Parents, teachers and students came together in Bridgehampton, Suffolk County, last spring in a shared crusade to preserve educational quality.

On one side was a group determined to close the small, historic high school and parcel out its 60 students to three neighboring districts. They said students would have more opportunities at big neighboring districts and claimed such a move would cut costs.

On the other side was a grassroots coalition of educators, parents and students committed to preserve a community asset that — despite its size — was cost-effective, making academic gains and celebrating diversity.

"This school is our passion," said Ken Giosi, then-president of the Bridgehampton Teachers Association, the teachers' 39-member local union. "Teachers and parents really showed their mettle."

NYSUT's policy as a statewide union supports the concept that played out in Bridgehampton: that communities should be able to choose their own direction for local schools, basing their decisions on what's best for students and the community.

The Bridgehampton School District, with 165 students, is the 27th smallest district in New York state and one of a handful that houses all K-12 grades in a single building.

Despite the affluent label often affixed to Hamptons' addresses on the East End of Long Island, Bridgehampton is no "one-size-fits-all" community.

Many of the residents work in the East End's service economy. In the 2000 census, more than 8.5 percent of the population was under the poverty line, including 19 percent of those younger than 18. The school's mix of approximately equal portions of African-American, Latino and white students reflects the broad spectrum of people who call the beach town home.

When critics sought to close the high school, arguing that students would do better academically and extracurricularly in bigger environments and that the move would save money, the parent-teacher coalition started an information campaign based on the facts:

• Academic success for every Bridgehampton student has become a priority over the past decade.

Student achievement is continually increasing on state tests; at the high school, a vast majority of the students in the 2008 graduating class received a Regents diploma.

Small class sizes mean no one gets lost. "We've always been an underdog," said current Board of Education president Elizabeth Kotz, who is committed to continuing the ongoing progress. "We're not flashy, but we have really good kids."

School principal John Pryor says the academic progress has burnished the school's reputation and is bringing in more out-of-district families to tour the facilities. Seven such students paid the $15,000 tuition last year.

• Pro-school advocates presented a financial analysis that demonstrated sending local high school students to other districts would actually increase the taxes paid by Bridgehampton residents. Those who sought to close the high school had excluded special education and other costs when making claims of cost savings.

The debate over the future of the high school (lower grades were not on the table) played out in the May school vote that included the election of three candidates to the seven-member school board.

Three candidates vowed to work together to close the high school, with one saying students should be relocated "to be with kids who are smarter than you, different from you."

Some school supporters felt closure was being pushed to dismantle a diverse student body. Another candidate for closure said small class sizes at Bridgehampton would make the transition to college overwhelming for students.

For parent activist Kathryn DeGroot, the message cut deeper. "We knew this was going to be a single-issue election — to close the high school or not," DeGroot said. "We didn't like outsiders telling us our schools were not good enough."

A community campaign

The best school board election campaigns are built on several key foundations NYSUT shares with local presidents and participants in its Local Action Project. Those include:

• Parents and educators working together;
• Strong candidates with a track record;
• A fact-based message that resonates with voters;
• Neighbor-to-neighbor outreach; and
• A catchy slogan.

When they all come together, pro-school candidates can win tough races.

Parent-Teacher Organization President Karen Hockstedler coordinated "get out the vote" work. "We knew this was really important to our school and community," she said.

"As the campaign wore on, we were constantly surprised by how many people weren't on the opponents' side," said Johnson. "Not one parent in our school wanted to close the high school."

The parent-teacher coalition needed a winning message to educate and motivate every possible voter. They began wearing buttons that proclaimed, "We love our school: Ask us why."

Nicki Hemby, a parent leader and school board vice president, said hundreds of buttons were distributed, provoking dozens of productive discussions. The campaigners combatted misinformation with fact-based fliers.

The coalition essentially created a community discussion about the strengths of their small, multi-cultural school. "We get an influx of all cultures in the mix because we are so integrated. Parents from other places don't know how great it can be," said Hockstedler.

"Our students got to witness a life lesson. They got to see their parents fight for them and make a difference," said David Holmes, the school librarian and BTA member. The students, Giosi added, "turned out to be amazing ambassadors."

Rather than target specific school board candidates, the BTA believed it was more beneficial to support the pro-school campaign. It ran a newspaper ad with the slogan, "We love our school: Ask us why."

"We made every effort to be present and involved by attending meetings and local activities that provided the opportunity for dialogue," said Giosi. "The teachers confirmed my faith in unity and the quality education we provide our students."

The local also supported a "yes" vote on the school budget.

By the time the polls closed, the slate that wanted to keep a small, cost-effective and high-quality high school open had swept the top spots, with the first three winning seats on the board, and the fourth the next in line if a board member steps down. On top of that, the school budget passed, 325 to 150.

The district clerk said it was the largest voter turnout she had seen in her 17 years of service.

"Now that we have momentum, we have to use it not just to win elections, now we have to use it for other needed school improvements," said Kathryn DeGroot. Hockstedler said the experience reminded her that "if you don't have a voice, then others speak for you."

Helen Wolfe, the new BTA president who has worked at the school for 20 years, understands why the school was so important to preserve. Academic strength, cost-effective education and a "family atmosphere" is why "we love our school," she said. "We hope to be around a long time to help every student succeed."