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Board agrees to post Smart Schools plan for 5 Maxwell early-learning technology upgrades for public comment
Summary
District presenter asked the board to post a Smart Schools Bond Act plan proposing use of roughly $800,000 in remaining Smart Schools funds to upgrade network, PA, notification and large-group instructional technology at the 5 Maxwell early-learning center; board gave consensus to post the plan for a 30-day public comment period.
Preston Nodeli presented a Smart Schools Bond Act plan seeking to use approximately $800,000 in the district’s remaining Smart Schools allocation to outfit the 5 Maxwell early-learning center with upgraded network wiring, PA/head-end upgrades, emergency notification boards, IP phones and two large group-instruction AV systems.
“Project number 2, we have about $800,000 remaining in our smart schools pot. So what I'm here tonight to ask is to propose that we spend that money to outfit some of the technology in our early learning center over at 5 Maxwell,” Preston Nodeli said.
Nodeli told the board the Smart Schools program (a 2014 New York State funding program) distributed nearly $2 billion statewide and that Shenendehowa received “almost $4,000,000” from the program. He described the district’s previously funded work—building generators, PA-system head ends, new fiber between buildings and a network operations center—and said the proposed second project would buy building network and PA wiring; wireless access points; emergency notification boards (IP-based lockdown/notification tied to InformaCast); IP phones; and AV for two large group spaces (cafeteria and gym).
Nodeli outlined the approval process: a local committee to set priorities, a public posting and 30-day comment period, then submission to New York State for approval; he said state approval typically takes six to eight months. He said bids have been received and will be held as part of a larger construction project with implementation timing into 2026.
Board members asked about bid timing and budget contingencies; Nodeli said the Smart Schools funds are intended to be supplementary to capital-project funds and that any cost overrun would be covered from the capital budget, while savings could be reallocated under the state's program rules.
Board members indicated consensus to post the plan on the district website for the required 30-day public comment period and to return to the board after the comment period with any public feedback.
No formal roll-call vote was recorded; the presenter said the next formal step would be to post the plan publicly for comment and then return to the board for approval to submit to New York State.
