The merger of two elementary schools in the Irvington School District may have been put on the back burner for next year, but a consolidation plan in the Tarrytown School District remains front and center.

A detailed committee report on the pros and cons of closing either Tappan Hill or John Paulding elementary schools, a decision that would have a ripple effect on Morse and Washington Irving schools, was presented to the Tarrytown Board of Education in February.

The report stated closing either school and eliminating some positions would save approximately $350,000 the first year and $450,000 annually thereafter.

Some of the major concerns of the proposal include the capability of Morse School and its grounds in accommodating first graders as compared with John Paulding, and the implications of tight quarters at Washington Irving due to the addition of the third grade.

The plan is scheduled to be discussed by the Board of Education March 18 at a public hearing/work session. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Howard Smith said a final decision must be made by April 15 when the budget that will be presented to voters in May will be adopted.

Meanwhile, Irvington Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathleen Matusiak made it official at the end of January that any decision on possibly merging Dows Lane and Main Street schools would be taken “off the table” for the 2010-11 school year.

“I feel strongly that we need to give ourselves the gift of time and not rush into a merger in 2010-11,” Matusiak stated. “It behooves us to take the time to carefully analyze all of our options and to make a decision that will serve our students well while also balancing the need to reduce the ever increasing taxpayers’ burden.”

Matusiak recommended approximately $20,000 be included in the 2010-11 budget to cover the cost of a districtwide space configuration/utilization study. A committee would also be formed this spring to begin the process.

In addition, on March 2, from 7 to 9 p.m., at meeting at Dows Lane will be held to discuss the number of administrators in the district, what their roles are and how they impact teaching and learning.