The East Meadow School District Board of Education is expected to adopt a resolution at its next meeting giving the go-ahead to a community vote to finance comprehensive capital improvement projects with a bond referendum. The meeting is scheduled for Jan. 7, at the Salisbury School in Westbury.
The resolution would allow a vote to take place on March 5.
Significant improvements to the district’s infrastructure, health and safety systems and learning spaces have been made over the past several years, district Superintendent Ken Rosner stated in a release shared with the Herald on Dec. 29.
“We have taken a thoughtful and strategic approach to planning this work, understanding that some components are not feasible within the constraints of the district’s annual budget or capital reserve fund,” Rosner said.
Discussion of a potential bond began at board meetings in November. Rosner shared a presentation with community members, dubbed “Reimagining East Meadow,” which he said had been in the works for about two years.
Rosner explained that every year, the school district prepares its annual budget, presents it to the community and taxpayers vote on it in May. It covers operating costs, salaries, supplies, transportation and small-scale building projects. Funding for the budget comes from various sources, including state and local property taxes and federal grants. In recent years, approved budgets have allocated funds to a variety of projects around the district.
A bond differs in that it means the school district borrows money, similar to a mortgage, and taxpayers pay it back, with principal and interest, over 15 or 30 years. Bonds allow districts to finance “big-ticket items,” Rosner said in November.
The proposal was developed after a comprehensive building conditions survey at each district building. Rosner said his team worked with principals and administrators, athletic directors at individual schools and department chairs. Outside the district, they also collaborated with tax consultants, a bond council and other experts, to help district administrators make informed decisions.
Forums for community feedback were held in late November and early December at the district’s high schools and the Salisbury School.
WhatТs included?
According to the Dec. 29 release, the proposed project would include improvements for every building in the district, centered on security upgrades, athletics and the arts. At all buildings, including the Salisbury School — the district’s administrative headquarters — security vestibules would be constructed to strengthen controlled access and provide an added layer of protection for students and staff, and interior door locks would be changed. Additionally, the fire alarm systems in each building would be replaced and brought up to code.
The proposal includes a series of athletic facility upgrades designed to improve safety, durability and year-round usability. At East Meadow High School, the project calls for the installation of new synthetic-turf fields on the existing baseball, softball and practice fields. The plan includes new bleachers, a press box and lighting at the football field as well as new concession stand, with restrooms. The project would also provide for the renovation of some existing locker rooms that are used by students for physical education classes as well as visiting athletes.
At W.T. Clarke Middle and High School, turf fields would be added at the softball, practice and multi-purpose fields. New bleachers and lighting would be installed on the football field, to expand the district’s ability to host events and maximize facility usage. Restrooms would be built in an existing structure at the Clarke High School athletic complex, and synthetic-turf baseball and multi-purpose fields would be installed at the Salisbury School.
Woodland Middle School would see the construction of new turf baseball, softball and football fields, and new bleachers would be installed at the football stadium.
The proposal includes HVAC and audio-visual system upgrades to the performing arts centers at East Meadow High, Clarke middle and high schools and Woodland Middle School. In addition, it calls for the complete renovation of select playgrounds and safety surfaces at each elementary school to improve safety, accessibility and play opportunities for younger students, as well as the installation of sensory playgrounds at Bowling Green and Meadowbrook elementary school for use by students with special needs.
Thoughts from district leadership
School board President Jessica Ricco-Simeone said that while the proposal focuses mainly on security, athletic and arts improvements, the district remains committed to enhancing academics for all students.
“These will continue to be funded through the district’s regular operating budget and, where appropriate, the capital improvement fund,” she said, “ensuring that instructional programs and classroom needs remain a top priority for our community.”
The total cost of the proposal is $71.5 million, and the bond would cost $31.86 annually for the average district homeowner.
“I thank all community residents who took time to offer feedback during our community forums held earlier this fall,” Rosner said. “Their input was important in finalizing the scope of work being considered. We will continue to update residents, and look forward to continued participation from the community.”
The district plans to share more information on the bond and its impact on taxpayers in the coming weeks, if the board adopts the resolution on Jan. 7.
For more on the proposal, visit EMUFSD.us.
