By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The Board of Education will revisit the idea of consolidating some of the district’s buildings at their September meeting.

“I would certainly like to see more discussion, positive or negative,” said member Loren Fountain, who also chairs the district’s Finance Committee.

“Where we kind of left it is when we have a full-time superintendent, get another look at it,” board president John Boyce said

Superintendent of Schools Pat Brady released a statement around the time he took office saying he wants to explore the idea.

“There needs to be further discussion and engaging the community to get their input and perspectives before this could be considered,” Brady said last month. “These types of consolidations, particularly when there is a closure of a school, are one of the most important and far-reaching decisions a board can make.”

A consultant hired by the Board of Education to look into building consolidation came back on Oct. 16 with a proposal that would call for closing an elementary school and shuffling around some of the grades.

Although the idea is more of a starting point and not close to anything final, former New York State Rural Schools Association executive director Bruce Fraser suggested putting grades eight through 12 in the high school and five to seven in what is now J.W. Leary Junior High. Grades two to four and kindergarten through two would be in separate elementary buildings.