WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. September 19, 2006:  Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors addressed Mamaroneck Avenue School PTA-ers Tuesday evening in front of about 35 to 40 parents discussing the School Capital Improvement Project. Last week he conducted a similar pep rally at Post Road School. Connors also said that Fred Seiler, the new Assistant Superintendent for Business had begun his assignment with the district Monday replacing Terrance Schreurs, and that Mr. Schreurs' last day was September 15.

Last week, Mr. Connors and Mr. Schreurs presented to the Post Road School PTA with very positive feedback from the crowd of over 50 parents in attendance last week. He is speaking on the need to pass the $69.6 Million Capital Project Referendum October 17. Photo, WPCNR News

Before the start of Mr. Connors’ Post Road School appearance one week ago, WPCNR interviewed Post Road Principal Laura Havis on why Post Road School needed to be replaced. She  explained that the Post Road School was close to 100 years old, and there was general agreement that “something had to be done.” She told me the district was forced to continually repair the school, there were continuing problems with the heating and air conditioning systems, that the size of the school classrooms did not meet state standards, that the school was not accessible to the handicapped, and that it flooded on the below street level perpetually during heavy rains.

 She also reminded WPCNR that the School District Capital Project Committee had “seen the school for themselves” and agreed the school needed replacing. Asked if parents had complained to her about the condition of the school, Principal Havens said, “Nobody has complained to me (about the condition of the school).”

Laura Havis, left, Bill Pollak, Acting President of the Board of Education, and Superintendt of Schools Timothy Connors talking about the Capital Project Referendum coming up on October 17 at Post Road School one week ago. Photo by WPCNR News

Superintendent Connors kicked off the meeting, telling the Post Road parents, “We need your help,” and went on to explain that the district would be taking “more time with faculty and staff” to finetune the interior design of the new Post Road School configuration. He said, “We have an estimate from our architect (Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson) in terms of what we think it will cost (to build -- $38.7 Million), then once we do that we then design the school. Many of you want a say as to what that school will look like. We will form a committee to give you input.”

Connors said it will take two years to build the new Post Road School. He stressed that the new school was not going to happen, “if you don’t get out to vote (October 17). Then we’ll share with you what the concept is. Join us in selling this referendum to the community.”

The Superintendent of Schools said approval of the referendum will benefit Kindergarten through third grade grades (by increasing capacity at Post Road),  and “improve education for all of our children.” He promised an October 3 “Open House” at Post Road School in order to show the community the present state of the Post Road facility.

Connors noted that the Capital Project Committee formed by the Board of Education had toured Post Road School on a Saturday and by their observations , “they agreed we need to replace this school.”

On the Mamaroneck Avenue School renovation (estimated to cost $4.6 Million), he said, “They need additions to the core facility, and a new library.”

He placed the cost of the total Capital Project at $69,635,000, which will be partially defrayed by $2 Million in aid from the state and $1 Million from the Louis Cappelli Foundation, leaving the district to borrow for $66.6 Million.

Connors said the infrastructure improvements to all the schools (costing $16 Million) would pay for new boilers, roofs, windows, lights, new core investment. He noted that the other elementary schools, with exception of Ridgeway and Church Street School and the middle schools and high school were more than fifty years old and upgrades were needed. He hammered home the point that “all children will benefit.”

On the subject of the fields, Parker Stadium and Loucks Field, which are scheduled to be upgraded with synthetic turf, new metal bleachers, and press boxes and locker rooms, (at a cost of $9.6 Million), Connors said the synthetic turf would enable soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and football to be played with more games, more often, as many as four to five games a day, as well as providing more practice time than the present grass fields for a host of teams, as well as community recreation teams.

Connors described the field projects as “the right thing to do for the district and the city. ”

The cost of the capital project, Terrance Schreurs said was a 1% increase in the tax rate, little more than $4 plus per thousand dollars of assessed value.

Schreurs said for every year the district delays, it adds $2 Million to the cost of the project. Schreurs said that Triton Construction, the Project Manager, estimated that construction costs are rising at the rate of 8% a year.  “The time is right,” Connors added. “The best thing you can do is commit yourself to getting out the vote.”

During the Question and Answer period, Connors said that by building the Post Road School, and the improvements to Mamaroneck Avenue School, the district would be able keep its present class size ratio while accommodating the projected school enrollment growth of 280 more students in the elementary K-5 level. If the referendum is defeated, class size would go up, he said.

In response to questions, he pointed out that to renovate the present building would not only cost 78% of  the cost of building a new structure ($29 Million to $38.7 Million), but the district might have to lease space to accommodate students while renovating the Post Road structure. “It’s (the present Post Road School) not worth the investment (to renovate),” Connors said. “Cost of acquiring another site,” Connors said, “would be a million dollars an acre. The present Post Road site is the best option in terms of site and cost effectiveness.”

Connors appealed to the Post Road parents in attendance, to think of “What we can do to try and sell our cast to the people, that there’s something in here for everyone in the community that’s going to enrich that community.”

In response to a question, Connors said that the new Post Road School would pick up one class per grade (5 classes at  20 pupils each) to increase its capacity to 600 students, putting it on a level with the other four elementary schools. (As of  September 1, 2006, Post Road serves 493 students, Church Street School 626, Mamaroneck Avenue School, 605, Ridgeway School, 646, and George Washington School, 654.)

Bill Pollak, acting President of the Board of Education, in attendance  suggested to the parents, “How do you sell this? All people who own real estate will really benefit. If we don’t do it (vote for the referendum) for the right reasons  maybe they will do it for that reason.”

Connors noted to the crowd, “You have tohelp us make sure there’s a legacy for future generations.”