Opponents of the referendum say that would have a catastrophic effect on the Tuxedo district. Proponents say there is space at Warwick to welcome Greenwood Lake students. They say the increased funding from the Greenwood Lake School District, if its students transfer there, will help the Warwick district to hire new teachers and add electives to the curriculum, thereby benefiting everyone and making the school an even stronger one. A big part of this mix is the multitude of opinions for and against the referendum, along with its related complex issues and concerns, voiced by school officials and parents in the three school districts. But students are saying they’re feeling left out in this process. Now, these students are speaking out to voters in both school districts. (Residents in the Tuxedo School District are not eligible to vote). With only a few days left until Wednesday’s vote, they’re hoping voters will hear their pleas to maintain the status quo. More importantly, the kids are hoping they’ll understand the reasons why. “Until now, no one has really asked us what we thought,” said Greenwood Lake resident Christina Kershaw, a sophomore. “We don’t have a voice. No one has asked us our opinions on this. All they do is ask the parents. This decision is going to affect us.” These students have no bad feelings against Warwick Valley High School, its students and faculty, they said, but the possibility of transferring to that school is something they’re dead set against. “We’re like a huge family,” said Greenwood Lake resident Jamie Veth, a junior at Baker. “This would be like a divorce. And divorces are never good for families. You can’t split up something that has been together for so long.” Dan Nusinov, a junior and Greenwood Lake resident, said students have been preoccupied with this issue. “We talk about this in the hallways,” he said. “I have not met one single person who wants to go to Warwick. No one wants to go.” School officials stressed they have purposely not engaged students in conversations about the referendum because the district’s first priority is their education. But these students are aware of the politics and media coverage surrounding the upcoming vote. They understand the economics associated with the proposal, and know it will cost taxpayers significantly less than the $12,500 per student Greenwood Lake currently pays Tuxedo if students transfer to Warwick. Even though they’re not old enough to vote, they stress it shouldn’t be about money. “Think about what your kids want, not just the economics,” said Tessa Schmidt, a sophomore and Greenwood Lake resident. “Think about us, and not the money. This school could be the best future for us.” This small school atmosphere, students contend, offers everything the larger area high schools have with two distinct and critical advantages: smaller class sizes along with closer and more personal relationships with teachers. This, they said, fosters greater academic excellence, opportunities beyond what can take place in larger schools. They noted they have the ability to participate and excel in music and the arts, which they believe would be more difficult in a large school environment. The kids know their school situation is a rarity, and they want to hold onto it. “When people look at colleges, the colleges always boast about their small class sizes and how that helps their students,” said Tara Tomasovich, a Tuxedo resident and senior who will be attending SUNY Albany next fall. “Why shouldn’t that apply to high schools?” Participation in sports is also factor. “I may be athletic, but I’m not that good,” said Kershaw, who has served as a junior varsity captain at Baker. “But here, I have more opportunities to get better. ” She felt if she were at Warwick, she’d get lost among mediocre athletes and never get a chance to participate in the sports she does now. Students are also concerned about their teachers and students living in Tuxedo who will be left behind. “We have such a good relationship with our teachers,” said sophomore and Tuxedo resident Stephanie Goldberg. “What will happen with our teachers? What will happen with those of us in Tuxedo?” They’re also troubled about the social issues they feel will surface with this proposed change. They spoke of dealing with cliques, bullies and not fitting in, and emphasized the unique camaraderie that exists at Baker. “If you graduate from here, you know your own class,” said Greg Hart, a freshman and Greenwood Lake resident. “Good relationships and good friendships help in school.” Tomasovich felt even stronger. “The more comfortable you are,” she said, “the more you will flourish. Warwick is a ‘generalized’ education. At Tuxedo, you’ll get a ‘personalized’ education.” Veth endorsed their feelings. “Tuxedo is not a high school; it’s a family,” she said. “We know what we have here. I’d rather stay here and strive. I love walking through these hallways. This is my future.” Like her fellow students, Kershaw hoped residents in both districts would vote against the referendum. “It’s weird,” she added. “We’re teenagers. We shouldn’t want to come to school, but we do. I don’t think they understand how much we love this school. A lot of people think a bigger school gives you more opportunities, but that’s not always the case.”