Young Greenacres Families Urge School Board to Build a New School at Greenacres

A group of younger Greenacres residents has launched a campaign to urge the Scarsdale Board of Education to build a new school in Greenacres rather than renovate the existing building. Though the conversation about the school has been going on for more than a year, some say they were not aware of the issue and are just now getting informed.

Among their concerns are:

• The safety of their children during a renovation
• Potential for asbestos, lead, mold and dust to be released during construction
• "Putting a band aid" on a 100 year-old school rather than constructing a new one.
• Favoring the wishes of older residents to maintain the field vs. their belief that a new school would better serve the children of Greenacres.

To that end, they have organized meetings and drafted a petition to urge the Board to adopt "Option C," which is to build a new school on the current Greenacres field.

Here is a letter from Jennifer Hu Corriggio that includes most of the groups' reasons for adopting their position:

Greenacres Residents May Lose Once-in-a Lifetime Chance for New 21st Century School Over Pressure from Unrepresentative Fanatics

This op-ed morphed from a Mother's Day email I wrote to Greenacres moms about the deep concern I have as a mother for my kids and the future of Greenacres school. I wrote that email as well as this op-ed in an effort to redeem myself, because I have shamefully neglected to be an informed citizen and resident on this most paramount issue until recently. Now that I am better informed, I am furious that the conversation about the future of the Greenacres school has been co-opted by some well-organized and outspoken Greenacres residents, who either have no direct stake in the decision because their children will not be attending Greenacres during or after the renovation/construction time, or who have a very personal stake in preserving the field because they have a view or direct access from their house. Those families with young children who are the most impacted are often the busiest with juggling young kids and careers, so don't have as much time to get educated about the issue. I am in this camp. As a mother of 3 young kids trying to juggle family and career, I feel thankful to survive each day, and hadn't been paying attention to this issue as closely as I should have been. Then there are the countless others who just didn't have the facts straight and signed a petition to "Save the Field" because their friends and neighbors asked them to sign a petition with a catchy slogan but without much substance behind it. So many of those people who signed the petition have recently told me that they regret signing the petition and felt misled. But they can't be blamed too much for signing the petition. After all, the options were constantly changing, and who doesn't love the Greenacres field? Of course we all love it. But this issue shouldn't have ever been about preserving a field, but rather what is the best option for Greenacres students now and for many future generations to come. Let's turn the conversation back to the real priority in this short window of time we have left, and not allow the Board of Education to be bullied into a decision about the future of Greenacres school by efforts led by a vocal few group of residents.

This issue of the future of Greenacres school is going to be decided likely within the next few weeks by the Scarsdale Board of Education, so this is our last chance to get as informed as possible in a very short amount of time. The Board will need to decide soon whether to suggest taking the path of 1) Option B1 - renovating the school, or 2) Option C - building a new school. The reason why the timing is so urgent is because the Board has to make this decision due to the schedule they are on in order to prepare a school budget that will be part a bond vote next year.

Scarsdale has a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to make a difference for generations of Greenacres students in supporting the construction of a new school, to assert its leadership in investing in school infrastructure designed for the 21st century, and we may lose this precious opportunity very soon. I'd like to share a few things that I have recently learned:

1) The "Save the Field" camp is not calling themselves "Save the School" for many critical reasons. Their argument is based almost entirely on preserving green space rather than critically examining the state of the school or the potential consequences of this renovation/construction. We all love our unique community, and want to keep the "green in Greenacres" but let's face it, we moved here for our kids' education and the school system and not for the Greenacres' field. This is an opportunity to gain a new state-of-the art 21st century school, plus 2 new "green" soccer fields and playgrounds. I felt seriously misled that we would be losing a lot of green space through Option B1. The loss of green space is only a baseball-diamond difference, that can be reduced even more if we continue the conversation on what is best for Greenacres within the construction of a new school (Option C). In their efforts to further distort how much green space will be lost, the "Save the Field" camp also isn't counting the multiple new playgrounds gained in Option C as green space because it's not untouched. But playgrounds are also very important. They make it seem like the new school would be some sprawling, obtrusive school on a pristine field. But the truth is that the new school proposed in Option C would have a smaller square footage footprint than Option B1 because of the more efficient design of a new building.

