The Knight Times - Feb 2017

The

KNIGHT TIMES

Mount Vernon City School District Newsletter

Volume IX: February 2017

THE 20/20 VISION: REFINED, RESPONSIVE, RE-ENVISIONED Bond Refinement Vote

Public permission is required for the school district to make modifications to the 2016 approved bond funds for new projects.

The Bond Refinement does not seek any new money.

Vote Tuesday , March 7

The projects will provide additional elementary level space to accommodate pre-kindergarten and middle school students and preserve quality neighborhood schools. All district elementary schools will now have full-day Pre-K classrooms on-site. So, there will no longer be the need to bus Pre-K children.

Approval of these projects will enable the school district to accomplish the academic vision of Pre-K through grade 8 schools and the restructuring of the three high schools.

Mount Vernon has undergone a number of renovations over the past year. Pictured above is a newly redesigned and improved entrance area to Mount Vernon High School.

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Mount Vernon City School District Newsletter

BOND PROJECT UPDATE SCHOOL BY SCHOOL The Pennington School: The school will feature

a new middle school addition with science labs, and a library/media center. The auditorium will be renovated.

There are also plans to restore the basketball courts, baseball fields and soccer/football fields. An additional land purchase will be used to accommodate these school sports.

A rendering of Parker School

The Parker School: The school will become a Pre-K through eighth-grade school building. This will create a neighborhood school that will preserve the continuity of care for our students. This is in direct response to concerns raised by Parker families. Part of the bond modification will fund the purchase of land adjoining Parker School and across the street. The adjoining property will allow for the future addition of new Pre-K classrooms. Also, the teachers’ parking lot will become a playground, and a new teachers’ lot will be constructed across the street on Sanford Boulevard.

The Traphagen School: Funds will be allocated to

create a new middle school science lab along with additional faculty offices and general classrooms on the second floor.

The school district will seek to purchase adjoining land for future expansion and to increase play areas. In addition, there are plans to restore the basketball courts, baseball fields and soccer/football fields. Exterior site work featuring new walkways, parking, grounds cleanup, plantings, fencing and the power washing of the building have already been completed, and the interior first floor corridor has been renovated.

A.B. Davis Middle School: Renovations will be

revised to accommodate the necessary infrastructure for the new STEAM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). The school has already received interior corridor renovations as well as cafeteria and kitchen upgrades. It will also feature a new science lab and robotics labs, field renovations, and a new library/media center.

A site plan showing the addition to Pennington School on the left

The Grimes School: The remains of the

dilapidated, unused annex building on the Grimes site will be demolished and replaced with a new addition that will feature middle school classrooms, science labs and faculty offices.

Grimes School with the new addition

Thornton High School: The school will see a

restoration of the auditorium, classrooms, corridors, parking facilities and gymnasium. It will also feature a black box theatre, accessible elevators and renovated bathrooms.

The Holmes School: The school will feature new

science classrooms and labs, and include corridor, cafeteria and gymnasium renovations. Upgrades will also be made to the playfields and grounds.

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Volume IX: February 2017

Mount Vernon High School: The high

school is currently undergoing many improvements, including full window and exterior door replacements, new sidewalks, bathrooms, classrooms, gymnasium, pool, cafeteria, kitchen, loading dock, locker rooms, roofs and HVAC. There will be improvements to the athletic fields, including a new eight-lane track, restored football field, tennis courts and baseball and soccer fields. The high school will continue to see capital project renovations through annually budgeted funds.

The Williams School: There will be a new

middle school science lab, and the historic auditorium will be renovated. The library/media center will be updated along with the gymnasium and cafeteria.

The Lincoln School: Funds will be allocated to

create a new middle school science classroom and lab, as well as a renovated cafeteria.

The Columbus School: Work has begun with

renovations to the parking facility. This summer, playfields and grounds will be renovated. There will be a new middle school science lab. The library/media center will be updated and the auditorium and gymnasium will be renovated.

A rendering of the refurbished pool at Mount Vernon High School

The Graham School: The new play fields,

parking facility, interior hallway doors, newly renovated auditorium and middle school science lab are complete.

This summer, the school district will begin work on a new main entrance, offices, main floor corridor and stairwell, and lockers. The work will be complete in the fall. There is also more work being done to repair the failed exterior building cornice, walkways, existing fencing and sidewalks.

Rebecca Turner School and Benjamin Turner Middle School: The lower school

building will receive renovations to the cafeteria, gymnasium, corridors and bathrooms. Work has begun on the playground and grounds to address fencing, walkways and safety lighting.

Mandela/Zollicoffer from above with a rendering showing the existing school (in grey on right) and new structure (in beige on left)

Mandela/Zollicoffer High School: New entrance at Graham School

The Hamilton School: Interior corridors have

been renovated, and there is more work to be done to refresh the cafeteria, auditorium and bathrooms. There will be new middle school science classrooms and labs.

The library/media center will be updated. Also, there are plans to restore the basketball courts, parking lot, fencing and interior courtyard space.

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Funds will be allocated to revert the building back to an elementary school. A new addition will house a gymnasium, cafeteria, auditorium and special education classrooms. The existing building will be renovated and reconfigured to a Pre-K through eighth grade building with the older gym and auditoriums converted into new classrooms. This will allow for preservation of neighborhood schools and accommodate the increased enrollment at these grade levels. Adjoining land will be purchased for playfields.

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Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit # 5140 White Plains, NY

Board of Education Mount Vernon City School District 165 N. Columbus Avenue Mount Vernon, NY 10552 Board of Education Lesly Zamor, President Adrianne G. Saunders, Vice President Charmaine Fearon Serigne M. Gningue Rosemarie Jarosz Omar McDowell Micah J.B. McOwen Darcy Miller Wanda White

***ECRWSS*** Postal Patron Mount Vernon, NY

Bond Refinement Vote Information Date: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 | Time: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The five designated polling locations are: • Pennington School, 20 Fairway St.

Registered voters who usually vote at Pennington will vote at Pennington School

• Parker School, 461 S. 6th Ave.

Registered voters who usually vote at Parker School, Rebecca Turner Elementary School and Grimes Elementary School will vote at Parker School

• Traphagen School, 72 Lexington Ave.

• Graham School, 421 E. 5th St.

(enter on Bedford Avenue) Registered voters who usually vote at Graham and Williams School will vote at Graham School

• Mandela/Zollicoffer High School, 250 Gramatan Ave.

Registered voters who usually vote at Lincoln School, Mandela/Zollicoffer, and Hamilton School will vote at Mandela/Zollicoffer High School

Registered voters who usually vote at Traphagen and Holmes School will vote at Traphagen School

To Learn More The Board of Education and District officials believe that partnership and communication with the community is essential to the transformation of our school system. Therefore, we are communicating these latest adjustments on the district’s website and Facebook page, as well as in this newsletter. We are touring the schools, and meeting with a variety of community associations and groups. To see the latest information and a list of polling places, visit the district’s website.

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www.mtvernoncsd.org

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