After months of considering several different building plans, the Scotia-Glenville Board of Education has decided to put a proposition before the public for discussion.
The biggest components of the proposition discussed at the Monday, April 28, school board meeting include expanding the middle school library and creating a multi-purpose athletic field, complete with new bleachers and artificial turf.
A vote on the proposition will most likely not take place until fall, but informational forums will be scheduled for before the end of the school year.
Board member Kurt Anhert warned the board that selling the artificial turf idea to the public will take a lot of homework on the board’s part.
This may be a hard sell, and if we are going to present it, we really need to show it’s a cost-effective choice, said Anhert.
The administration has worked to incorporate all of the proposition’s needs to be able to fit within the EXCEL, or Expanding Our Children’s Education and Learning, grant from the state. The district received $935,000 that they can use at least in part for the proposition. The total cost for the proposed updates total more than $5 million.
`Keep in mind, it’s still very early in regards to putting a final proposition together. We won’t do that until we hold public forums and get feedback from our community,` said Superintendent Susan Swartz.
Other planned renovations will include maintenance and roof repairs throughout the district. The high school would see improvements in its technology facilities, which is expected to support curriculum improvements in science and technology.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the board also heard a presentation by high school Principal Lynda Castronovo on the success of the many new courses that began at the school this year, as well as courses they hope to add in the coming years. Some of the new additions include career writing and media analysis, drama, introduction to college mathematics, AP world history, AP statistics, sociology and fundamentals of medicine and diagnosis.
`Some of these courses make me want to go back to high school,` said Anhert.
Castronovo said the enthusiasm by the students for the courses has been overwhelming.
`The students benefit from getting as much out of the day as they can. We have many students taking eight or nine courses. Our AP courses save them money at the college level,` said Castronovo.
E-commerce courses have also been well received at the school. Castronovo said they help students develop blogs, pod casts, Web casts and Web pages.“
