| Frequently Asked Questions |
Click on the questions below regarding the scope of the Facility Improvement Project to get to the answer.
If you have any further questions please contact Mr. Moses, School Superintendent, at 882-1291, or click here to go to the We’re Listening link on the school website.
General Questions
What will be changed in the school?
What will not change?
Questions on the Process of Developing and implementing the Facilities Project
How was it decided what to include and exclude from the project?
Who will supervise the renovations?
How was the architect chosen?
If we approve the project when will work begin and end?
Joseph Henry Elementary School
What changes will be made in the elementary school?
How can we have a building that is not up to fire code?
Middle School
What changes will be made in the middle school?
Why make a separate entrance to the middle school?
High School
What changes will be made in the high school?
Why increase the security to the HS entrance?
Will any changes be made to the outside of the HS?
District wide and General Questions
What changes will be made district wide?
Are there increased maintenance costs with this project?
Why increase the number of security cameras?
What is included in the second proposition (Plan B)?
General Questions
What will be changed in the school?
To get detailed answers to this question please go the to the specific school questions or click here to see a Power Point presentation describing the project.
What will not change in the school?
Items that will not be changed include the parking lots, the old bus garage, the tennis courts, any of the playgrounds or playing fields. With the exception of the high school gymnasium wall being moved out approximately 10 feet in the second proposal, there will be no noticeable difference to the exterior of the building. The trees in front of the school will remain intact.
Questions on the Process of Developing and implementing the Facilities Project
How was it decided what to include and exclude from the project?
This project comes out of a two-year process. Six Ad hoc committees were formed after the development of the strategic plan. They included Academic Achievement, Facilities, Communications and Community involvement, Professional Development, Finances, and Technology. The facilities goal of the strategic plan was:
The Galway Central School District will solicit and review input for its comprehensive facilities plan with all stakeholders in preparation for a bond referendum that enhances programmatic, operational, and security needs of the district.
The Facilities committee includes stakeholders like parents, teachers, an administrator, the Facilities Director, community members without children in school, and a BOE member.
In 2006, a survey was sent to voters to obtain feedback from the capital project. The results from that were used as a starting point.
The committee brought in stakeholders, community members, and sought their opinions on the previous project, what the felt the community would support, and what was needed in the school.
The committee, with the guidance of the Facilities Director, looked at the spaces in the school and prioritized areas that would benefit from improvement. The following criteria were used in decisions as to what to include:
Safety and well being of the people in the building
This includes bringing areas up to fire code and having equality in security throughout the building
Using space in an efficient effective manner
Some of this work has been complete in the normal operating budget. This includes building shelving to better utilize and decrease storage space. This has freed up enough space to be used in a different manner.
This also includes creating better learning spaces for the students. For example we currently use a gym locker room as a reading room. We would like to create a better learning space and more efficiently use the locker room that is not used as a locker room
Cost: getting the most bang for your buck.
Increasing Energy efficiency
Note: some of this work has been completed out of the operating budget due to expected short payback time.
Protecting our current investment and infrastructure
This includes repairing roofs and adding proper heating/cooling to computer rooms to protect equipment
From this the committee came up with a list of prioritized items to be included in the project. Rough estimates for cost were obtained from the architects and the list was shared with the BOE. Community stakeholders were brought back and were shown the list. Feedback was obtained on each item and the plan in general. Some items were ‘tweaked’ and estimates were obtained from an engineering firm.
Lines were drawn for a ‘no tax increase’ plan (Proposition 1) and the remaining items (Propositions 1 & 2). This was presented to the BOE at a board meeting. At that meeting it was decided to obtain further feedback from the public in general and a community forum was planned to obtain more feedback. This was held 9/23/09.
The engineering firm, Bovis, visited the school and a better cost estimate was done. The bonding company, Bernie Donnegan Inc., calculated and accurate estimate of what monies could be spent without creating a tax increase.
Who will supervise the renovations?
The district must bid the work per law (Gen. Munic. Law 101). CSARCH is a well-respected architectural firm that prepared our Five-Year Capital Plan, has done work in a number of other local school districts, and will prepare the project submissions to the State Education Department as well as prepare the bid specifications. The district administration will ensure the project is completed on time, within budget and that the project work is completed according to the specifications.
CSArch is the architect that the BOE has chosen to use for this project. The BOE hired the architect in 2006 to complete a 5-year facilities plan that is required by law. This firm was used in the prior capital project that was defeated in 2007. As a school, we are allowed to hire an architect firm to do only ‘preliminary’ design work prior to a vote. By law, we must wait until after a vote has passed to hire the firm to do the final design work. CSArch was chosen since they had knowledge of the school from their previous work and this would save us money in getting the preliminary work completed. They have completed work in other local school districts (Ballston Spa and Saratoga to name a few). Another firm would have to start from scratch and charge us for their services to do so.
If we approve the project when will work begin and end?
If the referendum is approved, the timeline would be as follows:
Final design will begin in January 2010.
Construction documents will be completed fall of 2010.
State Education Department approval is expected by end of 2010.
Construction to begin spring 2011.
Construction completed fall of 2012.
There would be no interruption of the academic program.
Joseph Henry Elementary School
What changes will be made in the elementary school?
