A breakdown of Katonah-Lewisboro School District's Proposition 3, and what those in the community are saying
By 2028, New York State is expected to mandate all school districts provide state-funded pre-K programs. Katonah-Lewisboro School District is gearing up to make the switch, if voters approve of a its proposition 3 proposal next Tuesday.
More Stories
The Katonah-Lewisboro School District says its elementary schools are at capacity and cannot accommodate pre-K within their current configurations.
That is why the district is proposing that the former Lewisboro Elementary School be redesigned to house the program and a community center. The school closed in 2014 and now sits mainly unused.
The $24.5 million bond proposal looks to demolish half of the building and replace it with 10 classrooms, 10,000 square feet of community space, a new playground and more.
"This year, we had about 120 folks who were interested in our pre-K program. We could only take 44. So, we had roughly 80 families who we could not assist and help with that," said school superintendent Ray Blanch.
The district estimates it would save pre-K families anywhere from $12,000 to $16,000 based on the average cost of other programs in the community.
If approved, the bond would be paid over 15 years.
Goldens Bridge resident Rich Sklarin says he will vote no on the plan, saying that high-quality education is only good if people can afford it.
"We should go back to the drawing board and do something that's going to take into account the interests of the entire community. Make sure that we implement universal pre-k in the most financially cost-effective way that we can," said Sklarin.
Others, like South Salem resident Terrence Cheng, disagree. They say the proposal would be a positive investment back into the community.
"It's going to, first and foremost, provide service for residents of the entire town, and it's going to save money for those families with young children who would normally have to pay for pre-school themselves," said Cheng.
The proposal is Proposition No. 3 on the ballot.
The vote to either approve or reject the proposal will take place on Tuesday.
