Briarcliff Voters Reject Capital Project Bond Proposal

BRIARCLIFF MANOR, NY — School district voters rejected the Briarcliff Board of Education's proposal to borrow up to $33.95 million for capital improvement projects. A total of 1,600 votes were cast Thursday; 912 residents voted "no" while 688 voted "yes."

District officials had been hopeful that residents would approve the plan, specially because with the state funding 23 percent, and the district's declining current debt, this project’s debt issuance would not result in increased taxes.

"Building strong school communities is often accomplished one vote at a time. I want to thank all those who exercised their civic duty and voted today," said Superintendent Dr. James Kaishian. "The Board of Education will discuss options for dealing with an aging infrastructure, school security and educational mandates over the ensuing months as the school year progresses. Unfortunately, there are no cost-free answers to these concerns.”

The money would have been used for:

• Promote Safety and Security: The proposed plan called for Districtwide improvements to security infrastructure allowing for cameras, emergency communications and other equipment that will, for example, enable lockdown capability to be installed at the high school, middle school and Todd. It also addresses security through environmental design, e.g. better placement of facilities, improved sightlines and the ability to cordon off core educational areas from visitors.

• Promote Health: Establishing a healthier school environment in which educational facilities would be brighter, cleaner and free from impediments. At Todd, this meant facilities that better support the need for elementary students to engage in active play and meet state physical education mandates. At BHS, natural light would be introduced into interior rooms and spaces. For example, the project calls for two new state-of-the-art science classrooms to be created out of four existing windowless rooms.

• Support Next Generation Learning: Student resources including the Maresca Center, the Library and the Guidance offices would be modernized and reconfigured more logically to increase accessibility to students, staff, and parents. At BHS, the Library Media Center would be transformed into an interactive, cloud-based learning environment and collaboration space to facilitate current instructional strategies. An upgraded Guidance and College Conference Suite would include a waiting room and space for group interviews and interviews with college recruiters.

• Transform and Reconfigure Outdated Spaces: BMS and BHS share a campus thus upgrades would be utilized by both schools. Notably, the Music and Performing Arts renovations, the elimination of closets and the conversion of office space for educational supports, the addition of a middle school Maker Space for hands-on, interactive and collaborative learning. At Todd, the project calls for the consolidation of our administrative offices including nursing, conferencing and student support services. Existing courtyard spaces would also be converted into usable outdoor learning spaces.

• Create a Performance and Flexible Use Space at Todd Elementary: Plans call for repurposing the existing gymnasium into flexible student performance and indoor recess space. The construction of a new gymnasium with adequate space for two Physical Education teaching stations and a full-sized playing surface for athletic events. To improve security, this new space would be placed along the exterior of the school building and would better allow for community use outside of school hours.

• Attend to High-Priority Infrastructure Projects District-Wide: Over the past several years, the District has deferred significant maintenance and improvement projects so that they may coincide with the 2021 retirement of debt. These projects would include renovating the high school cafeteria serving area, repaving degraded parking lots and sidewalks, replacing roofs, electrical upgrades, and installation of interior and exterior security doors.