Mixed Reactions to Nyack H.S. Closed Campus Policy

The Nyack School Board's recent resolution to institute a closed campus at Nyack High School has left members of the district divided over the decision and the manner in which it was reached.

The Board, by a 5-2 margin at a July 6 meeting, decided the high school will go forward with a closed campus pilot program. The program will last until October and forbid freshman and sophomores from exiting the school during class hours.

Prevailing thought behind the decision was student safety—and the Board noted it needed to implement the policy sooner rather than later.

"The safety and well being of our students is always our number one priority," said Nyack School Board President Michael Lagana. "The time has come to take action on the issue of the open campus for the protection of our students and for helping them focus more intently on their educational opportunities."

Nyack High School was one of the last schools in Rockland County to keep its campus open to its entire student population. But in the hopes of lessening incidents of cutting and other inauspicious behavior displayed by some students, school and district administrators have been considering the notion of a closed campus for some time. Plans gained momentum this March when a committee was formed by school officials to study the possibility in greater depth.

The committee was headed by Nyack High School Principal Joseph Spero, who gave a detailed account of his group's findings at the July 6 meeting. He said studies suggested a closed campus may serve as a deterrent to cutting, foster a greater sense of interaction amongst students and faculty and help prevent any questionable activity from taking place both on and directly off school grounds.

Although no specific security measures have been put into place as of yet, Spero said the school is considering hiring additional security staff, installing cameras, building a security booth at the school's entrance and creating color coded identification cards for freshmen and sophomores.

While Board members and district officials present at the meeting could agree student safety was a priority, debate ensued over the timeframe for which any closed campus initiative should go into effect. Nyack School Superintendent Dr. Valencia Douglas said she is in favor of taking the necessary steps in ensuring the safety of her students—but felt trying to institute a major policy so quickly didn't give concerned parties enough time to establish a full-fledged plan.

Members of the community have been equally divided. Alex Lopukhin, the mother of two children currently attending Nyack High School and the proprietor of Dish Deli, a business located on the campus' grounds, is doubly dismayed by the Board's actions. She said the administrative body made a snap decision without thoroughly studying its impact and failed to receive input from the community.

"This is absolutely unacceptable," she said.

Lopukhin also believes a closed campus will turn students into unnecessary prisoners—there are only a handful of students who cut classes and get into trouble, she said.

"It is pointless to invest time and money into a program that is not a necessity when funds could desperately be utilized elsewhere," she added.

And Lopukin's assessment is not off-base—the project may require considerable money.

"The cost of hiring security to cover over a dozen doors that students have access to could be excessive," said Valley Cottage resident Mark Mangan, a former security guard at Nyack High School.

Not everyone is opposed to the change, however. Coleen Fay, a Valley Cottage resident and the mother of a Nyack High School student, said she is in favor of an open campus, and that it is a good idea to monitor the behavior of underclassmen.

The community will soon have opportunities to learn more about the program. The Nyack School Board will be revisiting the issue at its Tuesday, August 24 meeting at 8 p.m. In addition, the high school will be holding an information session Thursday, August 26 at 7 p.m. Gail Fleur, communications director for the Nyack School District said more concrete plans should be in the works by the time of these two meetings.