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Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Bond project calls for major upgrades to Newburgh District schools
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board members.
“It seems Gidney Avenue is just as small as Horizons,”
said Courtney Allen, challenging the idea that the
Horizons building had outlived its purpose. “I support
the idea that Horizons needs to be upgraded,” said school
board member Phil Howard, noting many students walk
to the school. “(If) they have to go all the way up to
Chestnut Street, that’s not going work.”
Board member Darren Stridiron agreed, saying the
move would force parents to have to “taxi” their kids to
and from the school. “That’s not fair,” he said.
The Board of Education soon voted no to the closing
of Horizons-on-the-Hudson and no to merging NFA Main
and North campuses.
Under the current plan, a new pre-K center would be
constructed on Meadow Hill School property. The center
could accommodate 350 pre-K students, with a design
that includes outdoor learning spaces. Pre-K classes at
Balmville, GAMS, Horizons and Gardnertown schools
would all be moved to the new pre-K center.
The bond amount for the project is not yet determined.
“Currently, our debt limit is a little over $188 million,”
said district Assistant Superintendent of Finance Greg
Kern. To exceed that limit would require super-majority
approval by district voters and approval from the New
York State Comptroller’s Office, he said.
“Debt is not the only thing we’re going to use to finance
the project,” said Kern, pointing to state aid, grants and
$10 million in capital reserve.
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A plan to move students out of Horizons-on-the-Hudson was scrapped following opposition by residents and Board
of Education members this month. The change was pitched as part of a new capital bond project to upgrade facilities
throughout the Newburgh school district.
And, the district is eligible for a hefty amount of state
aid, said Kern. “If the whole project was aidable, we’d get
88.4 cents back on every dollar that we spend,” he said