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 A
good education lasts a lifetime, but school facilities tend not
to have the same longevity. So,
Schalmont
Central School District officials proposed
a $9,713,000 renovation and reconstruction project designed
to extend the life and usefulness of
facilities at the
Schalmont High/Middle Schools complex and Schonowe School.
On October 16, 2007, district residents voted by a margin of 445
to 386 to pass
this
capital project.
Bond 2007 will make use of one-time-only state
funds, building aid and rental income (at Schonowe) to keep the
anticipated impact at an increase of 2/10
of 1 percent (0.2%) in the amount of
money that the district collects from local taxpayers (i.e.,
school tax levy) beginning in the 2009-10 school year.
How
might this play out for an individual district resident? As an
example, a home now valued at $100,000 with a school tax bill
of $1,700 should see an increase in the school tax bill of $3.40
with the passage of the bond. So in
this example, the school tax rate for this home would increase
by less than 3.5 cents per $1,000 of home value.
The capital project was significantly
influenced by a report delivered by the Schalmont Facilities
Committee in the fall of 2006. This volunteer group of community members
was tasked with reviewing the condition of all school facilities
and grounds to create a list of renovation, construction and
ongoing maintenance recommendations.
Superintendent Valerie Kelsey said, "The school
board and I are very grateful for the committee’s input on this
bond project. The members not only have years of experience in
relevant fields, but they’re also members of this community. So,
they have a vested interest in doing right by Schalmont
families."
Schalmont Board of Education members and
administrators considered the committee’s feedback, education
goals for the district and community members’ comments when
coming up with projects proposed in Bond 2007. Most projects
will
address problems at the high school – primarily in the original
1957 wing – and middle school that were not addressed with Bond
2000. One project will address issues at Schonowe, a facility
owned and rented out by the district.
By addressing the aging of school facilities,
these projects will:
-
Increase student safety and comfort,
-
Increase cost-effectiveness and energy
efficiency in the district, and
-
Improve the appearance and usefulness of
school facilities.
Click on the
links below to learn more about Bond 2007:
You also can
click here to view the special issue district newsletter
about Bond 2007 that was mailed home to residents in September
2007.
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