Schools

Q&A: Ann Cotten-Degrasse on the School Bond

The president of the school board shares why she believes the school bond must be approved, whether it will affect class sizes, and what happens if the bond is, or isn't, passed.

Riverhead Patch recently spoke with Ann Cotten-Degrasse, President of the Riverhead Central School District Board of Education, about Tuesday's for a two-part proposal for capital improvements to Riverhead public schools.

Cotten-Degrasse shares why she thinks the school bond should be approved, why she thinks it will be, and what happens next if the bond isn't passed.

Riverhead Patch: Why do you think this bond should be approved?

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Ann Cotten-Degrasse: The infrastructure is in dire need, and these are things that need to be done now. It's basically to improve the facilities for students and teachers and staff, because there are things that need to be done that would definitely reflect safety and health issues.

Patch: What kind of things are you referring to?

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Cotten-Degrasse: I'm talking about the roofs, the windows, the energy saving costs, all these things that need to be done now.

Patch: Why did you include a second part of the bond that proposes a new approximately $7 million gymnasium for the High School?

Cotten-Degrasse: There were people who felt that the athletic department and the sports did not get a fair shake out of what came out of the CPR (Community Partnership for Revitalization) committee [suggestions], so they wanted an additional gym because as you know we have a very big sports program in Riverhead. We also allow the town to use our facilities and a lot of outside agencies like the Catholic schools. We felt that this is something the community might support if you are a sports parent or if you feel that is important.

Patch: Would the passage of this bond help alleviate the growing class sizes in Riverhead schools due to new residents?

Cotten-Degrasse: The class sizes that we predicted our budget on in 2010 going into 2011-12 were based on the number of students that were here at that time. Additional students coming in means you have to stretch your resources even thinner. I can't say that it wouldn't affect the classroom sizes. It would in some cases. If you , there are things in the elementary schools where they are adding on classrooms. So yes, it could very well affect class sizes.

Patch: What's the next step if this bond is passed?

Cotten-Degrasse: Most of the construction would have to take place during the summer months. Some of it could take place while school is in session, but most of it would have to take place during the summer months. We're thinking that by 2015 the entire thing should be finished.

Patch: And what happens if this bond is rejected? What would be the next step for the school district?

Cotten-Degrasse: I don't think there's any way we could make the upgrades. There are so many things that need to be done I don't know how it could ever be included in an operating budget. I really don't. If it doesn't work, then we have to go back and look at it again and say, "what can we cut off and get people to support this." But I'm very confident that this is going to go [through] because I think the people in Riverhead know that we have not sandbagged them, that we have no deceived them in any way, we have told them exactly what has to be done and this is what we need you to vote for.

How are you planning to vote on the proposed school bond? Take our poll and share your thoughts on the bond in the comments below.


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