Plus, the core "Save the Field" camp's concern isn't genuinely about the school, and you can't feign authenticity. The core advocates have time to attend all the Board of Education public hearings because they are retired and have time to organize strategy meetings, take out ads in newspapers supporting their position, make yard signs, put up a website, and run a campaign pressuring their friends and neighbors to sign a petition with very little information. But if you look beyond the rhetoric, you'll find that there's not much substance behind their supporting Option B1. The reason is because they don't have much substance to offer.

2) No one is campaigning around "Save the School" because the school would not qualify for any historical preservation project. Quaint as you may find the building, the original part of the building built 100 years ago is actually a small portion of what currently exists, and the building has been added on in 7 separate piece-meal additions piece-meal in its history to accommodate the growing Greenacres population. Now the footprint can no longer be expanded. Let's stop adding band-aids and additions to a school that is substandard in core ways, and take this unique opportunity to build a new school for close to the same amount of money.

3) The focus on cost is also a bogus argument. It is clear that for the long-term, Option C will be less expensive. Because it would be new construction, the construction costs would be easier to control, and the construction would be more energy-efficient, receive more state aid, and have less insurance costs. This is a tax-neutral decision. Taxes are not intended to be raised for either option. The latest B1 plan is that for $40 million, Greenacres would basically get a new 2-story wing with 6 classrooms and an HVAC system in a "previously moldy" basement that still has a high water table. That's just great. Would you personally invest in this kind of renovation? Then there's a second phase of renovations that will occur approximately 10 years later. By then, we'd probably be planning for additional renovations again. Many of the systems that are "past the end of their expected useful life" as stated by the architects are not included in Option B1 renovations because these systems are still in "good condition."

3) But the school is in worse condition than I had thought, and below standards in classroom size, ventilation, moisture problems, and fresh air access. While the school has been well-maintained, the architects reported that on average, major systems such as walls, windows, flooring, piping are way past their expected useful life. However well-maintained these systems are, how much longer do you expect them to operate beyond their expected useful life systems? Additionally, kids in some classrooms are attending class sitting on floors, and kids sit in the hallways during indoor recess because there is no gym large enough to accommodate the number of kids during indoor recess. Under the proposed B1 renovation, many classroom sizes still cannot be expanded to acceptable national standards. What is the purpose of this renovation if we can't get the school up to acceptable national standards? A B1 renovated school would also never have the infrastructure to accommodate technological changes in the 21st century.

4) The Building Committee itself agreed that the two most important criteria in making the decision about the future of Greenacres school were Educational Adequacy and Building Condition. In the feasibility study, Option C was clearly the better option on these conditions as well as the vast majority of the other criteria. How did we then get to a situation where option B1 has become the favored decision of Greenacres outcriers? Again, well-organized people who distorted, misrepresented, or didn't know all the facts have been the ones most active in spreading the word. It's late in the game but we still have a little time to discuss amongst us why Option C should still be seriously considered. Take a look at the Greenacres Re-Convened Committee Recommendations yourself.

http://www.scarsdaleschools.org/cms/lib5/NY01001205/Centricity/Domain/1105/CommitteeFinalReport.pdf

Which option do you see that has the highest rankings in the vast majority of categories?

