OXFORD – An anticipated lack of community support has led Oxford’s school leaders to cross the controversial unified Pre K-12 campus option off the list of potential choices for the district’s “Phase II” capital project. Instead, they have reached a consensus to explore grade reconfiguration within the district’s current buildings.

The discussion took place Monday night during a project planning meeting, which was the first of five board of education workshops scheduled over the next month and a half to chart a course for a building project aimed at addressing the district’s long-term facility needs.

Oxford resident John Weidman, one of four community members asked to participate in the planning process, voiced his opinion of the three options tabled by the school board last year.

“Option 3 will absolutely not pass in this community,” he said, in reference to the option which called for construction of a new addition at the current Primary/High School campus to enable it to house all of the district’s students, rendering the historic Middle School building obsolete. “We need to put something to referendum that is passable.”

Weidman had been prompted to speak by former Johnson City Schools Superintendent Larry Rowe, who facilitated the session at the behest of the board of education and Superintendent Randy Squier.

Speaking from his 15 years of experience as Johnson City’s top administrator, Rowe advised the board and committee that it was essential to have community and staff support in order for any capital project to be successful.