Last week, two public meetings were held by the Fayetteville-Manlius School District regarding the process they are undergoing to update and repair facilities within the district. Though attendance was not great, the value of the information presented was. Community involvement in this process will be key in helping the school district decide what course of action to take before making any major decisions. Residents need to stay vigilant in providing feedback to the district.
At the meetings, a consultation group, School Leadership LLC., spoke to the interested residents about the comprehensive process the group is going through to assess facility needs and repairs within the district so they can make a recommendation to the school board to decide the best course of action to fulfill needed projects.
The following tasks have been taken on by the consultants: to adequately house anticipated enrollment growth over the next five years; to make available any specialized instructional spaces needed to implement changes in curriculum and instruction that are designed to best prepare students with the skills and knowledge needed for 21st century student learning; and to supplement or replace needed building infrastructure in ways that are most cost-effective from both a capital and annual operating expense perspective.
The consultants have completed their research phase and are currently in a phase to gain feedback from school administrators, staff, students, municipal governments and community organizations to gain a better understanding of how the community feels about what needs to be done to bring the district up-to-date.
Some of the needs in the district buildings include: heating, ventilation and air conditioning system upgrades; technology upgrades; fire safety upgrades; presence of asbestos; water pipe system repair; security system upgrades; improving indoor air quality; upgrading plumbing systems; accessibility and ADA compliance needs; and site utility upgrades. According to a building conditions report carried out in late 2015, both Wellwood Middle School and Enders Road Elementary would cost less to replace than to repair.
The F-M area is rich with tradition and history, but the district has reached a point where a major decision needs to be made to either continue to make repairs as needed, or to possibly undertake large construction projects. With the historical value of Wellwood Middle School, which is the site of the original Fayetteville High School, the district needs to know just how important preserving history is compared to continuing to provide the best and most advanced education to students that the district has become nationally known for.
Residents should continue to be involved in this process, and in mid-June, School Leadership will have a survey available for the community to take to provide feedback to prioritize the needs of the school district. To learn more about the F-M facilities project planning process and to view related reports and presentations, go to fmschools.org/facilities.
