SCSD Forum Provides Updates on Project 2021, Safety & Security

SKANEATELES, NY (February 5, 2019) – The Skaneateles Central School District held a Community Forum on Wednesday, January 30 inside the high school’s auditorium hosted by Superintendent of Schools, Lynda Quick.
 
The Forum addressed several items within the district including updates on Project 2021, safety & security, as well as the fiscal status of the district.
 
Project 2021, the district’s $36.5 million capital improvement project approved by community members in November of 2017, received approval from the State Education Department for its Phase 1 plans in January of 2019.  With that approval, the project will go to bid in February of this year with work estimated to be completed during the summer of 2019.
 
Phase 1 will see work done in the basement of Waterman Primary School in order to remediate the water issues that were discovered during building inspections.
 
Project 2021’s Phase 2 plans were submitted to SED in December of 2018 with an expected approval in late spring of 2019, which will see bidding for the project go out in the fall of 2019.  Project work is estimated to begin in the spring of 2020.
 
Phase 2 will include project upgrades to the remainder of the Skaneateles Central School District campus.
 
Renovations to the middle school gymnasium, high school and middle school commons area and the high school auditorium are all part of the plans which also include replacing several inefficient windows, and heating systems.
 
The middle school gym renovation will see a retractable stage and bleachers added to the space, making the area more conducive to performing arts performances and assembly gatherings.
 
Part of the safety & security upgrades within the district include “Swipe Card” access at all exterior doors for staff.
 
This upgrade decreases reliance on keys and gives administrators the ability to monitor who is entering buildings at all times. 
 
New door sensors also alert the appropriate staff if doors are propped open or left ajar.
 
Updated public address systems in the middle and high schools, a new lockdown alert system with upgraded extended lockdown systems at State Street and Waterman, all-new district wide telephone systems and the addition of 161 new online cameras are a sampling of the continued safety & security upgrades within the district.
 
The night’s Forum also updated the community on the district’s two School Guards, which will continue with the district through June 30.
 
The fiscal status of the district remains in sound standing.
 
The fiscal stress of the district is once again rated at 3.3 while the environmental stress of the district has dropped to 0.
 
The closer to 0 for each rating, the less fiscal stress a district has.
 
Factors such as a district's short-term borrowing, year-end fund balance and operating deficit patterns go into determining a district's score.
 
Keep in touch with events and happenings in relation to the Skaneateles Central School District by visiting online at www.skanschools.org or following the district’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Skaneateles.Schools/.