Capital project construction begins this summer

Once students say goodbye to their teachers and leave their schools for the summer, the Washingtonville Central School District’s 2024 Capital Project construction work will begin for some phases while bid work continues for others. Performing the work in stages allows the district to minimize disruptions to daily operations and ensure that improvements are made without significantly impacting students’ education.

This summer, repairs of the existing roofing system over the main entry area at Little Britain Elementary School will begin. Not only does this project replace the existing roof with a new roofing system that meets current energy code requirements, but there will also be modifications to metal roof edges, metal counter-flashings, mechanical equipment curbs, pipe penetrations and electrical penetrations. Exterior door replacements and ramp installations will start at Taft Elementary School, and installation will begin on the new public address systems and clocks at Washingtonville High School and Washingtonville Middle School.

Construction will begin in the fall on the most publicly visible projects – the athletic fields and track. The multipurpose field with artificial surface and track are expected to be ready for competition in late spring 2026 and the baseball, soccer and lacrosse fields will be complete in fall 2026. The fields will be redone in phases to leave fields for students to practice and play. The district will also construct a new press box and make other improvements, like fencing and lighting, to the athletic fields.

In addition to work on the fields and track, courtyard canopies will be installed at the high school, repairs will be made at the middle school, and elevators will be repaired at the high school and middle school. The district is conducting bidding for the field/track and other projects in July and August.

The stages within the capital project, which was approved by voters in May 2024, align with the district’s goal of creating a safe and supportive learning environment by enhancing resources in the district to help ensure student success. All facets of the capital project involve a thorough and lengthy review by the state before any project can be sent out to bid. Where possible, the district is having construction work that does not affect staff and students performed when contractors have lighter schedules to reduce costs for taxpayers.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we have been working diligently on the setup process for the construction. We are excited for these coming improvements as these renovations will provide our students and staff with assets that will continue to aid their success,” Superintendent Dr. Larry Washington said. “I look forward to seeing the positive impacts on our students once these upgrades are complete.”

The district plans to begin bidding in October on multiple projects, including infrastructure improvements, with the estimated construction to start in summer 2026. All five buildings will receive door replacements, mainly for interior doors. Additionally, the elementary schools will be getting upgrades to their playgrounds, and equipment, such as water heaters and septic systems, will be replaced where it is necessary.

The last phase of the project involves infrastructure improvements and replacements to various equipment at the middle school and high school with bidding in January 2026. This project is scheduled for construction in summer 2026 and summer 2027. Some of these include replacing fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, renovating bathrooms, and replacing food preparation equipment.

Pool renovations at Washingtonville High School are now part of the capital project to consolidate bidding with the pool locker-room renovation. Consolidating the work into one bid project will make it more cost effective for the district. Bidding is scheduled for January and February 2026. This project is anticipated to begin construction that summer. The scope of work includes replacements of the doors, ceiling titles, deck drain cover, HVAC diffusers, main and secondary drain. There will also be refinishing of the pool deck, pool walls and new depth and diving markers.

These improvements and renovations in the district’s 2024 Capital Project are designed to future-proof the district while enhancing both educational and athletic facilities, leading to key benefits that enhance the student experience, such as improvements to their learning environments, enhancing safety and accessibility, modernizing athletic facilities, and delivering cost-efficient upgrades.