News
Residents weigh in on capital project plans during focus groups
 |
| District officials are considering a capital project that would allow for the creation of a "high-tech" wing at Mohonasen High School. |
Oct. 28, 2008
Mohonasen recently held four focus groups to gather community input on a capital project, which is currently under consideration by the Board of Education.
The groups, which were attended by a total of approximately 40 people, answered questions and offered feedback on plans to add full-day kindergarten, universal pre-kindergarten, a high-tech wing at Mohonasen High School, a new library and classrooms at Draper Middle School, a new transportation facility and more.
This building project represents the next phase of the district’s long-range plan and would address infrastructure upgrades and programmatic needs district wide.
Currently, the Board of Education is working together with district officials to finalize plans in the hope of holding a public vote sometime this winter. By doing so, the district would capitalize on the 95 percent state building aid that Mohonasen is currently eligible for.
“As we move forward, the feedback from the focus groups is very valuable and useful,” Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Spring said. “We received honest feedback from district residents representing many different backgrounds within the community, all of which is being taken into consideration as we continue to plan for the future. I want to thank everyone who took the time out of their busy schedules to participate in these groups.”
The pieces of the puzzle
With this building project, district officials are looking to add space for full-day kindergarten and universal pre-kindergarten. In order to do this, they are considering purchasing the former Draper school building on Draper Avenue and turning it into a neighborhood elementary school for students in grades 2-5. If this were to happen, Bradt Primary School would house full-day kindergarten and universal pre-kindergarten, as well as first grade, and Pinewood Intermediate School would also become a neighborhood elementary school for grades 2-5.
 |
| Officials are considering purchasing the old Draper school building. By doing this the district would have more space and would be able to add full-day kindergarten. |
“In order to add full-day kindergarten in the district we need additional space, which is one of the reasons why we’ve looked at this plan involving the former Draper school,” Spring said. “Now that we’ve completed the focus groups we will revisit this plan in an effort to address any trepidation that people might have.”
Additionally, Spring added, several
alternatives to the current proposal were voiced during the focus
groups, which will be discussed in the coming weeks.
In the focus groups there was support for additional early childhood education programs in the district, especially for full-day kindergarten. However, some concerns were raised regarding the former Draper school building. These ranged from the quality of the building to the lack of green space, to the cost of operating a new elementary school.
Officials are still calculating overall operating costs for the school and are working with architects to sketch out design and renovation plans. By doing this, Spring said, the district is hoping to show residents what the building could look like should the district purchase it. Officials would also hope to hold an “open house” at the old Draper building in the coming months.
At this point the district has not begun negotiations relating to the purchase of the school.
Focus group participants also weighed in on a plan to create a “high-tech” wing at Mohonasen High School. As it stands, officials are planning to renovate several high school classrooms for this space.
“The world is a changing rapidly and in the 21st Century our students are going to need to be able to compete in a global marketplace that requires specific technological skills and abilities,” Spring said. “With this project and the fact that we are eligible for 95 percent state aid, we have an opportunity to create the infrastructure necessary to offer our students the programs of tomorrow at a minimal cost to our taxpayers.”
Along with these new facilities, the district will explore partnership opportunities with local colleges and high-tech industry to prepare our students for life after high school. It will also look to partner with other area school districts, BOCES and private agencies in order to further decrease any potential cost to taxpayers.
Many focus group participants expressed approval for such a facility, recognizing a need to upgrade our current classrooms and remain competitive in the region when it comes to academic programs and career/college preparation. Participants also expressed a need to see technological upgrades district wide.
The bottom line
While many of the residents who took part in the focus group seemed to see a need for additional space within the district, as well as expanded and upgraded programs—the word on everyone’s mind seemed to be money.
While final calculations for the building
project proposal are not yet complete—as the plans for the project
are not yet finalized—initial projections estimate that the project
would cost between $60 million and $70 million. As mentioned
earlier, the district currently receives 95 percent state aid,
meaning that the local share of a $60 million project would be
roughly $3 million. Under this example, the owner of a $100,000
house would see an approximately $30 tax increase.
This state aid is reviewed on an annual basis and it is possible
that it will be decreased in the coming year. If voters approve a
proposal while the district is still eligible for 95 percent aid,
this state funding will be available for the life of the project.
“Many of our focus group participants expressed urgency relating to our state aid – recognizing that if we wait we may lose the aid, meaning a larger local share for our taxpayers,” Spring said. “Our goal is to balance the district’s needs with the needs of taxpayers, especially in tough economic times.”
Look for more information relating to the building project proposal in the coming weeks. The Board of Education plans to hold future public meetings and encourages residents to call (356-8200) or e-mail the district with questions, ideas or concerns.
