Moving the Cioni administration building to Meagher

Elementary School fulfills several goals of the Board of

Education, said Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Paul
Padalino. Not only can the project be accomplished at
no additional cost to local taxpayers and repurpose an
empty school building, returning the Crown Street
building to the tax rolls would provide the District
with additional revenue to balance the school district
budget.

"I believe the sale of the Cioni building is a significant

proposal worthy of consideration. It has the potential
to pave the way for another transformative project in
Uptown Kingston and return this excellent property to
the tax rolls. Kingston Mayor Steve Noble

Meagher Plan: Expenses Vs. Savings

In an effort to save the Kingston City School District

taxpayers significant funds over the next decade, and
decrease the tax burden on local homeowners and
businesses, the KCSD is proposing a move of administration
to Meagher. Not only does moving the administrative office
to the Meagher Building have a projected cost-savings for
the taxpayers of Kingston, it could also help to continue the
revitalization of the Midtown and Uptown areas. The Crown
Street property is valuable to the renaissance of uptown
Kingston and has a high market value. There have been
offers exceeding $1 million on the property. The Meagher
building is currently vacant, and putting offices and a pre-
kindergarten center here could increase the economic
vitality of this Midtown neighborhood. Further, once Crown
Street is privately owned, the building will become a part of
the taxable properties of the KCSD and the City of Kingston.
If administration remains on Crown Street, the district would
have to continue to burden the taxpayers of Kingston by
owning two properties AND pay for major renovations to
mechanical and structural systems at Crown Street, as well
as significant maintenance issues. The following chart
compares the two options:

Meagher Crown Street

Moving Vs. Staying $4,300,000 $3,000,000-
renovations repairs
Sale of Crown Street $1,000,000 $0
Totals $3,300,000 $3,000,000

The proposed capital project to reimagine the former

Meagher Elementary School, located at 21 Wynkoop Place,
also would transform a vacant midtown building into a public
education prekindergarten for four-year-old students.

This proposal will be on the ballot during the May 16, 2017
Board of Education and School Budget election.

According to a recent paper coauthored by Nobel laureate

James Heckman, The Life-Cycle Benefits of an Influential
Early Childhood Program, investing in early childhood
education results in richer, fuller, healthier lives for the entire
family. Dr. Heckman asserts that early childhood education
helps students to develop key social and emotional skills
(like self-control) at a critical time of their development.

Not only does early childhood education promote

the engagement of children, their cognitive skills, non
cognitive skills, and IQs are also boosted. For many students
who receive early childhood education, the positive impact
lasts for years, resulting in increased social engagement,
and an increased willingness to participate in society.

ABOUT THE PROPOSAL

District Prekindergarten Center
The early learning center would be designed to serve four
year-old students in the Kingston City School District
geographic area. Students would be invited to enroll, based
on need. The buildings physical space dedicated to
Prekindergarten would include four classrooms, a playroom,
and a story center, with each room specifically modified to
meet the unique needs of our youngest learners.

KCSD Administrative Offices

The KCSD would vacate and sell its current office location in
uptown Kingston (61 Crown Street) and move operations to
the Meagher site. The offices would include tax, payroll,
human resources, and student registration, as well as
curriculum offices, special education, transportation, and
technology.

ABOUT THE COST

The estimated total cost for this renovation is $4.23 million,
which would be offset by New York State building aid, the
proceeds from the sale of the Cioni building, and monies
set aside in the District Capital Reserve fund.
The prekindergarten programs annual recurring cost would
be dependent on enrollment and would be incorporated into
the districts regular operating budget. Project costs would
include repaving and repairing the parking lot, installing an
elevator (mandated by the Americans with Disabilities
Act), as well as major renovations of 3,540 square feet and
minor renovations of 11,135 square feet. The renovation
would be funded through monies set aside by the Capital
Reserve, which are savings achieved by the school district
over the course of several years. The Building
Capital Reserve is currently $8,002,705. If this proposal is
approved by voters and proceeds as planned, the Capital
Reserve will fund the entire renovation initially. The KCSD
anticipates that the reserve will be replenished by proceeds
from the sale of the Cioni building, as well as the State Aid
inflows.
WHY CREATE A PREKINDERGARTEN CENTER?

Prekindergarten can create lasting benefits for the student

and the entire community. A large and growing body of
research shows that prekindergarten education yields both
short-and long-term benefits, including potential cost
savings to communities. The short-term benefits include
greater academic achievement, greater success in early
grades, and a greater chance of graduating from high
school. The HighScope Perry PreSchool Study showed
evidence that preschool education yielded benefits for
students decades in the future. The study followed children
born in poverty and at high risk of failing in school.
From 19621967 the students were randomly divided into a
program group that received a high-quality preschool
program and a comparison group who received no preschool
program. Data were gathered from the subjects
school, social services, and arrest records.The study
found that adults at age 40 who had the preschool program
had higher earnings, were more likely to hold a job, had
committed fewer crimes, and were more likely to have
graduated from high school than adults who did not have
preschool.