The District’s Strategic Plan, which was built with robust input from the Pelham community, prioritizes improving the District facilities. With this goal in mind, the Board has carefully reviewed the recently completed Buildings Conditions Survey that identified and prioritized infrastructure improvements across the schools as well as enrollment/demographic and space utilization studies that highlight various capacity constraints across the District. 

In addition to infrastructure needs due to aging facilities, these reports showed that many classrooms are undersized, inadequate in number, and overused across the district. Top line findings include some elementary classrooms being undersized compared to modern standards, a lack of sufficient small group instruction/intervention space, lack of cafeteria space at several schools, and the current condition and number of science labs at the high school is not adequate to meet anticipated growth and New Generation Science Standards instructional approaches. 

Finally, the District will soon be paying off debt from previous bonds, which could potentially offset the cost of capital improvements made in the near future - minimizing the tax burden on residents.  

While the Buildings Conditions Survey notes that the District’s facilities have been well maintained, four of our six schools are approximately 100 years old. Just like an older home, certain features deteriorate over time, which can lead to costly repairs. The most pressing infrastructure issues have to do with water intrusion and heating/HVAC. Specifically, the Buildings Conditions Survey calls for:

• Roofing replacement or repairs at Prospect Hill, Colonial School, the high school and middle school
• Masonry repairs at all schools except Hutchinson
• Heating plant replacement (boilers) at Colonial, Siwanoy, Prospect Hill and PMHS.

Boilers are used to deliver heat throughout our schools. The current boilers are approximately 30 years old and are at the end of their useful lives. Like most mechanical equipment, boilers require increased maintenance as they age. Even with proper maintenance these systems run a higher risk of a larger scale failure - similar to what occurred with the rooftop heating/cooling units at Pelham Middle School in December, which resulted in an emergency early dismissal. 

Additionally, heating technology has evolved since most of our schools were first constructed. Accordingly, the current steam–based heating system is becoming obsolete. Accordingly, the District is proposing to convert the current steam system to hydronic (hot water). This would require additional work to replace existing piping (also near 100 years old), and would also provide better efficiency and control over heat and would pair well with central air conditioning, which is being proposed for Colonial, Prospect Hill and Siwanoy.

Yes. Both Siwanoy and PMHS are currently over utilized. The proposed expansions at both schools could be used with our current programs and staffing. The added space provides more appropriate space for our current programs and provides flexibility for future enrollment fluctuations.

Siwanoy is the District’s oldest school having been opened in 1910. Due to its age and design, the school faces a number of challenges, including:

• Siwanoy is not accessible to all students, staff members & visitors
• End-of-life infrastructure can not be upgraded without ADA compliance
• Small group/individualized services such as reading/math intervention held in renovated closets/hallways due to lack of space
• Kindergarten, music & art rooms meet in undersized basement rooms
• No space remains to accommodate fluctuations in enrollment/new programming
• The gym is the only large-group space, creating scheduling issues with lunch, P.E., assemblies, etc. 

Due to the current design of the building, the addition of an elevator to comply with the ADA would remove existing classrooms, necessitating their replacement as part of a building expansion. Given the scope of that work, the proposed expansion has been designed to address the current capacity issues by providing 8 new full-size classrooms, which would allow current space in the school to be used for for additional small group instructional space. The expansion would also create additional bathrooms and build a cafeteria under the existing gym. Importantly, the addition of the elevators required for ADA accessibility would result in a loss of four existing classrooms and the current art room would also be lost due to the new cafeteria. This results in a net gain of three classrooms once the new expansion is complete. 

The District’s architects explored an option to build a new Siwanoy School, however doing so proved logistically challenging and cost prohibitive. 

Unlike with the construction of the new Hutchinson School, the current Siwanoy would need to be demolished prior to the new school being constructed due to the space constraints on the property. This would mean that students would need to be relocated for 2-3 years during construction. Given capacity issues across the District, a temporary elementary school would need to be constructed adding significant cost. The estimated cost for a new school, including the relocation of students, would be approximately $90 million. 

Additionally, Siwanoy School is architecturally and historically significant and an important part of the fabric of the community.

For these reasons, the Board has proposed renovating and expanding the current building. 

The middle school and high school, which share a campus, are currently operating above optimal functional capacity with most rooms occupied for nearly all periods of the day. The District’s enrollment/demographic study projects enrollment to remain at its current elevated level and rise slightly in the coming years. Resulting challenges include:

• Difficulty scheduling classes when they would be most accessible to students
• School has insufficient number of science labs to meet programmatic/scheduling needs
• Science labs are outdated and not designed to deliver modern instructional program focused on inquiry and innovation
• HS & MS share cafeterias, resulting in insufficient space for high school students to eat

The proposed three-story building expansion would create eight new science labs and renovate four existing labs. The ground floor of the expansion would include a new high school student commons/cafeteria.

An option to expand Colonial School was presented, however the Board prioritized upgrades to the heating system, masonry and roofing repairs as they are considered more urgent at this time. Similarly, replacing the near 100-year old slate roof, along with upgrades to the heating system and other masonry repairs are considered the most urgent needs at Prospect Hill. 

It is important to note that both Colonial and Prospect Hill were brought into ADA compliance with bonds in 2010 and 2018 respectively and that each has more space for students than currently exists at Siwanoy. 

