ESM to vote on building improvement project, no tax increase included

By Lauren Young

Staff writer

On Tuesday, Dec. 11, East Syracuse Minoa Central School (ESM) District residents will get to vote on a $49.8 million bond project called “Our Elementary Objective” — a plan driven by the age of buildings, basic infrastructure that has exceeded its useful life, safety provisions, instructional space improvements and innovative indoor/outdoor learning spaces. Because a large portion of the project is covered by state aid, it will not cost residents a dime, according to the district.

The plan — developed over more than two years — focuses on safety, learning and integrity improvements at Park Hill School (pre-k), Woodland Elementary, Minoa Elementary, Fremont Elementary and, to a lesser extent, East Syracuse Elementary (ESE), a relatively new building, according to a press release. Other than ESE, ESM’s pre-k to grade five schools range from about 50 to 80 years old.

Because every 70 cents of every dollar is reimbursed to the district through New York State building aid, it will not increase resident taxes, according to the district’s special voter guide. The remaining quarter of the project will be funded by a voter-created capital project fund that can hold up to $10 million and by using retiring debt.

“This project continues the legacy of planned, financially responsible capital improvement,” said Superintendent Dr. Donna DeSiato. “The community has supported major renovation, expansion and updates at the high school and Pine Grove in recent years; residents have seen how this work aligns with our strategic plan to support the district’s goals.”

The project was largely guided by the district’s 2018-23 strategic plan to align the quality and design of learning environments with an emphasis on learning, innovation and safety, according to a district press release.

“From a generational perspective, Our Elementary Objective is really the final piece, one that will create a continuity of instructional experience for all students from pre-k through graduation,” said DeSiato.

Four of the five pre-k to grade five schools will undergo comprehensive rehabilitation, with ESE receiving modest upgrades.

Areas of emphasis include:

Student safety and security
Improved and new indoor learning spaces
New outdoor learning/play spaces
Better student flow/circulation
Upgraded technology
Upgraded and new building systems

According to DeSiato, these improvements fall into three general categories: building safety, student learning and integrity of the physical structures. Some of these improvements include:

Safety upgrades:

Secure main entryway, main office renovations, new parent drop-off — Woodland Elementary
Secure main entryway, main office renovations, new bus loop, parent drop-off — Park Hill Elementary
Secure main entryway, main office renovations, new stairs— ESE
Additional parking, secure main entryway, main office renovations — Fremont and Minoa Elementary

Learning upgrades:

Creating a large group learning space, adding walls to classroom areas, outdoor learning/play upgrades, Library Media Center, STEM Center, music and art room renovations — Woodland Elementary
Classroom and corridor renovations, outdoor learning/play upgrades, renovation to small and large plays areas and creating additional special education and therapy spaces — Park Hill Elementary
Outdoor learning/play upgrades — ESE
Expanding the gymnasium, outdoor learning/play upgrades, Library Media Center, STEM Center, cafeteria, music and art room renovations — Fremont and Minoa Elementary

Integrity upgrades:

Cafeteria renovations, replacing floors, ceilings, building systems and technology – Woodland Elementary
Replacing floors, ceilings, building systems and technology — Park Hill Elementary
New stairs, door hardware replacement, acoustic upgrades in cafeteria — ESE
Classroom, corridor and cafeteria renovations — Fremont and Minoa Elementary

Improvements included in the East Syracuse Minoa Central School District’s “Our Elementary Objective” project are categorized by building safety, student learning and integrity of the physical structures. (ESM special voter guide)

Community engagement has been ongoing throughout the development process, and, according to DeSiato, “Our Elementary Objective will complete the continuum of learning environments in the ESM Central School District, which is recognized throughout the region as a leader in innovative learning models and environments.”

According to the district’s special voter guide, classrooms in four of the five schools will be temporality relocated, either within the building or other buildings.

The ESM Board of Education has scheduled a bond vote from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, at ESM Central High School. If the project is approved, architects will begin drafting plans, to be approved by the State Education Department, and earliest construction could take place during the 2019-20 school year.