5) However, the most potentially catastrophic aspect and deal-breaker for Option B1 is that our kids will have to attend Greenacres during this 2-3 year renovation of this first phase of renovations. (A second one planned in another 10 years or so under Option B1) If you are a parent to young children and nothing else interests you about this issue, then this one should grab your attention. As soon as parents really understand that they will be asked to send their kids to school in a major construction zone for 2-3 years, they will get very interested. In fact, many parents in just the past week have told me that they will REFUSE to send their kids to Greenacres while this level of renovations are going on. This is the issue that will truly awaken Greenacres residents to what is going on in this Option B1/C debate. The architects have already acknowledged that there is asbestos in the building. Does anyone doubt that there will also be lead, mold, or toxic dust? What else are they going to find when they open up those walls? Do you trust the contractors to truly seal off their construction zones to protect your children in a 2-3 year renovation of a 100-year old building? We all know that children are much more vulnerable to exposures of these toxins and that the effects of such poisoning will not likely show up for decades. This is a lawsuit bomb just waiting to go off.

I also don't know if the architects and Board of Education have padded in the high costs of compliance, insurance, contingency plans if they find additional asbestos in the walls during the renovation (they would have to move the kids out of the school last minute or shut it down), and potential legal expenses that Option B1 would require. The budget that is being presented with B1 would not be accurate without this. I guarantee you that parents are not going to sit by the sidelines when they realize what's really going on here. Then the loud barking of the "Save the Field" people will only look like whimpering when you see the ferocity unleashed by parents who will do everything in their power to protect the health and safety of their children. Please, let's don't let this situation get out of hand. The health and safety of our kids should be the top priority, period. Let's make sure that residents really understand what's going on, and get the option to extensively renovate the school while the children are in it off the table. If even one of the 400 Greenacres students develops mesothelioma from asbestos exposure during this renovation 40 years later, it is not worth the risk. We have an alternative option in front of our face to keep the kids safely in place while a new school can be built across the street. That's a rare and unique opportunity that most old schools do not have!

I was also baffled to learn about the aggressive and intimidating tactics that the core "Save the Field" camp has been using, including shouting at Scarsdale Board of Education members at the last March hearing in efforts to pressure them to vote for Option B1. I honestly could not understand why anybody would engage in this kind of behavior, but after reflecting upon it, I think I understand it. Very early on, the core "Save the Field" understood that they have no legal right to the field. It is Scarsdale public property. They would have no standing to sue if they lose their access to the field and they have no guaranteed access or view. So all they can do is bark as loud as possible to protect their selfish interests and pressure their friends and neighbors to sign a propaganda campaign petition. And I believe that most people signed with the intention of expressing that "the field is important to them." But the options were not that clear then, and although they are still morphing, they are now clear enough to see that the obvious direction and choice that the Board of Education should make is to figure out how to get community input for the best possible new school in Option C.

6) Another huge misconception is that these plans are set in stone. The Board had been pressured to consider alternatives to Option B, which was always to renovate the existing school. When they realized how expensive it would be to arrange for temporary barracks for the students to do the renovations, Option B morphed into Option B1 to scale back renovations and keep the children in school during the renovation. Due to pressure from the hardcore "Save the Field" camp, there has not been so much space for discussion about how Option C can also be easily tweaked to accommodate residents' concerns. These are not final architectural plans as some in the community believe. There has been concern voiced about the size of the parking lot and gym. The architects have been clear in stating that those things can be easily changed. One of the parking lots can be altered to create a blacktop so our kids can continue to learn to ride bikes, and play there as they have been doing for years. The facade can be easily manipulated to be architecturally consistent with the neighborhood's charm. The gym can be down-scaled. These are all relatively simple alterations, and we can continue to have this conversation with the architects, Board, and community as long as Option C is chosen. There is not this kind of flexibility in the design of B1.

Finally, I'm shocked and disappointed at how short-sighted this "Save the Field" camp has been. In their relentless pursuit to "Save the Field", they would rather preserve their view and access to a field, and trade the health and safety of our children for a field. Their argument that Option B1 lets us keep the field and get a renovated school for a cheaper cost is full of so many holes it's ridiculous. The architects have shaved off so many parts of the renovation now that the amount of money you would need to spend for that level of improvement would be a clear loser investment of our tax dollars.

