The Teachers Association of Sag Harbor has thrown its support behind the potential joint school-and-town purchase of five lots on Marsden Street for an athletic field near Pierson Middle and High School, citing the academic benefits the plan would bring.
Two Southampton Town officials recently told The Star that the town's offer of $6 million from the community preservation fund toward the purchase of the land was being reviewed again, despite the town having made the offer in writing in June. That offer led the Sag Harbor School District to then spend thousands of dollars on legal fees, an appraisal, and voting expenses for the Nov. 3 community vote, in which residents ultimately favored the athletic field, 638 to 521.
The teachers association announcement came Monday night, just as the Southampton Town Board gets ready to hear letters about the Marsden Street purchase — among which could be an update from the community preservation department — during its meeting on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
"A vote against the use of the community preservation fund by the town council could have an adverse impact on the education of students in the Sag Harbor community," the association said.
The group's president, Anthony Chase Mallia, a math and special education teacher at Pierson, acknowledged that "stakeholders have raised some valid environmental concerns that need to be addressed," but added that "we feel that a compromise exists that can secure this very important resource for the kids. Many are well aware of the lack of athletic fields at Pierson, but the impact this is having on the education of our students is a serious concern for our teachers."
The single athletic field behind Pierson is shared between physical education classes and lunchtime recess; it has not always been adequate for use by sports teams over the years. Student-athletes mostly rely on fields at Mashashimuet Park, which is a little over one walking mile from the school. This walking time cuts into important extra help sessions for students who may need the support, the teachers association said.
"This is far from ideal and potentially dangerous. . . . Many students who are in need of academic help forgo it in order to change into their uniforms and hurriedly make it to the park on time," the association said. "And because teachers are often coaches, the need to rush to the park can have an impact that extends beyond our student-athletes."
Mr. Mallia pointed out that the teachers association had been pleased to hear about the community preservation fund offer, saying that "schools are the bedrock of a community."
"The sports schedule is having an adverse academic impact on our student-athletes, which is why this Marsden lot vote by the Southampton Town Council is so important," he said in the release. "It is an investment that may not impact as many residents all at once as other uses of C.P.F. funds might, but it will impact some of the community's most important residents for decades to come."
Also Monday, the school district announced that it is moving ahead with outreach efforts to gauge what the community would like to see constructed — or not constructed — on Marsden Street, even though the Southampton Town Board has not yet held the necessary public hearing. The goal, Jeff Nichols, the district superintendent, said, is to "provide an opportunity for district residents to share their views and ideas regarding how to best utilize the Marsden properties."
The first in a series of public forums is planned for Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Pierson library.