MILL HALL — With enrollment at the Keystone Central School District having dropped over 400 students in the last five years, the district’s board of directors has requested the superintendent and administration consider how it may conduct a study for staffing requirements.

According to information provided by the administration to the board, the board has directed Superintendent Dr. Francis Redmon and his team to research what methods to utilize for this study.

The goal, according to the information provided is to:

— Study the professional district staffing needs based upon instructional program requirements and student enrollment.

— Determine the minimum professional district staffing needs for the upcoming school year based on the foregoing studies.

— Make recommendations to the board during the February or March 2026 Board Meeting based upon the consideration set forth in the Public School Code, concerning whether any professional or temporary professional employee position should be maintained, added, reduced, or eliminated at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

— If a recommendation is made for elimination or reduction of positions, implement the established procedures through termination of specific temporary professional employees, suspension of specific professional employees, or demotion of specific professional employees, obtaining such approvals from the Department of Education that may be required for the alteration or curtailment of educational program.

— Notify any temporary professional and professional employees who may be affected by the recommendation.

— Consult with and work with the district legal counsel to ensure the correctness and completeness of the process.

During board discussion, Board Member Elisabeth Lynch asked how this process might work and whether or not the district would use a third party company.

“This is giving me permission to conduct a staffing study. So, in the coming weeks, I will provide the board with information for options on what that looks like,” he said, noting it could include hiring a third party service.

He noted there’s a possibility, if the board chooses a third party, it would need to be put out for public bid depending on the cost.

Dr. Bill Baldino, who recently attended a conference with Redmon, noted the pair attended a session about how to involve a consulting service in this process.

The board unanimously approved directing Redmon and the administration to look into methods to consider to perform the study.