Former teacher has other plan

To the editor: My name is Phillip Seranni. I taught in Sparta for 36 years. I was quoted by Mrs. Hardy in the independent a few weeks ago. It stated that I was not going to vote for the upcoming school referendum. The reason I am not voting for this referendum is that I feel the administration is just putting a band-aid on our building situation. This administration needs to address the entire district, not just the High School. If we are going to spend tax dollars, let us spend them to correct the entire system. Pope John is building a 57,000 square foot addition for $9 million. I do realize that there is a difference between private and public building regulations. Our administration wants to spend about $75 million for an addition of about 134,000 square feet. At the first CTF (Community Task Force) meeting, I came up with the following proposal: 1. Make both the Alpine School and the Helen Morgan Schools K-3. Give each of these schools $4 million. This should help the overcrowding of these schools and give the administration enough money to do the necessary repairs to each building. 2. The Mohawk Ave. School should then become a two-grade school. At one time the Mohawk Ave. School housed three grades. All fourth and fifth graders should attend this school. This school should be given $10 million for additional classrooms. At one time plans were drawn up for 20 classes to be put in the area where the teachers park. In order for this to work, the fourth and the fifth graders must be departmentalized. The Board office should then be moved to the Fellner property with a modular building. I am sure that a modular building could be constructed for about a $1 million (we already own that property). 3. The Sparta Middle School needs an auditorium desperately. Originally there were plans to put an auditorium between the gym and the cafeteria. I am sure that this could be constructed for about $4 million. 4. We should give the Sparta High School a $40 million make over. All of this adds up to about $63 million. A few years ago, the state was going to reimburse our town with $15 million if we could have come up with some type of building plan. This would have brought the price of construction down to about $48 million. According to the letter addressed to each and every taxpayer, this administration wants us to believe that there still might be state money coming to us if construction starts soon. I have listened to a few speeches by our governor. He has stated that there is no money in the state budget for school buildings. Before committing our precious tax dollars for an addition to just the High School, serious consideration should be given to, and conversation should take place about a plan that addresses our entire school district. Phillip Seranni Sparta