The District is committed to creating comfortable classroom conditions so that students can learn and perform to the best of their abilities. Many classrooms become unbearably hot in the late spring and early fall. Additionally, a new New York State law requires that students be relocated from classrooms that reach 88 degrees or higher. Given the District’s overall lack of space, this could result in early dismissals and/or shifts to remote instruction. 

Central air conditioning and upgraded HVAC systems also have the benefit of advanced air filtration systems, which provide cleaner, healthier air for students and staff.

It is important to note that Pelham Middle School and Hutchinson School are fully air conditioned. 

Ground source heat pumps, also known as geothermal, heat and cool buildings by exchanging heat with the ground, which maintains a fairly constant temperature year-round below the surface. This technology carries higher up-front costs for installation, but ultimately results in lower heating/cooling costs over the long-term and is considered a more environmentally friendly approach than traditional heating/cooling methods. 

This option is being proposed at Siwanoy and Prospect Hill in Proposition 4.

Installation of Ground Source Heat Pumps is only be viable if the propositions with central air conditioning are also approved. 

If a proposition is not approved by the voters, then the District will not be able to move forward with those projects. If that occurs, the Board of Education would ultimately decide how to proceed, which could include scheduling another vote with the same or revised projects.

Ensuring that teaching and learning occur without disruption is our top priority during construction projects. Interior renovations would occur during summers and other times when class is not in session. As has been the case with other projects, including the recent expansion at Prospect Hill, renovations at PMHS and construction of the new Hutchinson School, our construction manager will work with District personnel and the building principal to coordinate a safety, noise and logistical plan so that students are not disrupted while the expansion is built.

Given the large scope of projects being proposed, the Board structured the propositions to give the community choices about how to proceed with the work. 

All other propositions are contingent upon Proposition 1, recognizing that infrastructure work across the District is most critical and it would not make logistical sense to approve building expansions before addressing issues related to heating buildings and preventing water intrusion. Importantly, the infrastructure work at Siwanoy can not be completed unless the ADA upgrades are also included, which is why that work was separated into a different proposition.

The Board of Education has prioritized community input throughout this process. Some key ways the community has provided feedback on this proposal include:

• Community representation on the Facilities Committee
• Public comment at more than 10 Board of Education meetings
• Participation at 6 capital improvement bond info sessions and 4 tours of Siwanoy School, as well as multiple PTA meetings and a World Cafe to review the draft bond scope
• A capital improvement bond survey

These opportunities, along with correspondence from many community members, has played an important role in shaping the bond proposals. This includes several alterations to the proposed design for the Siwanoy School expansion.

The community will continue to play a key role as the designs for the approved projects are completed.

The District can fund up to $65 million in new facilities work without levying new taxes due to the retirement of existing debt from previously completed capital projects. The final tax impacts will be determined based on which propositions are ultimately approved by voters, which will determine which projects will be offset by the retiring debt. 

Below are some tax scenarios based on the possible outcomes. It is anticipated that the maximum estimated tax impact, as shown below, will be felt in 2029, however the exact timing of the impact will be dependent upon project sequencing, the overall design, state approval and successful bidding of approved propositions. Please note that these projected tax impacts are inclusive of the retiring debt and New York State Building aid, which currently reimburses approximately 49% of the cost. They also include anticipated borrowing costs and project escalation costs to account for rising prices over time.

After a bond is approved and the District borrows the associated funds, the annual payments are incorporated into the budget as “debt service.” Like a mortgage or car loan, the District will make these payments for the duration of the corresponding loan, typically 15-20 years depending on the type of projects funded. 

Debt service payments are included in the capital portion of the budget. Importantly, capital expenses are exempt from the tax cap. This means that any borrowing for capital projects will not impact the amount a district can raise the tax levy while staying compliant with the tax cap.

The District is scheduled to pay off debt from previously approved capital projects in upcoming years. If no bond is approved, taxes would decrease accordingly, however this would also mean that the District would have limited options to address the identified infrastructure projects that have been proposed.

Debt from previously completed capital projects being paid off, which will result in approximately a $500,000 reduction in the local share of debt payments (debt payments less associated NYS state building aid) in the 2026-27 school year and a larger reduction of approximately $2.7 million in the 2030-31 school year. 

The District, in working with its financial advisors, estimates that replacing those reductions with $65 million in new projects would result in no additional tax burden on residents. The $65 million includes estimated interest rates (based on Municipal Market Data for AAA rated organizations, plus 75 basis points),  anticipated state building aid reimbursement at the District’s current rate of 49% and certain assumptions about the length of the borrowing terms, which generally can be for 15 or 20 years when completing renovation or expansion projects. 

Depending on which bond propositions are ultimately approved by the voters, the District will work with its architects, construction manager and financial advisors to align borrowing with these drops in debt service, minimizing the impact on taxpayers.

It is anticipated that the maximum tax increase associated with the approved projects would be felt in 2029. 

New York State provides school districts building aid to partially offset capital improvements. The amount of aid is determined by a number of factors, including the specific school district’s aid ratio and the portion of the project that is eligible for aid, which is determined by a formula. Currently, Pelham’s building aid ratio is 49%, meaning that 49% of eligible project costs are reimbursed by New York State. The aid ratio is updated annually and can go up or down year-to-year based on state-wide data, however it has been largely stable for many years. At the time of the 2018 bond to construct a new Hutchinson School, Pelham’s aid ratio was 41%.

The estimated tax impacts that have been shared by the District incorporated the current building aid ratio of 49% applied to the projected portions of the project that would be eligible for aid.