As more students, faculty, and staff continue to enter the ICSD community, a $120 million dollar proposal will be used in an attempt to address the growing need for flexible learning spaces and new facilities in the district. The ICSD Board of Education (BoE) has named this enterprise the Ithaca City School District Capital Improvement Project. According to the ICSD website, the project is “…designed to enhance safety and security, upgrade teaching and learning spaces, and improve infrastructure across the District.” The ten-year-long plan aims to upgrade all of the ICSD schools in some way.
So far, the BoE has conducted five presentations regarding the project. At the first board meeting on June 26, 2018, the capital improvement process, capital project information sharing, and a conceptual project timeline were all discussed. The planning process has already taken place; facilities were evaluated from April through June. When these facilities were evaluated, deficient conditions were identified, corrective actions were proposed, ranked, and prioritized, and a funding source was identified. Additionally, educational planning began in May and was finished in September. Currently, the scope of the project is being developed. By March, details will be finalized. Throughout April and May, more about the project and its implications will be shared with the ICSD community. May 21 is the expected date on which the capital project referendum vote will take place.
At the monthly discussion and voting meeting on December 11, 2018, a presentation to the BoE discussed in depth the scope of the project. The BoE addressed the main goals: to innovate teaching and learning environments, improve safety and security, and update infrastructure. Large multi-purpose rooms, more flexible learning spaces, co-curricular support, and classroom furniture are expected to be added to schools. The project also aims to update playgrounds, improve traffic loops, and make adjustments to areas that do not meet the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability. Exceeding ADA requirements and bettering safety are the two goals behind the updates to front entrances at certain schools. More adjustments include better roofing, heating and cooling systems, flooring, and painting. Bathrooms are also expected to improve at some schools.
What can we expect to see starting in 2020? At IHS, there will be a large amount of work done. The synthetic turf carpet will be replaced with new material, and the track will also be replaced due to its deteriorating condition. The stadium bleachers currently have limited accessibility and there are safety concerns around the bleachers. To address this, the bleachers may be decreased from 3,000 to 2,500 seats; walkways would be added to increase safety. The baseball field will have better drainage, and in the pool, the tiles, bleachers, diving boards, and ceiling will all be updated. Perhaps most significantly, the outside courtyard will be enclosed so students will have to check in to the main office before having access to the courtyard; this is intended to improve safety.
Other changes are also expected at IHS— the plan for the main office is to take it out of the J wing and to transfer it into B (Activities), which will include a welcome center. The existing main office will be renovated to create a wellness suite, relocating guidance, nursing, and the psychology office there. Lab areas for humanities and STEM will fill the areas left behind from guidance, nursing, and the psychology office. Furthermore, York Lecture Hall is proposed to be separated into two separate areas; the bottom level would be used as a tiered seating lecture room, and the upper half would be turned into an area where either study halls or professional development conferences could take place.
In the elementary schools of the district, there will be more internal control over interior and exterior doors, and impact-resistant glass will be added to many locations. However, Caroline & South Hill will not be getting these changes during the first round of renovations. The outdated septic systems will be improved at Caroline Elementary school, and roofing at South Hill will be updated. These are just a few of the many changes that ICSD expects to implement. In meeting with school administrators and community members, specific goals for future stages will be solidified in the coming months.
The BoE has conducted and will continue to conduct “Community Conversations” to ensure that all members of the community can and will take part in creating a vision for ICSD as the Capital Project is underway. The Capital Funds Project will be lengthy, but may provide long term improvements after its eventual completion.