The Schenevus Central School District Board of Education passed a resolution calling for a vote on a proposed building project at its January meeting. The board made the decision to move forward after several months of working with architects, engineers, and financial advisors, reviewing the condition of our facilities and researching possible improvements and upgrades. The board also benefitted from the work of the Building Project Advisory Committee which includes Joe Bomba, Tom Snyder, Sharon Sisson, Jackie Gibson, Brian Bookhout, Tom Jory, and Jordan Burton. The committee toured the District’s facilities, reviewed the proposed work and related finances, and made recommendations to the board.

The focus of the project will be on increasing energy efficiency, improving safety and security, replacing deteriorated or obsolete components, asbestos removal, and adding special education program space. The timing of the proposed project and associated state aid minimizes the impact of the local cost to tax payers. The project has an estimated cost of $6,710,552 but will be offset by 84% state aid,  $166,978 in EXCEL aid, and anticipated energy savings. The district is also slated to retire a portion of previous debt, which will help offset the year-to-year impact on the budget. 

The proposal comes as Schenevus Central School celebrates the 75th anniversary of the construction of the current school building. Many of the improvements in the project are designed to modernize energy efficiency, yet keep the historical character of the building intact. 

The vote will be held on Thursday, March 19th. The Board of Education will be hosting an open house on March 12th, which will feature a public presentation, building tours and a recognition of the first students who were educated at Andrew S. Draper Central School in the 1940s.

An informational website will be active for the duration of the project and a newsletter explaining the project in detail will go to all residents of the school district in February. 

Schenevus has an excellent tradition of well-maintained facilities and forward-thinking building projects; it is my sincere hope to continue this tradition.