Sewanhaka schools plan for $100M bond

Average tax levy to increase by $144 over three or four years

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The Sewanhaka Central High School District’s five schools will receive major renovations and upgrades based on an Ad Hoc Committee on District Facilities’ assessment last fall, should a Dec. 4 bond referendum for $99.5 million be approved by voters. The average tax levy increase for a home in the district will amount to $144 over three or four years.

The district, which includes H. Frank Carey High School, in Franklin Square, Elmont Memorial High School, in Elmont and Sewanhaka High School, in Floral Park, would see renovations and athletic facility upgrades at all schools, and additions to Floral Park Memorial, Elmont Memorial and Sewanhaka High Schools. The referendum would authorize, but not require, the district to issue $99.5 million in debt to fund the projects over three or four years. The district would then attempt to ensure the lowest possible interest rates on that debt. Approximately 40 percent of the principal and interest on the debt issued to fund the projects would be paid by the state in the form of building aid.

Should the referendum pass, Carey would get a new auditorium, an orchestra room, two new science rooms, a weight room, a new baseball field, and a new synthetic football, soccer and lacrosse field. Its roof and windows would be repaired, and there would be security and technology upgrades.

Elmont Memorial would receive a new guidance suite, a new auditorium, a weight room, a wrestling room, locker rooms, an additional gymnasium and synthetic athletic field. Its art room would be relocated, its existing gym ceiling replaced and its media center expanded and it, too, would see a repaired roof and windows and security and technology upgrades.

There would be a new gym at Sewanhaka High, along with a weight room, culinary arts facility and a new cafeteria. The teachers cafeteria would be converted to a board meeting room, the library would be moved to the current cafeteria and the music and art rooms would be relocated as well. In addition to a new synthetic athletic field, the auditorium would be restored and the track resurfaced.

District residents will receive an informational mailing and reminders to vote on Dec. 4. In addition, presentations are scheduled to provide background. Those presentations will be held at Floral Park Memorial on Nov. 7 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Elmont Memorial on Nov. 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., New Hyde Park Memorial on Nov. 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sewanhaka High on Nov. 15 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.