At a meeting this week, the school board held a public hearing regarding the capital project. Superintendent Maureen Donahue went over the highlights of the project during the hearing.

The project will include various construction projects, including turf replacement at the main stadium for the high school; lighting upgrades at the athletic field; soccer field drainage upgrades; main office renovations including security upgrades; exterior improvements such as roofing and patio development; gymnasium upgrades at the elementary school; window replacement at the middle school; and others at all three school buildings, the bus garage and the athletic complex.

The proposed capital project is projected to cost $18,237,000.

Ninety-five percent of approved construction costs will qualify for state building aid. The district reports that the district ratio for state building aid is 83.3%. It is estimated that 79% will be funded through building aid, 12% through local share and 9% through district funds.

Donahue said regular upkeep is necessary for the district’s facilities, including the school buildings, grounds, bus garage and athletic complex.

“When you think about it, we have 66 acres here, and another 16 acres at the bus garage property and our athletic fields,” she said. “We have on a given day 2,000 people on this campus. We have almost 1,400 kids, we have about 300 staff … it’s nothing to have between 2,000 and 2,500 people here a day — that’s a lot of wear and tear.”

See PROJECT, Page A3

From Page A1

Donahue pointed out that there are expansions being proposed as COVID-19 has changed the way the district and other districts think about facilities.

“We hope that there’s going to be a day where we go back to normal,” she said. “I don’t know if it will ever go back to where we were, it’s going to be where we are moving forward. This also does an expansion of our high school. Our cafeteria is used for multiple things besides just lunchtime, and right now, we have our kids separated in this room for lunch and in our own cafeteria.”

Donahue said the project addresses the needs of the district and maximizes the available state aid.

“The need to provide our students and staff with a purposeful, secure and safe educational experience combined with the ongoing demand to maintain our facilities has helped to mold this project,” she said. “We believe if passed, the capital project will improve safety and energy efficiency, enhance accessibility, keep our facilities in good working order for future generations and provide ample useable indoor and outdoor spaces and amenities to ensure our students continue to grow, learn and thrive.”

The vote will take place Dec. 14 in the high school multi-purpose room from 7-9 a.m. and from 2-8 p.m. in the same location. Constituents are invited to direct questions through email to mdonahue@swcsk12.org or call 716-484-1137.