Voters Approve $42.5M Chappaqua School Bond
By Emily Whelahan
Chappaqua Central School District voters comfortably approved the $42.5 million referendum Tuesday night.
The bond proposal designates funds toward creating new learning environments and upgrades to the district’s athletic fields and the Chappaqua Public Library.
Results of the referendum, which passed 1,380-852, were announced shortly after the polls closed at 9 p.m. at Horace Greeley High School. The tally includes 35 absentee ballots that weren’t immediately counted after the vote, but 17 affidavits had yet to be verified.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lyn McKay said there were many reasons why a relatively high number of voters were against the bond, but she was excited about the approval.
“This is a real opportunity to work together. It’s not just for the schools, it’s for the whole community,” said McKay.
District officials have said the bond will not raise taxes. The district will receive 33.6 percent in state aid for the work. In order to pay for the remainder of the bond, officials also plan to sell a 20-acre parcel that the district owns; see the retirement of debt in 2023-24 associated with the bond that financed construction of Seven Bridges Middle School and other projects; and dedicate less money for infrastructure repairs in the annual budget.
The proposal calls for global learning centers in all three elementary schools and the high school, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) centers, at the secondary schools and four new instructional centers at Greeley.
The new learning spaces are similar to the district’s current iLabs. The spaces will encourage students to participate in active learning and will be equipped with advanced technology.
The bond also funds renovations of the high school auditorium and elementary school playgrounds. Additional projects include a new environmentally friendly artificial turf surface and lights at the Robert E. Bell Middle School field and Greeley’s Competition Field.
McKay said approval of the bond will create larger and more flexible spaces for students and safer schools.
District officials said all projects funded by the bond are estimated to be completed by the 2017-18 school year.
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