Lynbrook school officials seek field upgrades

Two Lynbrook schools could see major upgrades to their sports fields as officials have proposed projects for Marion Street Elementary and Lynbrook North Middle schools, which will appear on the budget vote ballot in May.

At the board’s Jan. 12 meeting, district Facilities Director James Saitta and Robert Cascone, of JAG Architects, presented a capital improvement proposal for each school.

At NMS, field upgrades would include replacing the natural grass field with synthetic turf. The field would also have lines for multiple sports, including football, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey, new football uprights and soccer goals. It would also include a 16-foot chain-link fence on the field’s west side, and a 4-foot chain-link fence on the north side, a 300-seat, three-row bleachers stand, LED sports lighting and an expansion to the parking lot along the east side. Additionally, Room 208 would also receive new floor tiling under the proposed plan, according to Saitta.

Upgrades proposed for Marion Street include the replacement of the current synthetic- turf field with new turf, game lines for football, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey; LED sports lighting; a complete renovation of the parking lot to increase spaces, flow and safety, along with new asphalt and sidewalks; a new playground structure on a safety surface; a basketball court; trees in both the parking lots and play areas for shade; picnic tables and fencing around the parking lot.

“The Facilities Committee developed proposals that will continue to improve our buildings and grounds while maximizing the state aid revenue for the district,” Superintendent Dr. Melissa Burak told the Herald after the meeting. “If approved by our community in May, these projects will enhance spaces that will benefit many.”

The proposed improvements will be propositions on the May ballot and funded by the district’s capital reserves, so they would be at no additional cost to taxpayers.

The potential upgrades come after a new wing was completed at Lynbrook High School late last year after a year and a half of construction. The improvements to the high school were funded by a $28.9 million bond that passed in 2017, and the wing was dedicated to the memory of Alicemarie Bresnihan, who served on the school board for four and a half decades and died of cancer at 85 in May 2020.

The two-story, 33,274-square-foot extension stretches from the front of the high school, where the security vestibule is, to the fields. A ribbon-cutting for the new wing took place last September, and was followed by a dedication ceremony in Bresnihan’s honor.

The total cost of the 20-year bond that voters approved in 2017 was $33.9 million, $5 million of which was covered by reserve funds. Approval of the bond raised property taxes by $168 per year for the average Lynbrook homeowner.

The extension comes after school officials sought upgrades for many years for several reasons, including cramped classrooms, outdated science equipment and lab stations, and the chorus, orchestra and band being forced to practice in the aging, outdated auditorium because they did not have a proper space. Ideas for improvements that the bond covered came from a group of administrators, faculty members and architects after gathering feedback from students and parents.

The first floor of the new addition houses a school store; three music rooms for the school’s band, chorus and orchestra; three art rooms; and an innovation lab for 21st-century learning. The second floor comprises five new classrooms, including two for family and consumer science classes and one for the career development program.

In addition to an updated facade and brickwork at the LHS entrance, there are also extra security features, with visitors having to be buzzed in twice before entering the facility. The cafeteria was also upgraded, with repainted walls, new floors decked out in the green and gold school colors, new windows to provide natural lighting and a courtyard outside where students can congregate during their lunch periods. Class of 2020 graduates buried a time capsule in the courtyard, which will be opened in 2040. The new edition also houses a nurses’ office closer to the high school entrance, which will provide easier access in the event of an emergency.