To the Editor:

The Guilderland school district’s capital project vote is on Thursday, Oct. 7, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at each of the five elementary schools

The Guilderland Central School District community will be asked to vote on a capital project designed to address GCSD’s priorities of improving the learning environment, enhancing safety and security for students and staff, and replacing or updating aging infrastructure in the district’s seven buildings.

The project includes the addition of outdoor classroom pavilions at each school building; updated and improved instructional technology; the installation of a new track and turf field; and necessary work eliminated from the 2018 proposal that includes upgraded heating and ventilation systems, bathrooms, windows, and security systems.

I urge you to keep in mind that a turf field is one aspect of the 2021 capital improvement project.

For more than two years, school stakeholders identified facility and infrastructure needs for our students and staff to have a safe, healthy, and functional school environment. Stakeholders, including parents, staff, administrators, board members, and students, have been involved in facilities planning for the future.  This project is a step in developing a strategic plan to address long-term facility needs.

We encourage the public to vote in favor of the bond resolution created with community stakeholders and focused on three main goals: replacing and updating aging infrastructure, improving learning opportunities, and enhancing technology and data security.

The goal of the 2021 capital improvement project is to support the district’s mission of empowering all students to succeed in the 21st Century. The way to do that is to vote yes for the proposed capital improvement project on Oct. 7. I encourage all district residents to review the budget details on the district website: www.guilderlandschools.org.

On behalf of the GCSD Board of Education, thank you for your time and consideration.

Seema Rivera

President

Gloria Towle-Hilt

Vice President

Rebecca Butterfield

Barbara Fraterrigo

Blanca Gonzalez-Parker

Kelly Person

Nathan Sabourin

Judy Slack

Guilderland School Board