Printable Version of The Newsletter and Postcard that were mailed to residents
Capital Project Information Sessions
Before the vote, the district held two informational sessions to provide community members with more details on the proposed capital project. During the session, Superintendent Dan Ward and Executive Director of Business and Human Resources Kevin Polunci talked about the needed improvements and the proposed project. Voters are encouraged to view the slides below that were presented.
Informational Session Presentation:
Building Foundations for Success District-wide
The Hudson Falls Central School District serves more than 2,100 students each year in five unique school buildings. School districts must adhere to certain standards in order to continue operations – we are responsible for making sure all facilities are up to code for the safety and comfort of our students, staff, and the community. On Wednesday, March 27th, the proposed $54.1 million capital project will go in front of voters. The project will address needs in four areas: safety and security, access and use, building improvements, and community use.
Safety & Security
Advancements in safety and security technology have progressed since the district’s buildings were last updated, and the items below would provide district leaders with modern, up-to-date features to ensure student and staff safety.
High School
- Fire-rated doors
- An IT backup generator
- Additional security cameras
- Replacement of the clock and public address system
- An emergency generator
Middle School
- New boilers
- Lockdown notification lights
Intermediate School
- New boilers
- Lockdown notification lights
Primary School
- An HVAC unit for the gymnasium
- New boilers
- Lockdown notification lights
Margaret Murphy K-Center
- New boilers
- Lockdown notification lights
- Fire alarm system upgrades
Access & Use
The way our students, families and staff use the district facilities has evolved as the buildings have aged. Once state-of-the-art spaces are now feeling cramped, dim and outdated. To modernize our learning spaces and make areas of our buildings accessible, the following items are included in the capital project.
The district seeks to create spaces that are accessible for all. Not only are the small bathrooms in the Intermediate, Primary, and K-Center classrooms outdated and worn, they are not universally accessible. The proposed project would make the bathrooms across the district ADA compliant so all individuals could access them. In addition to restroom upgrades, the project also includes making play fields accessible. One of the most important updates to our facilities would be a redesign of our pick-up and drop-off patterns at the Middle and High schools. Having students cross multiple lanes is dangerous, there are excessive wait times for drivers, and outdated traffic patterns cause congestion in the areas surrounding the campus. The district has been proactive in addressing the issue by conducting traffic impact studies around these buildings. The findings have guided designers in reimagining the roads surrounding two of our campuses. The district believes the updated traffic pattern will improve the traffic flow and student safety.
Building Improvements
Just like our homes, school district buildings need regular upkeep. The proposed project would improve aspects of the buildings’ design, functionality, and structure.
“The overall look and feel of our buildings contributes to a positive learning environment for our students,” said Superintendent of Schools Dan Ward. “By updating our learning and gathering spaces, we hope to continue to inspire pride and excitement in our school.”
In 2021, our community approved a project that modernized our High School library. The proposed project, which the community will vote on in March, expands on the vision of modern research spaces for learning with proposed renovations for libraries in the Middle School, Intermediate School, and Primary School.
In addition to library spaces, the proposed project includes renovating the High School cafeteria eating and food preparation spaces. In the cafeteria itself, the floors and walls would be redone and repainted, brightening and modernizing the space. The cafeteria is used by the student population multiple times each day. The district would replace outdated equipment in the kitchens in the High School, Intermediate School, and Primary School as well. Our youngest learners at the Kindergarten Center would have repainted classrooms, cafeteria and hallways.
Community Use
Our district prides itself on offering quality facilities to students, staff, and our community at large.
One of the most popular spaces, the district’s fitness room, is in dire need of updating. The room, which is in the High School, is open to both students and community members.
Since it was built the equipment in our fitness room has seen considerable wear and tear, including broken equipment, rips in padding, and damage to the walls.
The capital project would repair these issues. In addition, the community pool is in need of restoration so we can continue to keep it open for both students and residents.