Yesterday, students of the last kindergarten class of Congers Elementary before it was closed gathered for a class photo with their former teachers and teacher assistants.

Former Congers Elementary school teachers and teaching assistants

The photo was taken to be included in their respective 5th grade yearbooks. These students were able to attend Congers Elementary school for one year before being split apart. They were then split between new city and Lakewood elementary schools depending on neighborhoods. The school has a long history, even with some famous alumni such as Hayden Panettiere – American actress and singer.

The close-knit Congers community persevered through the closing of their beloved community school that had been open since the 1920’s. The Clarkstown School Board voted to keep the school closed after planned renovations due to “declining enrollment” in 2015. Starting in September, the students will all be attending Felix Festa Middle School (FFMS) in West Nyack.

Parents Allison Savoury and Laurie Santulli, along with former Congers teaching assistant Barbara Mihalczo organized the gathering.

HISTORY

Photo credit John V

Abraham B. Conger donated the land on which the first Congers public school was built in 1879. The Congers School opened in 1928 as a high school. Students came from as far away as West Nyack and Tappan, often traveling by train to the Congers Station. After the building of Clarkstown Junior – Senior High School (later named Clarkstown North), the building transitioned to an Elementary School. Since 1957, all grades K -6 attended the school.