The Jericho Board of Education continued its examination of the district's elementary school facilities during the scheduled board of education meeting at the Seaman Elementary School on Thursday, Jan. 17. This was the fifth in a series of open board workshops dedicated to looking at various options to alleviate overcrowding at the three elementary schools. The goal of this workshop was to review the budget impact of capital and operational costs for each of the options still under consideration.

Costs for each option are being estimated based on status quo, which maintains programs in current facilities and adds core classroom space only or with equity/enhancements. Equity of educational program provides for the same or similar facility space in each of the three buildings for equivalent instruction. Enhancements provide additional spaces that improve on the current educational program. Each school would have full-sized rooms for art, choral and instrumental music, learning center, reading, math science and computer. Shared spaces would be provided for ELL, Flex, speech, OT and PT.

Option A would be to continue with current zoning and build classrooms only (status quo) at each of the three elementary schools. The capital cost of $1,285,000 for construction of additional core classrooms only (Option A) would result in an average cost of $107,453 per year over a 20-year period. That would roughly translate to $.11 increase on the tax rate. Added yearly operational costs, including staffing, would be approximately $355,000 or a $.36 increase on the tax rate.

Option A-1 would be to continue with current zoning and build classrooms at each of the three elementary schools with facility equity/enhancements for educational program. The capital cost of $8,654,578 for additional core classrooms with facility equity/enhancements for educational program (Option A-1) would result in an average cost of $724,159 per year over a 20-year period. That would roughly translate to $.72 increase on the tax rate. Added yearly operational costs, including staffing, would be approximately $508,000 or a $.51 increase on the tax rate.

Option C is to reopen the Robert Williams School as a fourth K-5 school and provide for equity/enhancements of educational program at each of the elementary schools. The capital cost of $13,549,683 for reopening the Williams School and providing for equity/enhancements of educational program at all schools, would result in an average cost of $1,133,750 per year over a 20-year period. That would roughly translate to $1.13 increase on the tax rate. Added yearly operational costs, including staffing, would be approximately $2,364,000 or a $2.36 increase on the tax rate.

Option E is to reopen the Robert Williams School as a kindergarten center and maintain the status quo at each of the current three elementary schools, which would be grade 1-5 buildings. The capital cost of $3,142,467 for reopening the Williams School as a kindergarten center and maintaining status quo at the other three elementary school buildings (Option E) would result in an average cost of $262,854 per year over a 20-year period. That would roughly translate to $.26 increase on the tax rate. Added yearly operational costs, including staffing, would be approximately $1,757,000 or a $1.76 increase on the tax rate. Additional transportation costs of $400,000-$800,000 for this option would result in a $.40-$.80 increase on the tax rate. Thus, including transportation, the operational impact of Option E is $2.16 to $2.56.

Option E-E is to reopen the Robert Williams School as a kindergarten center and provide for equity/enhancements of educational program at each of the three current elementary schools, which would be grade 1-5 buildings. The capital cost of $8,254,197 for reopening the Williams School as a kindergarten center and providing for equity/enhancements of educational program at all schools, would result in an average cost of $690,746 per year over a 20-year period. That would roughly translate to $.69 increase on the tax rate. Added yearly operational costs, including staffing, would be approximately $1,856,000 or a $1.86 increase on the tax rate. Additional transportation costs of $400,000-$800,000 for this option would result in a $.40-$.80 increase on the tax rate. Thus, including transportation, the operational impact of Option E-E is $2.26 to $2.66.

The next facilities workshop will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 12 in the auditorium at the Robert Williams School at 7:30 p.m. The board will be reviewing preliminary plans and financial considerations for each option with the district architect.

Summaries of the facilities workshops are available after each meeting and press releases with pertinent information are sent to local papers. Information about the elementary school facilities workshops is also posted on the district website, www.bestschools.org on the bulletin board site. "We strongly encourage all members of our community to attend these workshops," said Superintendent of Schools Hank Grishman. "Important information about our elementary school facilities is being presented at each of these meetings. The board of education and central administration sincerely appreciate questions and feedback from the community as we continue to examine the remaining options."