School Bond Referendum Approved in Scarsdale

The following announcement is from the Scarsdale Board of Education:

The Scarsdale Board of Education is pleased to announce that the Bond Referendum held on December 11, 2014, for the issue of $18.12 million of debt, passed by a vote of 805 to 176. The Board thanks the residents for voting to support this bond issue and for their commitment to supporting both the educational needs of our students and the environment in which those educational needs are met.

This bond will fund the renovation and expansion of the Edgewood library and relocation of its administrative offices to the front and center of the building; the addition of a multipurpose room to the Heathcote School; the addition of an Orchestra classroom at the Middle School; replacement of a roof at Quaker Ridge School; and at the High School, the renovation of Gym B into a Learning Commons and Innovation Lab and the renovation and repair of the auditorium and adjoining courtyard.

Interest rates for borrowing remain at historically low levels, and maturing debt enables the work to be done without increasing annual debt service costs to the taxpayers.

The Board wishes to thank the Scarsdale Schools Education Foundation and the Madoff family for their pledges of $2.6 million and $300,000, respectively, to underwrite the costs of the Design Lab and the new Fitness Center.

There were many individuals, groups, committees, agencies and others that participated in the process that led to this successful outcome. We want to thank the PT Council and the officers of all the Scarsdale Schools PTAs for their tireless hours of help. We also offer our heartfelt gratitude to all the students, teachers, administrators, parents and other volunteers who worked on the building and Districtwide steering committees over the last 18 months. We wish to thank the Scarsdale Forum, Scarsdale League of Women Voters, Scarsdale Village, and all the other supporting groups who helped to further this important work.

Finally, we would like to thank the School Administration, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Hagerman and Assistant Superintendent Linda Purvis, for addressing the needs to maintain and improve Scarsdale Schools with the planned use of the bond funds. This is a great start to the year, and the Board is looking forward to continuing to serve the Scarsdale community by focusing on the delivery of excellent educational services in a fiscally responsible manner.

Thank you,

Mary Beth Gose, President

Leila Shames Maude, Vice President

Lewis Leone, Jr.

Christopher Morin

William Natbony

Suzanne Seiden

Scott E. Silberfein