NECSD Presents Updated Proposal for Capital Work

At the regularly scheduled Newburgh Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, September 25, 2018, Superintendent Dr. Roberto Padilla and members of the Facilities Planning Committee presented an updated vision and plan for all of the school buildings within the district. The Newburgh School District currently has fourteen, fully occupied school buildings facilitating, Pre-K through 12^th grade education for more than eleven thousand students. More than twelve years have passed since the district has undergone major facility upgrades and since then the program and regulatory requirements for students have changed dramatically.

The comprehensive plan is the result of over eighteen months of collaborative planning by members of the Facilities Capital Bond Steering Committee. This well-established committee is comprised of stakeholders from a wide range of local, regional, and school community organizations. Professionals from education, construction, finance, school and district administration, labor and government came together on a weekly or bi-weekly basis as necessary to review, discuss and revise plans and proposals prepared by knowledgeable architects. The results were then overlaid by the financial impact on the district and more importantly local property taxpayers. More than twenty –four distinctly separate district-wide proposals were analyzed and calculated during the planning process. 

“Our two main goals throughout the many conversations and planning meetings has been to provide enhanced, state of the art learning spaces to enable our scholars to become future read - now, while keeping the tax burden on our community as low as possible.” Dr. Roberto Padilla, Superintendent of Newburgh Schools

Feedback and survey information from students, teachers and administration served as the primary source for decision-making. Also during the planning process, the Board of Education received updated presentations and provided their constructive input to the committee.  The prodigious results of planning will be presented in detail at Tuesday’s meeting, which starts at 6:00 PM (anticipated executive session until 7:00pm). Local community members and the public are encouraged to attend the meeting.

The ingredients of the plan will address many of the long-standing building infrastructure areas that are in need of improvement across the district. The well- balanced plan will also introduce new and innovative proposals to bring the school buildings in line with the college and career, curriculum and program requirements students so desperately need in today’s world. Overarching all of the plans and proposals, the Facilities Steering Committee is deeply committed to developing a quality plan with the lowest impact on community taxes as possible.

Upon conclusion of the presentation, a consensus was approved by the Board of Education, which will serve as a stepping-stone towards moving forward with the proposed plan.

This consensus is the next step toward proceeding with the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR), which is necessary to determine environmental impact –if any. By doing so, the school district can ensure the project can move forward without any impediments. The environmental review process takes about five months. Once that review is complete, the Board of Education can officially vote to adopt the project.

Once a plan is approved by the Board of Education, the district will be presented with multiple opportunities to learn more about the details of the Capital Project. Also at that time, a date will be set and a resolution prepared in the form of a Capital Bond referendum and a date will be set for the public to vote on the project.

Pending approval, the project can then move forward to the design phase.

The Newburgh Enlarged City School District school budget has been at or below the tax cap since the inception of a tax cap for school budgets and has not raised school taxes for at least three years.

“The Newburgh Enlarged City School District strives to create a unique educational experience that encompasses traditional learning in addition to nurturing career and technical skills that will prepare our scholars to be future ready – now.” Dr. Roberto Padilla, Superintendent of Newburgh Enlarged City School District

ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!