Upcoming Info Sessions about Using Bond Money

MOUNT VERNON, NY — Mount Vernon school officials want to make sure the community has all the necessary information to make an educated vote on March 7 about their revised plan for school renovation and reorganization.

Residents are not being asked to OK more spending; they're just being asked to approve spending some of the money they already OK'd on different things.

Upcoming meetings are:

• Saturday, Feb. 4, noon-1:30 p.m. – The White House, 65 Stuyvesant Plaza
• Saturday, Feb. 4, 3-5 p.m. – Saints Peter & Paul and St. Ursula Church, 129 E. Birch St.
• Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Traphagen School, 72 Lexington Ave.
• Thursday, Feb. 16, 6-7 p.m. – Mandela/Zollicoffer High School, 250 Gramatan Ave.
• Thursday, Feb. 16, 7:30-8:30 p.m. – Pennington School, 20 Fairway St.
• Monday, Feb. 27, 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Graham School, 421 E. 5th St.

Parents and community are invited to attend.

Full details on the bond referendum can be found on the district website at www.mtvernoncsd.org

The plan would re-purpose a portion of the $108 million bond approved by residents in May — mostly because more elementary level classroom space is going to be needed due to new planned housing developments that will increase the school-aged population in the city.

Additions are proposed for several elementary school buildings, and land acquisition and building changes require approval from the public, officials said.

“We are not asking for any more money,” said Dr. Kenneth R. Hamilton, Superintendent of Schools. “We find there is a need for us to provide more space for an influx of children into the district, and we’re asking the public to allow us to re-purpose some funds to get ahead of this now while we have the opportunity.”

The new plan also calls for keeping neighborhood schools intact. Parker Elementary School had originally been slated to become a pre-K center for the south side of the city. In response to community input, the new plan will refigure Parker as a pre-k through grade 8 building.

“We heard the parents and reconsidered,” said Lesly Zamor, Board of Education President. “Parker is a school that has traditionally done very well. We plan to make it a pre-K though grade 8 building with an enhanced pre-K center and build upon that success."