The Sewanhaka Central High School District Board of Education will hold a bond referendum on Dec. 4. The bond referendum enables the district to issue debt to bring the district’s infrastructure into the 21st century. The district’s excellent financial position will allow borrowing at favorable rates and approximately 40 percent of the debt will be covered by state aid. This will allow the district to proactively plan and schedule repairs which will avoid costly emergency repairs, for which the district would receive no state aid, and avoid disruption to student routines.
A committee was formed in October 2012 with representatives from each school community. The plan calls for renovations to buildings and athletic fields within the five-component district, improving heating, ventilation and air conditioning, upgrading technology and security, and constructing new gyms, cafeterias and auditoriums.
Projects at Floral Park Memorial High School include: expansion and renovation of the auditorium, which will be climate controlled; new orchestra, chorus and band rooms; heating, ventilation, roof work and new windows; new synthetic athletic fields, a resurfaced track and renovated softball and baseball fields; and security and technology upgrades. The proposal also includes refurbishing the ATS Sports Complex.
These are greatly needed capital improvements to our aging school facilities.
We believe that the Board of Education has prepared a fiscally responsible bond proposal designed to achieve the goal of providing a continued quality educational experience for all of our children. It is our responsibility as parents and neighbors to be advocates for the children of the Sewanhaka Central High School District communities and to secure for them excellence in education.
While it is challenging as taxpayers to maintain such a high quality of life in our wonderful communities, this bond is urgently needed for our schools. This bond is a mechanism by which all five high schools can see much needed repairs and improvements at the same time, providing equity to the students and communities.
Registration for the upcoming budget vote, for Floral Park-Bellerose School District residents, will be held at Floral Park-Bellerose School and John Lewis Childs School on Monday, Nov. 25 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The vote is Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., again, at both schools. Residents vote at the school for which they are zoned.
On behalf of the FPMHS Athletic Booster Club, FPMHS PTSA, and FPMHS Music Parents Group, we thank you for your support of our children and urge you to vote for the bond on Dec. 4.
FPMHS Athletic Booster Club Co-Presidents Tom Engel and Jennell Horan
FPMHS PTSA Co-Presidents Teresa Brady-Kurtzke and Donna Leone
FPMHS Music Parents Group Jeffrey Stern
