Capital Bond Project Update

The Times Herald Record recently wrote an article with information regarding the NECSD Capital Bond project that was approved by voters on May 18, 2019 with a super-majority vote. More information about our the Capital Bond project can be found here. Ongoing updates about the Capital Bond project can be found by visiting: bond.newburghschools.org.
 

Educator input: 

- Last week, every teacher who teaches a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course or program met with a design team to discuss student space, equipment, instructional needs, and suggestions for the future spaces. In an effort to create the most effective learning environments, discussions and suggestions focused on current expertise teaching technical and professional CTE classes at NFA and, both, current and future industry standards for each of the professional areas. The ultimate goal is to continue to prepare our scholars to be college and career ready beyond Academy Field. 

- The individual, research design meetings included teachers for each program, our Capital Projects Administrator, Mr. Roger Ramjug, representatives from Clark Patterson Lee - the designated architect for the project, and Mr. John Etri, Director of Career and Technical Education. 
 

Career and Technical Education (CTE) - previously known as vocational programs:

- Something to note - the Newburgh Enlarged City School District is one of the only schools in the state that hosts Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs within our high school buildings. 

- NECSD currently offers 21 vocational and professional programs to all high school scholars. You can find a list and description of those programs here. Each year, NECSD plans to add programs based on industry and regional need.

- This allows easy access and exposure of classes and programs to all scholars without disruption of their school day, maximizing each student's instructional time, eliminating additional hours in transportation, and limiting stigmatization.

- Many of our graduates walk across Academy Field with professional certificates that allow them to begin working in their chosen field immediately or upon their 18^th birthday.

The images within the powerpoint from Tuesday night's BOE meeting, are a conceptual rendering thus far. They have not been officially proposed, voted on, or approved by our Board of Education. The full powerpoint can be found on the Board of Education section of our website or by clicking here. 
 

Next steps:

As projects continue to progress, the next buildings in the process will be Heritage Middle School, Vails Gate STEAM Academy, and New Windsor Elementary School. The process begins with an Educational Planning Team at each building that consists of teachers, administrators, and staff of that individual building, as well as district administrators and the architects for the project.

Tax impact:

The Capital Bond project was approved by voters on May 18, 2019. Our fiscal advisors have advised that if the propositions are approved there will be no tax impact for eight (8) years. The project is expected to be completed in full before the need to use taxes to repay construction costs. The estimated monthly cost was calculated for each $100,000 of a property's Full Value. The average monthly cost of proposition 4 (new construction and renovations) is estimated to be $0.98 and $0.84 for proposition 5 (Air quality, environmental system/air conditioning) for a total of an estimated cost of $1.82 per month for each $100,000 of a property's Full Value. These payments are estimated to begin in 2027. These estimates do not reflect STAR or Veteran exemptions. 

Communication to the community:

Surveys to students, faculty/staff, and community members

Presentations and feedback collection in all secondary buildings

Letter from Dr. Padilla, Superintendent (mailed to each household on April 5, 2019)

Tri-fold brochure (mailed to each household early May 2019)

Poster boards in each school depicting proposed updates to that school

Poster boards contained information explaining full project

2018-2019 Accomplishments Report (mailed to each household mid-May 2019)

Eight open forums that spanned municipalities and time of day, including one in Spanish (various dates)

Four page brochure distributed at each open forum and added to the poster boards

Facebook Live event hosted by Superintendent Dr. Roberto Padilla (May 13, 2019)

Facebook event for date of vote that included information about both 2019 proposed budget and Capital Bond

Tri-fold brochure mailed to every household within the district (May 14, 2019)
 

More information:

More information and updates about the Capital Bond project can be found by visiting: https://newburghschools.org/webapps/bond2/index.php

Energy Performance in our buildings:

In addition to the facility upgrades incorporated in the Capital Bond project, NECSD is more than halfway to completion of our Energy Performance Contract Work. This is a separate project from the Capital Bond work, but has similar elements of building upgrades.

In total, there will be zero taxpayer impact with 1.3 million in annual guaranteed energy savings as well as a 60% reduction in greenhouse gases and a 60% reduction in energy costs.

 Work that has or will be completed includes updates or complete replacements of:

• energy management systems,
• LED retrofitted/converted lighting throughout our buildings,
• solar panels on nine buildings,
• automatic power-down for all computers,
• heating system upgrades,
• insulation replacement and installation of pipes and attic spaces,
• window film, and
• water conservation fittings.

By the end of the Energy Performance project, energy savings for 1 year will be equal to:

-          The CO2 that would be absorbed by 2,509 acres of trees

-          C02 emission from 19,410 barrels of oil

-          C02 emission from 1,803 passenger cars off the road

-          C02 emission from 1,067 average powered homes

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!