EXCEL Project Information Update

ESM voters approved a special ballot proposition 534-254 on December 12, 2007 to achieve $5.6 million of priority school improvements at no cost to taxpayers.

We call this plan "EXCEL-erating ESM" because it is funded with an EXCEL grant from the State, school building aid, and a capital outlay.

But even though the project doesn't increase taxes, voter approval was required to get the funding to make this a $0 increase project.

Timeline: A detailed project timeline was presented to the Board of Education on February 11, 2008 that calls for construction to begin on the project in the early summer.

Phase I: The first phase of work, likely to commence in the early summer, will focus on the CHS roof and conversion of the high school athletic field. It is hoped that the first phase will be completed in time for the opening of school in September. The only major variable to this time frame will be the backlog of plans from around the state that require approval by the State Education Department. All of our District's Phase I plans have now been submitted.

Phase II: The second phase of the project is likely to begin construction at the end of the 2008-09 school year in June 2009, and continue for approximately 16 months. This phase calls for the remaining infrastructure work at the elementary schools, the instructional upgrades at CHS, and the new student drop-off/pick-up loop at East Syracuse Elementary to improve safety.

Infrastructure work at the elementary schools includes: some roof replacement, window replacement, door and hardware replacement, Americans with Disabilities (ADA) requirements/bathroom upgrades, smoke detectors, and wall repair.

Recap: The project was organized into areas of priority, including:

• Roofing
• Windows and doors
• Health & safety items
• Instructional space upgrades
• ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Requirements/Bathrooms

Basic building systems—those that preserve the integrity, health and safety of our schools—will be addressed at CHS, ESE, Park Hill, Fremont, Heman St., Minoa, and Woodland. An important safety project (a new student dropoff) will be created at ESE; and bathrooms will be upgraded at Minoa and CHS, among other locations.

Central High School: Instructional space improvements will be made at CHS. The auditorium will be upgraded, as will the library media center to give our students much-improved instructional environments. The athletic field will be converted to a turf product to expand opportunities for students and community members.

District priorities include: ADA and building integrity issues at District Office, along with acquisition of property adjoining CHS.

Click below for further information on:
1) General information, why convert the athletic field, Q & A, voter information
2) Photos, project cost breakdown, building work details

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