The future of the school is not just about them and us. It's about picking the best long-term option for Scarsdale and its residents. The priority should be on the educational capacity of the school, health and safety of its students, as well as long-term value and cost. Who will be the future residents of Greenacres and Scarsdale and what do you think they are going to value? The family that you will be selling your house to is going to be a young family looking to raise their kids in a beautiful suburban community that is famous for its schools. Do you think that this family is going to be more interested that we preserved the Greenacres field or built a 21st century school? It keeps the property value high for all of Scarsdale when our schools continue to live up to their reputation.

Let's do this right, and do it right once. No band aids and no jeopardizing the health and safety of our kids.

In the end, let's not forget that this is decision that will be made by the Scarsdale Board of Education whose focus is on developing policy and guidance on Scarsdale's school system. I hope that they think long and hard about the motto that guides them: The Scarsdale Education for Tomorrow is what distinguishes a Scarsdale graduate. The choice is obvious on which option will give our children the "education for tomorrow" that they deserve. We want a new school! If this option is chosen, the stakeholders in the community will support you.

I urge all Greenacres residents, as well as Scarsdale residents, since it would be an investment of your tax dollars too, to take some time to get more informed on the issue. The publicly available information on these options is confusing, but here is a summary:

Option C:
-a new building with a green, energy-efficient design, outfitted to support 21st century technology for approximately $54 million (note that cost can't truly be pinpointed as proposals keep changing)
-students continue to attend school in current building while new school across the street is constructed
-overall less expensive option when all costs are considered
-less energy, maintenance, insurance costs for the next 100 years
-2 new "green" soccer fields, plus additional playgrounds for the kids
-Option to convert parking lot spaces to a blacktop, adjust the size of the gym, as well as room for input on architectural facade
-possibility of expansion
- a new lunchroom with a kitchen so that hot meals can be prepared on site for students, larger gym, additional music room, security office and larger classrooms up to national standards
- no difference in your taxes
-smaller square footage footprint than B1

Option B1:
-6 new classrooms, renovated bathrooms, and a new HVAC system in a basement with previous mold problems and still high water table for approximately $40 million (note that cost can't be truly be pinpointed as proposals keep changing)
-2-3 years of our children attending a school that will be a construction zone
-high litigation risk for exposing children to asbestos, lead, and other toxins
-high risk of additional renovation expense, including delays and contingency plans
-2 story addition, which would be the 8th one, to the original Greenacres school which would not qualify for any historical preservation project
-no more room to expand
-renovation of a 100 year old added-onto school
-many classroom sizes that still don't meet modern national classroom standards.
-no difference in your taxes
-a baseball-diamond size loss in field space

If you don't believe me in asserting these facts, or anything I wrote about in this op-ed, I invite you to do the research yourself, and let me know where you think I'm wrong. I believe I also just provided more substantive information about the options than the whole website that the "Save the Field" camp has constructed, which you can find here: http://www.greenacresfield.org

I'm the last person who wants to see this community fragmented over this issue. We are all neighbors, friends, and parents of children who are friends. I would like to see sincere, honest community engagement where people can consider the big picture of what is best for Greenacres and Scarsdale. But in the past few weeks, I have had a real eye-opening experience about how a well-run propaganda campaign can be powerful enough to distort community dialogue, and I can not in good conscience not speak out against it.

If you feel ready to sign a petition to support building the new school in Option C, please sign this petition:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/344/105/564/protect-our-children-promote-our-community/

This is an urgent issue, and as informed citizens, we only have at most a few weeks to communicate our thoughts to the Board before they make their decision. The Board of Education is interested in hearing from new voices about this issue. If you want to express your thoughts about the future of Greenacres school, or ask the Board to delay its decision so that you can take some additional time to better understand the issues, or express your regret for signing the "Save the Field" petition, please email the Board of Education at: [email protected]. Please write them as soon as possible to express your opinion! Additionally, please also attend the Board of Education public hearing at Scarsdale High School on May 16th at 8:00 pm to express your thoughts and participate in the community dialogue.

Jennifer Hu Corriggio