The Fayetteville-Manlius Board of Education has authorized the district superintendent to begin preparations for a district-wide referendum to allow or reject a multi-phase project for three of the district’s schools: Wellwood Middle School, Fayetteville-Manlius High School and Enders Road Elementary School.
The earliest a proposal could go before voters is November, but the board will have to vote on a final project proposal first. At this point, district officials are still refining that proposal.
During its June 12 meeting, the board authorized Superintendent Craig J. Tice to “work with architects, construction managers and others as deemed necessary on a referendum targeting capital projects at Wellwood Middle School, Fayetteville-Manlius High School and Enders Road Elementary School,” the buildings with the most critical needs, according to a 2015 building condition survey report.
With the district’s long-range plan and key decision-making criteria in mind, F-M’s Community Facility Task Force in April recommended that the board consider a complete renovation of Wellwood’s 1933 section as the first project in a multi-phase plan that addresses facilities repairs and improvements district-wide. Educational consultants School Leadership, LLC identified the district’s middle school as the facility with the greatest needs, followed by F-M High School and Enders Road.
The board accepted the task force’s recommendation and during its May 16 and May 30 meetings examined the potential project’s details, including the scope, how it could be phased, and how to lessen its impact on students. The board is also deliberating whether to propose multiple referenda or one large project that encompasses some, if not all, of the district’s other facility needs.
The project’s possible impact on taxpayers will depend on several factors, including the amount of capital reserves it can use to offset the local share and how the project is proposed to voters. Established by the district for future construction projects and major purchases, the capital reserve fund can only be used once per project.
Proposed project’s scope and priorities – Phase I
All dates and project costs are estimates at this time.
Wellwood Middle School – $33.8 million
Phase I-A: Spring 2020
•Construct additional parking lot and bus loop.
•Construct a building addition that will relocate the school’s kitchen, cafeteria, and music suite from the basement and features a secure, new main entrance area and office.
Phase I-B: Summer 2020
•Complete construction of additional parking lot and continue construction of building addition.
•Set up to eight portable classrooms on school grounds.
•Infill existing cafeteria floor (opposite the main office).
•Abate and renovation of existing basement and boiler room.
Phase I-C: School year 2020-21
•Continue construction of building addition (completed March 2021).
•Use portable classrooms as teaching spaces.
•Finish basement for use as a swing space.
Phase I-D: Summer 2021
•Renovate infrastructure of building’s 1933 south wing portion (including mechanical systems and windows) and abate asbestos.
•Move into the new addition (school’s kitchen, cafeteria, and music suite).
Phase I-E: School year 2021-22
•Complete the renovation of building’s 1933 south wing portion.
•Use portable classrooms as teaching spaces.
Phase I-F: Summer 2022
•Renovate infrastructure of building’s 1933 north wing portion (including mechanical systems, windows and roof).
•Remove portable classrooms.
Phase I-G: School year 2022-23
•Complete the renovation of building’s 1930 north wing portion.
Fayetteville-Manlius High School – $4.9 million
•Replace four aging boiler systems.
•Create two second-floor classrooms.
•Consolidate House I and House II’s main offices into one centrally located office adjacent to the auditorium foyer.
•Relocate and renovate nurse’s suite.
•Upgrade some toilet rooms.
•Renovate large group instruction rooms to be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Enders Road Elementary School – $3 million
•Construct a multiple classroom addition, which adds three large classrooms, two small classrooms (for occupational and physical therapy spaces) and toilet rooms to be used during recess.
•Renovate existing locker rooms into instructional space.
•Renovate four small classrooms into two large classrooms.
•Replace obstructed sanitary line located under floor slab.
•Replace aging boilers.
A timeline for the phase II portion of the project has not been established, but a community vote would be required a couple of years prior to construction, which could begin sometime around 2025.
To review the planning process to date and weigh in, visit the F-M Let’s Talk! webpage at fmschools.org/let’stalk.
