How students will benefit from the passage of the school bond
By Grace Macdonald
After a failed initial vote, multiple revisions, and many differing opinions, the Rye City School District bond finally passed on June 11 by a very narrow margin. Each proposal of the bond, which consisted of necessary infrastructure renovations, educational improvements, and a Capital Reserve Fund, was approved by Rye voters. So, how will this 80 million dollar bond leave a lasting positive impact on Rye schools?
Proposal One is the most expensive and most crucial component of the bond. It will focus on renovating areas of the five school buildings that are in dire need of updating. Much of Rye High School’s infrastructure hasn’t been changed since it was built during the Great Depression. A casual walk through the high school clearly proves this. The third floor is virtually unusable, a number of classrooms are too small for the amount of students they hold, and many windows are broken. Air conditioning is also a massive issue that’ll be addressed. Any Rye High graduate or current student knows that a classroom with air conditioning is a rare gift; most lack any form of ventilation. It becomes increasingly hard to focus at school during the warmer months because the heat is so unbearable and distracting. Thankfully, with the renovations promised by Proposal One, this dilemma shouldn’t affect future Rye High School students.
Perhaps the biggest concern for students was the turf field. Years of flooding have damaged the turf and made it a hazard to athletes. Injuries have become more frequent and more severe in recent years. Leah Kenny, a rising senior at Rye High, tore her ACL during a varsity lacrosse game, ending her season prematurely. When asked what she thinks about fixing the turf, Leah said, “It is necessary to renovate our turf to make it safer and to prevent further injury.” Four million dollars of the school bond will be set aside for “HS/MS athletic field turf and track replacement, turf infill, tarp system” (RCSD). This will hopefully reduce the number of injuries and bring the turf up to code. The bond will also add security, remove asbestos, and modernize plumbing in the high school and middle school building as well as the three elementary schools. These renovations will guarantee that future Rye students will be going to school in buildings that are safe and up to code. By Clicking Here, people can get the best plumbing services. Making sure that when a plumber is hired, they are licensed and have the full equipment available to fix all the pipes and avoid having water damage in the future.
While 80 million dollars is a lot of money, it will all be put into strengthening our schools and creating safe environments for students. We should all hope that the school bond will fix the many problems that exist within the walls of Rye’s schools and make a positive change.