There will be no exterior changes made to the elementary school. Inside the hallways will be changed significantly. The wooden cubbies will be removed and face the inside of the classroom. The glass on top of the cubbies will be removed and a firewall will be put in place between the hallway and classrooms. The ventilation would be changed so that air from inside the classroom would not be exhausted into the hallway (this is per fire code). Smoke doors would be put in place at then ends of the elementary hallways
The main elementary entrance would have a security cameral and a buzz in system so the administrative assistant can buzz people in once their identification was confirmed.
The stage in the elementary cafeteria would be modified or removed. The lunch tables would be stored where the old stage now sits and added storage for PTSA and other organizations would be created
How can we have a building that is not currently up to fire code?
When the school was built the fire code was less stringent. Codes have changed over the year. The State Education Department requires us to bring any area up to code when a renovation of that area is done.
Middle School
What changes will be made in the middle school?
The two oldest bathrooms in the middle school will be renovated. These have been determined to be beyond their useful life.
The Project Lead the Way classroom will be air-conditioned. This room houses our most advanced and expensive computers. This will allow the climate to be controlled to prolong computer life.
The locker rooms for the middle school gym will be renovated to create a separate secure middle school entrance. This will increase security for the school overall and the office will house the middle school principal, administrative assistant and curriculum coordinator.
The current middle school office and curriculum coordinators office will be renovated to house a large ‘community room’. This will be used for large group instruction, technology/library ‘media’ instruction, after school meetings/groups, etc
Improve acoustics in the MS cafeteria/gym. This will allow for the space to be better utilized as an academic room when not in use as a gym or lunchroom.
Why make a separate entrance to the middle school?
Currently students, parents, and visitors must enter the HS or Elementary schools to access the Middle school. This will allow better security and less congestion at the school days beginning and end.
High School
What changes will be made in the high school?
Two high school bathrooms will be renovated. This is similar to the older bathrooms in the middle school that are to be renovated.
The high school library will be renovated. It will include a computer classroom with a wall that can be opened to allow for students to use the computers as part of the library, but also for the wall to be closed to allow for computer classes to occur in the library. The library itself will be renovated. A new carpet will be installed; the circulation desk will be made smaller and reconfigured. A small office will be added for the librarian.
A secure entrance will be added to the high school office. During the day the people will be required to enter the office to identify themselves prior to entry into the building.
The high school locker rooms will be renovated. Showers, which currently do not work, will be repaired and renovated in both the boys and girls locker rooms. Bathroom fixtures, which are at their end of life, will be replaced and broken tile will be replaced and regrouted. Wooden benches in need of replacement will also be replaced.
Why increase the security to the HS entrance?
The goal is to create equivalent security at all school entrances. To enter the school an individual will have to be identified by a school employee and registered prior to entry.
Back to Questions
Will any changes be made to the outside of the HS?
If the first proposition is passed no changes will be made to the outside of the school that are visible. Air conditions for the servers and computer rooms will be added to the roof. New roofs in specific areas will be installed and a new back up generator will be installed.
If the second proposition is passed the street side (east) wall of the gymnasium will be moved out approximately 10 feet. This will likely cause the sidewalk to be shifted somewhat. Trees and landscaping should not be affected.
District wide and General Questions
What changes will be made district wide?
Roofs that currently leak will be replaced and repaired across the district.
Additional security cameras will be added across the campus.
• HS cafeteria
• Middle 300 hallway
• Entrance to HS boys’ bathroom
• Guidance/Athletics hallway
• MS cafeteria (plus 4-5 hallway locations)
• JHE cafeteria (plus 4-5 hallway locations)
Renovations will occur in the 900 wing as well. Currently there is a large storage area that has been reorganized and shelving units have been built in the area. Approximately ½ of the storage area will be converted into a wresting practice gym/multi-use matted area. This will be used by the wrestling team and can be used by groups such as gymnastics, yoga, aerobics, karate, etc.
The area where the school districts servers are located will be renovated. This will include a reliable AC unit to maintain server temperature, removal of three walls to increase the utility of the space, installations of new servers, and integrate a new emergency back up generator for the servers and the additional emergency lighting.
Additional emergency lighting will be added to bring the building up to code.
Are there increased maintenance costs with this project?
There is some added equipment with this project. All equipment items are replacing existing equipment that is either inadequate or out of life. Maintenance costs are expected to remain the same or decrease with this equipment.
With the remodeling of the bathrooms we will be able to have only one type of replacement part (faucet, sink etc) which is designed to today’s specifications (currently bathrooms are of 1950s era).
Our AC unit to keep our computer servers at operating temperature is currently a window ac unit (similar to what you would have in your home) and not of the capacity required to keep our computers and servers at proper operating temperature. It is expected that computer replacement costs and maintenance costs will decrease with proper temperature control.
Ventilation in the elementary school currently exhausts to the hallways. This is mainly a safety concern. With proper ventilation units in each room it is expected that there will be less maintenance costs than currently needed on a new system.
Why increase the number of security cameras?
Security cameras digitally record their surveillance area.
What is included in Proposition 2 (or Plan B)?
The second proposition includes renovating the high school gymnasium.
The following will be done:
Update bleachers for handicap accessibility/safety
(Replace roof)
Additional space for buffer between playing surface and seating
Removal of cabinet for track doors (install modern curtain)
Upgrade of all fixtures/hoops/padding/etc.
PowerPoint Presentation
(ppt file - 68 KB)
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