main content starts here

BCSD Smart Schools Investment Plan Phase I

Filed in District, District News by on May 24, 2018

About the Smart Schools Bond Act (SSBA)

In January 2014, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo called for New York State to invest $2 billion in its schools through a Smart Schools Bond Act (SSBA). Voters approved the Smart School Bond Act in November 2014 and as a result, the Bethlehem Central School District was allocated to receive $2,039,178.

The purpose of the Smart Schools Bond Act is to improve learning and opportunity for public and nonpublic school students by funding capital projects to:

  1. Install high-speed broadband or wireless internet connectivity for schools and communities;
  2. Acquire learning technology equipment or facilities, including but not limited to interactive whiteboards, computer servers, and desktop, laptop, and tablet computers;
  3. Construct, enhance, and modernize educational facilities to accommodate pre-kindergarten programs and to provide instructional space to replace classroom trailers; and/or
  4. Install high tech security features in school buildings and on school campuses, including but not limited to video surveillance, emergency notification systems, and physical access controls.

SSBA Investment Plan Goals

After examining the District’s technology needs and reviewing our Smart Schools Bond Allocation, through collaboration with the Bethlehem community, it was determined that it would be best to break up our funds into different projects.

In Phase I, we used an initial portion of the available funds to replace classroom interactive boards in the Middle School and High School, as they were becoming obsolete and were increasingly difficult to repair. The High School and Middle School project was completed in the summer of 2019.

After additional classroom pilots in our elementary schools throughout 2019-2021, we are now ready to move on to Phase II which includes replacing aging interactive boards and projectors in our five Elementary Schools.  We will kick off this phase by spending the remaining budget from Phase I, which will allow us to complete one of the elementary schools in the winter/spring of 2021.

To complete the other four elementary schools, we will be filing an Amendment to our initial Smart Schools Spending Plan, to add additional Interactive Boards.

After Phase II is complete, we will most likely spend the remainder of our Smart Schools Bond Allocation on security systems for the district.

 

Public Comments

Community members can send their comments on the SMART Schools Investment Plan to

Ray Nardelli, Director of Information Technology, 700 Delaware Avenue, Delmar NY 12054, or by emailing them to rnardelli@bethlehemschools.org.

References

To learn more about the Smart Bond Act Guidelines go to: