POLAND — The Board of Education has decided how to proceed regarding the future of the school district.

At its meeting last week, the board seemed to favor a four-school, two-campus model using existing buildings.

“We are not going after a new building,” Poland Superintendent Craig Hockenberry said.

Board President Dr. Laurent Dinopoulos told the board members a definite plan was needed and said once a direction was set, the specifics of how to get there could be discussed.

“We need a facilities plan,” he said. “My goal tonight is to come up with a plan.”

He went around the table and had each board member weigh in on what each thought the plan should be.

Board member Greg Riddle said he was OK with the two-campus / four-school idea. That proposed plan involves taking McKinley Elementary School and Poland Middle School and making them into an elementary and an intermediate school. The high school would house the middle school, separated from the high school. The board offices would remain at Dobbins. North and Union schools would not be part of the plan.

“I’m OK with the two-campus model,” said board member Larry Warren. “Our priorities need to be in order and I would like to hear more from the staff.”

Board members Jeff Sabrin and Michelle Elia both seemed to be on board with the two-campus model as well.

Riddle mentioned the present middle school on College Street has a capacity for 728 students, but only 420 attend there now.

“There are a lot of open spaces, but it needs to be renovated (to meet the standards),” Dinopoulos said. “The space is there.”

Hockenberry said he is hearing the community favors the two-campus / four-school model. That model would have a kindergarten through fourth-grade elementary school and a fifth-grade through sixth-grade intermediate school at the present McKinley / PMS building. The high school would feature a school within a school with a seventh- and eighth-grade middle school separated from the high school, but in the same building.

Dinopoulos said the district needs an architect to create a blueprint, so a cost can be established. What those plans would entail are still up in the air. To get a better understanding of the space and what will be needed, the 6 p.m. Feb. 7 work session will be moved from the board office to the connector at McKinley and PMS. That session will begin with a tour of the open areas of Poland Middle School to see what could be done and what needs to be done. The public is invited to come on the tour.

Traffic is another problem at the College Street building.

“Traffic issues need to be addressed,” Dinopoulos said. “We can consider space on Cortland or different dismissal times.”

Hockenberry said 472 kids are getting picked up, and all of the buses are filled when they leave the school, but the 472 vehicles cause the congestion.

As for North and Union, Hockenberry said there is an unofficial timeline of around 12 to 14 months for deciding what to do with the two unused buildings. A committee will be formed to deal with the issue.

Some interest has come forth as the Poland Village Police Department is looking into a substation, and Junior Achievement is showing interest in one of the schools.

Dinopoulos said the district is spending $50,000 per year on North, but if it can be leased and used, then it would be worth saving.

Riddle said, “I would like to see North used for our female athletes. It could also serve as a senior center. I just want to preserve a $10 million building.”