Grade 4 Board of Education Committee
In 2024, community members in the Rondout Valley Central School District (RVCSD) began advocating for the reintegration of Grade 4 into the elementary school buildings. In response, the Board of Education established a Grade 4 Committee with the charge of gathering data and exploring all potential options for moving forward. The committee is facilitated by Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services Meg Braren, and consists of parents, community members, teachers, faculty, staff, and administration. The committee’s work is currently in its preliminary stages, and any decision made by the Board of Education will not take effect during the 2025–2026 school year.
A Brief History
A community survey that was conducted in June 2024 revealed that 77% of respondents support moving Grade 4 back into the elementary school buildings.
Grade 4 students were first brought to the Intermediate School on the RVCSD main campus in 2012, following the closure of Rosendale Elementary School. Grade 4 students share bus transportation with students in Grades 5-12, and a building with students in Grades 5-8. While students in Grades 7 and 8 are primarily located in the Junior High School on the upper floor, several common spaces throughout the building are shared by the entire student body.
Next Steps
The Grade 4 Committee initially focused its exploration on facilities and quickly determined that neither Kerhonkson nor Marbletown Elementary School (which are both currently Kindergarten through Grade 3 schools) have adequate classroom space to house Grade 4.
The next phase of discussion is focusing on the the possibility of the following reconfiguration for RVCSD: Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 1 at Kerhonkson Elementary School; Grade 2 through Grade 4 at Marbletown Elementary School; Grade 5 through Grade 8 at the current Intermediate/Junior High School, which would change to a Middle School; and keeping Grade 9 through Grade 12 at the High School.
A second community survey will be conducted in January to gather input from stakeholders and guide the next phase of exploration. Details on this survey will be shared soon.
The Grade 4 Committee meetings are held monthly at the District Office, which is located at 122 Kyserike Road, Accord. The meetings run from 4:30 to 6:00 PM and are open to the public. The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 15, to discuss transportation, followed by another meeting on Wednesday, February 19, to review survey results. Committee members will present their findings to the Board of Education during its monthly meeting on March 11.