OXFORD – Will Oxford Academy’s historic middle school remain an educational facility? That is the question following an Oxford Academy and Central School board of education workshop held Monday night.

Representatives from the Bernier Carr Group, the architectural consultants whose services were retained by the district in May 2007, updated the board members and administrators present at the meeting on three options for a proposed capital project.

According to a presentation by Bernard Brown, Jr., CEO of Bernier Carr, the Middle School building on Oxford’s Fort Hill Park would continue to serve in an educational capacity in two of these options.

In the third, the historic structure would see one of its wings demolished and be converted for use as a bus garage and storage facility. An addition would be added to the Primary/High School facility to house Grades 5-8, consolidating all of the district’s students on one central campus, across town on South Washington Street.

On Sept. 18, Brown met with two representatives from the New York State Education Department. Accompanying him to the meeting in Albany were Superintendent Randy Squier, High School Principal Christine Pierce, School Board President Robin DeBrita, School Board Member Gene Rood and Pam Beyor, chair of the board for Bernier Carr.

Brown reported that SED was in support of the consolidated campus option and that the conversion of the middle school for “adaptive reuse,” including the demolition of the wing added in 1952, would be supported by state aid particularly if that use involved a municipal shared service agreement.

“They were certainly in support of keeping the Academy in some form,” said Brown.

While Squier has approached both the Town and Village of Oxford about the possibility of shared services, any such agreement is still early in the discussion phase.

“As far as the village is concerned, we will continue to listen to any suggestions from the school regarding a shared service for vehicle storage, but we are not interested in [using the building for] village administrative offices,” said Mayor Terry Stark. “We are committed to preserving the historical bank building and are seeking ways to better utilize the bank building.”

Lawrence Wilcox, Oxford’s town supervisor, said his initial reaction to the proposal was not positive. “I don’t see off hand how it could possibly help us,” said Wilcox at the Oct. 8 town board meeting where Squier’s letter was read. The town board did agree to look into the proposal further after that meeting, but according to Town Clerk Jim Hemstrought, no determination had been reached.

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