Community Message - From Board of Education & Superintendent
Community Message - From Board of Education & Superintendent
![illustration hand with bullhorn - important announcement]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1717526222/blindbrookorg/hbbyygd9qpif0wu7nzgj/megaphone-with-important-announcement-flat_149152-517-1.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1717526222/blindbrookorg/hbbyygd9qpif0wu7nzgj/megaphone-with-important-announcement-flat_149152-517-1.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1717526222/blindbrookorg/hbbyygd9qpif0wu7nzgj/megaphone-with-important-announcement-flat_149152-517-1.jpg","width":626}])
On Tuesday, over 1,000 Rye Brook voters cast ballots in our school wide election and overwhelmingly passed our school budget. 80% of those voters approved our school budget, our bus proposal and our proposition to replace the high school football/soccer/lacrosse field.
On behalf of the Blind Brook Board of Education, administration, faculty and staff we thank you for your support, your trust and your engagement with the school.
This morning, the Board passed a resolution awarding LandTek a $937,900.00 contract to replace our football/soccer/lacrosse field. This field will utilize GreenFields Turf, an artificial turf that is certified to be PFAS and lead free, and Envirofill fill. These are some of the safest and environmentally friendly products on the market and we think will provide a state of the art field for our student athletes.
In addition, the contracted cost of the project is significantly below the $1.2 million authorization that voters approved yesterday based on our original estimates. We thank our trusted advisors, BBS Architects and Guercio & Guercio LLP, for their work in negotiating a favorable deal, as well as the members of our Facilities Committee, Athletics Advisory Committee, and the many community members who offered expertise and shared research materials throughout this process. While we won’t celebrate until the field is open this fall, we feel confident that we have made a prudent financial decision while providing a great playing field for our district.
Our work is not done. Planning has begun for a new capital project to replace the baseball field, the track, the security around those fields and numerous rooms inside the school that are in desperate need of renovation. The high school commons bathroom is in its original state and as we celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary, it’s in need of a refurbishment!
Our current plan is to bring a bond proposition in the Fall for voter approval. Given the maturity of our 2006 bond in 2026, we hope to redeploy those proceeds into the new project without raising taxes for the community.
We wish everyone a great end of the school year and a wonderful summer.
Blind Brook Board of Education
Colin M. Byrne, Superintendent of Schools
“Start with Hello Week” helps students create positive atmosphere
Students at Blind Brook Middle/High School have begun the new school year with a special reminder about how to create a positive atmosphere at the school and it begins with “Start with Hello Week,” which runs from Sept. 16-20.
The concept began with the Sandy Hook Promise, which helps support students and staff become more connected with one another.
“The goal is for schools to foster a culture of inclusivity and empathy in order to reduce bullying and increase connections,” the Sandy Hook Promise website states.
The week-long activities begin with students learning how to recognize when others are lonely or socially isolated, finding ways to help others feel included and techniques to start up a conversation.
“For this year's SWH Week, we hosted lunchtime activities that are focused on creating an environment where students can form new connections as well as recognize the trusted adults within their school community,” said Ashley Schlemmer, BBMS/HS Student Assistance Counselor.
“Some of our activities include writing conversation starters onto paper links to create a chain of ways in which people can engage with one another; creating Hello-Grams, with positive messages for students to share with their peers; wearing green to demonstrate solidarity and unity with the Sandy Hook Promise; writing letters of gratitude to trusted adults or completing a treasure hunt to locate spaces where students can find trusted adults; and finally, ending the week with a pledge to keep the Start with Hello spirit going throughout the year,” she said.