Editor’s note: This statement was provided by the Pelham Board of Education. The Pelham Examiner publishes statements in the form received as a service to the community.
This week, the Board of Education is seeking to finalize the scope of the upcoming capital bond and prepare the propositions for the May ballot. As we prepare for our next meeting this Wednesday, March 19 at 7pm in PMHS Alumni Hall, we wanted to provide you with an update on our work and address some of the questions and concerns that have been raised. We appreciate your continued engagement in this process.
Why a Bond Now?
Over the past 2 years, the Board of Education has been studying all district facilities to ensure that our schools continue to meet the needs of our students and live up to our mission of Inspiring a Standard of Excellence for All Students. Some of the key steps taken include:
- Adoption of the District’s 5-Year Strategic Plan (Adopted June 2024): One of the three driving priorities of this plan, Facilities and Sustainable Learning Environments, focuses on the modernization, expansion, and optimization of our school infrastructure to create a sustainable learning environment.
- Building Conditions Survey & 5-Year Capital Plan (conducted during 2023-24 school year): The Board awarded a contract to conduct this work, which is required by all districts in New York State, in June of 2023. These assessments were conducted during the 2023-24 school year to identify and prioritize our facility needs. Because large scale school projects can take years to plan and receive New York State Education Department approval, holding a bond referendum now allows the District to plan for prioritized infrastructure upgrades of end-of-life or deteriorating systems before they reach a state of failure.
- Enrollment/Demographic Report (Completed March 2024): A demographic study was conducted by an independent professional organization to help predict future enrollment trends. Our architectural firm then used that data to conduct an analysis of our capacity in our schools.
- $65 Million in Bonds Rolling Off (completion of 2026-2027 & 2029-2030 school years): As existing debt from previously completed projects retires, we have the opportunity to take on new capital projects in a way that is partially tax-neutral for residents. This is a common way that school districts fund such projects.
Community Engagement & Feedback
Community feedback is critical to the decision-making process for capital improvements. Your voice is important in shaping the future of our schools. Throughout this process, the Board has sought to refine these plans based on feedback from the community in a way that still addresses the facilities challenges facing our schools. Engagement has included:
- A widely distributed community survey, focus groups and working sessions that helped shape the district’s 5-year strategic plan.
- Discussion at more than 8 public BOE meetings where we reviewed the Building Conditions Survey/Capital Plan and enrollment study and considered items related to the bond. These items are available on the district’s bond website for your review.
- 6 Capital Improvement Bond information sessions and 4 Siwanoy School tours in addition to PTA meetings, BOE Coffees and other outreach efforts to help refine and prioritize the projects we are considering.
- A World Cafe to garner additional feedback on the draft scope.
- A dedicated bond website (org/bond) that includes presentations, reports, videos, and other materials and information about the bond proposals and process.
How Projects Were Prioritized
We recognize that there will always be more needs than funding available, which is why we have prioritized projects based on:
- Critical infrastructure improvements, such as replacing end-of-life heating systems that are becoming obsolete and difficult to maintain and roofs, windows and masonry that allow water intrusion that causes further deterioration.
- Updated learning spaces to support modern, personalized and effective teaching, and provide sufficient space for one-on-one or small-group instruction/intervention and other supports that were not considered when our older schools were built approximately 100 years ago.
- ADA compliance to ensure all of our schools are accessible to every student, staff member and visitor.
- Sustainability initiatives, including more energy-efficient heating and cooling systems that could result in long term cost savings and have environmental benefits.
The last bond, in 2018, funded the new Hutchinson School, ADA upgrades at Prospect School and some renovations/masonry work at PMHS/MS. The needs at Siwanoy and other schools were deferred until this bond cycle.
Finalized Projects for Consideration
After analyzing the district’s needs, gathering feedback and refining concepts based on that feedback, the following projects have been prioritized for consideration:
- District-wide Infrastructure improvements, including replacing end-of-life heating systems, roof, masonry and window repairs.
- Siwanoy School expansion to ensure ADA compliance, provide classrooms that are sized to current regulations and meet current/projected enrollment, add adequate space for intervention/small group instruction and add a cafeteria to meet student needs.
- High school expansion to provide new modernized science labs designed to support our competitive and growing STEM programs and an additional cafeteria/commons area.
- Elementary school central air conditioning for improved climate control and air filtration.
- Geothermal heating and cooling systems at Siwanoy and Prospect Hill to increase sustainability efforts and provide long term utility cost savings.
Retiring debt from previously completed building projects allows the District to borrow up to $65 million without increasing taxes. The total cost of any new facilities work is subject to state building aid reimbursement, which currently funds approximately 49% of new projects.
For geothermal heating and cooling, there is the potential for additional cost savings through a federal tax rebate program.
Proposition Structure
At our March 12 meeting, the Board discussed multiple propositions to include on the ballot so that the community has choices about the size and scope of these projects. It is important to understand that the proposed infrastructure upgrades for Siwanoy Elementary are directly linked to the proposed ADA accessibility upgrades and expansion. It is unlikely that the infrastructure work would be approved by the state education department without these accessibility upgrades. This is an important consideration as we decide how to structure the propositions.
Design and Construction Planning
It is important to note that consistent with state education department restrictions, the design concepts for each expansion are just 2% complete. Only when funding is secured, is the District allowed to complete the designs. After a successful bond vote, the District will continue to work with community stakeholders to complete the design. The District has also retained a construction manager, independent from the architectural firm, to validate estimated costs and develop construction and logistical plans.
We understand and appreciate concerns about potential disruption to learning and to the larger community during construction and are preparing steps to minimize the impact to the greatest degree possible. This includes:
- Prioritizing work to occur during the summer months to minimize disruption to students.
- Scheduling work so that interior renovations are not occurring while school is in session.
- To ensure access to play space and recess time, temporarily relocating the playground on Siwanoy’s campus to District land between Siwanoy Place and Pelhamdale Avenue.
- Developing construction plans to mitigate the impact on the community to the greatest degree possible.
- Working with the Village of Pelham Manor to incorporate flood mitigation techniques into the plans and enhance the outdoor space at Siwanoy.
- While District projects are managed by the New York State Education Department, the Board of Education is committed to working closely with both Villages and community stakeholders to ensure a successful project.
We look forward to continuing this important work with your support, and we appreciate your involvement in this process. Together, we can ensure that our schools remain a place where all students can thrive.
Sincerely,
The Pelham Board of Education
Jackie De Angelis, President
Natalie Marrero, Vice President
Sidney Burke
Kathryn Cohen
Annemarie Garcia
Darra Gordon
Will Treves