Capital Project

A: Our schools should be designed for 21st century students. Teaching and learning styles have changed dramatically in the past 50 years, and many classrooms and shared spaces in our schools do not lend themselves to contemporary best practices such as student collaboration and active learning. Additionally, our District is one of the few in Westchester County that has seen significant enrollment growth in the last decade, which is projected to continue, peaking at the high school in 2029. Building upgrades realize operational efficiencies and financial savings, and better teaching conditions are good for teacher retention. Investing in schools is more than improving educational outcomes: Strong schools create strong communities, as well as having a profound impact on property values.

A: The District undertakes ongoing, routine maintenance work every year. The proposed work includes medium- to large-scale projects that fall outside the definition of routine maintenance. Replacing big-ticket items that are approaching the end of their useful lives through a bond avoids costly, emergency action in the future, achieves economies-of-scale and spreads the cost of the project over time.

A: Much of the work identified in the state-mandated Building Conditions Survey (BCS) has been completed as part of the regular budget. However, it benefits taxpayers to do more costly projects through a capital campaign, rather than the annual budget. This approach will ensure that much of the work will be eligible for State aid, saving the taxpayers money, costs will be spread over a longer period of time (15 years) and thus shared by more residents living in the community and using the schools. Similar to a home mortgage, this spreads the payment out over the useful life of the improvements and minimizes the impact on the taxpayer.

A: Should the community approve the propositions on December 5, 2023, the state approval process will proceed immediately and construction will begin as soon as state approval is secured. Work will be completed in phases through the spring of 2027 and scheduled to maximize efficiencies and minimize disruption to our students and learning.

A: The Long-Range Planning Committee, architects, and school board have been careful to design the project to maximize opportunities for State aid. More than half the cost of Proposition 1 will be covered by State aid, at $27.3 million. Some $23.7 million in State aid will be available for Proposition 2 and $8.4 million for Proposition 3. If all three propositions pass, the district estimates that it will receive $59.4 million in State aid. 

A: The Long-Range Planning Committee has prioritized projects into three propositions to give voters the greatest level of control in determining the district’s future.

A: Work on the other propositions cannot move forward unless Proposition 1 is approved by voters. Similarly, Proposition 2 must pass for work on Proposition 3 to proceed, even if Proposition 3 passes.