News
BOE still considering district wide capital
project
Plan to purchase old Draper school
abandoned
Dec. 29, 2008
Plans for a capital project vote are still underway at Mohonasen, as the Board of Education works to put together a plan that would allow the district to add full-day kindergarten, a high school “high-tech” wing, a new middle school library, a safer transportation facility, and more.
During the last few months, officials have made some modifications to the original plan, which was discussed with roughly 40 residents during four different focus groups this fall. The most significant recent adjustment to the project was the decision to not purchase the old Draper school on Draper Avenue.
“At this time, the cost to purchase and operate the Draper building would be more than is fiscally responsible during these times,” Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Spring said. “However, we are still planning to add full-day kindergarten.”
Originally, the district had planned to purchase the old school and turn it into an elementary school for students in grades 2-5. Doing this would have allowed the district to add day care, pre-kindergarten and full-day kindergarten at Bradt and turn Pinewood into a second 2-5 elementary school.
Because the district won’t be purchasing or building any new classrooms, plans for pre-kindergarten are no longer in the works, but officials hope that by making some modifications to the existing Bradt school (e.g. expanding the cafeteria), they will be able to create the necessary space for full-day kindergarten.
“More and more districts around the state are adding full-day kindergarten and if we don’t do the same someday soon, we are going to be leaving many of our students behind,” Spring said. “It is important that we offer our students the best programs we can and give them a strong start to school.”
Officials are also hoping to complete other building modifications district wide—including a new library and classrooms at Draper Middle School; a new, safer transportation facility; updates to the district’s athletic fields; and a “high-tech” wing at Mohonasen High School that will help to keep our programs moving forward.
“We’ve been listening to the community and doing our homework to try and come up with a building project that will meet the needs of our district as we move forward in the 21st Century and is sensitive to taxpayers—especially during these difficult economic times,” Spring said.
During the focus groups, many residents showed support for the programmatic changes—including full-day kindergarten and the “high-tech” wing, which require building improvements.
Officials originally estimated that the project would cost between $60 and $70 million. Given the decision to pare it down to basic programmatic necessities, the project is now estimated to cost roughly $48 million.
The district currently receives 95 percent building “incentive aid” from the state thanks to the 1986 annexation of the old Draper School District. This aid is reviewed annually and it is possible that it will be significantly reduced in the coming year.
In fact, in Governor Paterson’s budget proposal, which was released on Dec. 16, there is some indication that the merger aid Mohonasen receives would dissolve at the end of this school year.
“With this project and the fact that we are eligible for 95 percent state aid, we have an opportunity to create the structures necessary to offer our students the programs of tomorrow at a minimal cost to our taxpayers,” Spring said.
Officials hope to bring the project to residents for a vote this coming spring.
