Despite teacher shortage, RCS thrives

But departure of several staff troubles some

By Angie Hund | Manor Ink

Roscoe, NY – Over the past year, Roscoe Central School has been a topic of discussion time and time again, in relation to its financial situation and its small size. The loss of staff at RCS is no doubt correlated to both the proposed merger with Livingston Manor Central School being rejected and the annual budget being voted down in June.

Both actions devastated many in Roscoe and Livingston Manor who were in favor of the merger, and the rejections panicked Roscoe Central School staff. After the disappointing realization that the districts would not be merging, Roscoe took on the challenge of preserving enough staff to appropriately run the school after several staff members retired. A word one might use to describe how RCS overcame those challenges is “creative.”

With the departure of some veteran faculty members, the RCS administrators underwent trials and tribulations, and ultimately came up with solutions to ensure that Roscoe students continue to get the best education possible.

Tackling new challenges, changes

Following the start of the school year, Manor Ink had the privilege of meeting with Roscoe’s principal, Janice Phillips, to discuss the creative ways RCS has managed to deal with these recent difficulties. The Ink began the interview with the simple open-ended question, “How has Roscoe Central School changed?” Phillips explained that while each school year comes with its own set of challenges and changes, the biggest change for 2023-24 is undeniably Roscoe’s new staff. But she expressed her excitement in seeing the new teachers broaden the students’ educational experience.

“One of the things that comes along with a new staff is a whole new set and variety of skills, backgrounds and experiences that they bring with them into their instruction,” Phillips said. “This year, our new staff has blended well with our current staff.”

A misconception many Roscoe residents may have about the RCS staff is that “everyone left,” meaning that teachers, fearful of budget cuts, have sought employment elsewhere. In actuality, the majority of absent teachers consists of those who retired, not those who moved to other districts. While some teachers did find work in other schools, this happens every year for a multitude of reasons. Phillips said leaving a district to seek work in another isn’t a new occurrence. In fact, teacher comings-and-goings could be looked upon as a positive, because turnover enhances a district’s strength and grants its students new opportunities to learn from different educators.

One positive aspect of the 2023-24 changes that Roscoe students generally agree upon is the school’s new cafeteria staff. This year, Roscoe and Livingston Manor schools share Cafeteria Manager Stephen Rogers, who is responsible for providing school breakfasts and lunches. He’s shared the resources of Manor’s farm-to-table meals with Roscoe and has created nutritionally balanced menus while using locally produced products and overall fresher foods.

“Having Mr. Rogers work in both the Manor cafeteria and ours has been a positive thing for both schools,” said Phillips. “He’s very oriented in state expectations and meal planning.”

Preserving Roscoe’s legacy

Part of Roscoe’s uniqueness is its preservation of tradition and the close-knit nature of the school’s community. Generations of families that have resided in the town take deep pride in being a “Blue Devil,” the moniker sported by RCS teams. But after the rejection of the district merger and the failure of the RCS budget to pass, many in the community hope the resulting changes will enlighten and encourage others to reflect on the general state of the town. Roscoe has always had the advantage of a strong willingness to preserve the legacy that is Roscoe Central School. This is the main reason the school continues to prosper.

Phillips described the relationship between Roscoe and Livingston Manor as both supportive and positive. She stresses Roscoe and Manor staff already work together to provide as many opportunities as possible for all students.

“I think one issue is that both communities have declining enrollments,” she said. “I would like to see the communities revisit the merger because it has a lot to offer for both towns as well as for the students.”

The proposed LMCS and RCS merger would have given Roscoe children numerous additional creative and educational resources, an advantage that would inevitably benefit the community. Regardless of one’s opinion, truthfully, the merger possibility will linger between both towns. This decision has ramifications beyond the basic proposal, the opinions of the administration or the concerns of traditionalist families, and many feel it deserves to be presented to the public once again.