Academic Program Delivery Study identifies options for the future

A message from the Superintendent

Dear Members of the Niskayuna School Community,

Our school district is experiencing enrollment growth and current building capacity falls short of this growth and the types of instructional space we need to achieve our program vision. Last year, we began working with a consultant to conduct a Program Delivery Study to help analyze these issues and provide options for the future.

This Program Delivery Study has been finalized and is available for all members of our school community to review.

The consultant, SES Study Team, worked closely with our Capital Project Community Advisory Committee, throughout the process.

The study identifies six possible reconfiguration scenarios for grades K-8, which refers to potentially re-organizing our current approach of having five elementary schools that serve grades K-6 and two, grades 6-8 middle schools. These options are listed below as they were rank-ordered by the committee at a meeting this week. The study also discusses other aspects of program delivery that could be considered beyond school configuration.

Now, the community, faculty and staff engagement part of this process begins.

As a first step, Paul Seversky, of SES Study Team, will be here next Thursday, May 23, to present the study to our school community at 7 p.m. in the Niskayuna High School Little Theater. I hope you can join us.

We will be holding a series of community conversations in the weeks ahead about the study, the options it contains, and the development of a long-term facilities improvement plan.

For more information about the study and the planning process, please visit: https://www.niskayunaschools.org/our-schools-our-future/capital-project-community-advisory-committee/.

Sincerely,

Cosimo Tangorra, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools

School Configuration Options Identified in the Study (rank-ordered by the committee)

Scenario B

Five PreK-4 elementary schools, grades 5-6 at Van Antwerp, grades 7-8 at Iroquois, High School remains grades 9-12; Add new space/renovate existing space to accommodate estimated growing enrollments and the Program Vision of the School District; Relocate District Offices from Van Antwerp to Hillside Avenue Transportation Facility

Scenario C

Five PreK-3 elementary schools, grades 4-6 at Van Antwerp, grades 7-8 at Iroquois, High School remains grades 9-12; Add new space/renovate existing space to accommodate estimated growing enrollments and the Program Vision of the School District; Relocate District Offices from Van Antwerp to Hillside Avenue Transportation Facility

Scenario A

Add classroom and instructional support space at each currently configured school to accommodate estimated growing enrollments and the Program Vision of the School District

Scenario D

Four K-4 elementary schools, grades 5-6 at Van Antwerp, grades 7-8 at Iroquois, and a Pre-K Center at Glencliff that also houses the Central Offices for the School District; Add new space/renovate existing space to accommodate estimated growing enrollments and the Program Vision of the School District

Scenario E

Four K-3 elementary schools, grades 4-6 at Van Antwerp, grades 7-8 at Iroquois, and a Pre-K Center at Glencliff that also houses the Central Offices for the School District; Add new space/renovate existing space to accommodate estimated growing enrollments and the Program Vision of the School District

Scenario F

Birchwood and Rosendale become “sister schools” that serve half of the School District for grades K-2 and 3-4 and Hillside and Craig become “sister schools” for grades K-2 and 3-4 and serve the other half of the School District. A Pre-K Center is hosted at Glencliff that also houses the Central Offices for the School District. Van Antwerp serves grades 5-6, Iroquois grades 7-8, and grades 9-12 are served at the High School. Add new space/renovate existing space to accommodate estimated growing enrollments and the Program Vision of the School District