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Hastings board details Farragut Middle School flood recovery and says bond scope may shift
Summary
District leaders told the Board of Education the Farragut Middle School flood left parts of the wing gutted, requiring major restoration and space reconfiguration; insurance, independent engineers and architects are working to contain costs, and the district flagged that administering state computer-based tests will require a new, staggered approach.
The Hastings-on-Hudson Board of Education received an update on January 22 on recovery work at Farragut Middle School after a flood that left the lower wing largely gutted. Administrators said demolition is complete in damaged areas, subflooring is being replaced and air-quality and mold testing are ongoing.
"The demolition of all the floors in the building have been completed. They're in the process of putting in subflooring at this point," said Dr. Melissa Stavansky, who presented the report on recovery and restoration. She said the district has stood up regular coordination meetings that include the district, its architects and engineers, the contractor and insurer adjusters to document damage and preserve claims.
Why it matters: the district said the damage creates both an immediate challenge and an opportunity to reconsider interior design. Administrators said some items tied to restoration may be paid by insurance while certain upgrades (for example, higher-grade LED lighting) could be district-funded, potentially reducing other bond-funded interior renovation costs.
The meeting also highlighted a practical problem: the state is shifting grades 3'8 testing to computer-based administration, and the district currently lacks the space to put all students on test devices on the same day while also meeting required testing accommodations for students with IEPs or 504 plans. "We just don't have the space for that," Stavansky said. She warned the district will likely need a "very creative tiered approach" and cannot replicate last year's single-day, whole-grade testing model at the middle school.
Board members and public commenters pressed administrators on impacts to students who receive resource-room services. One resident described how a small resource-room cohort that previously had a single dedicated room is now dispersed: "It used to be 1 teacher, 5 students. Right? And now, because of the flood, they're kind of all together," a commenter said, thanking staff for their efforts to coordinate services.
Administrators said they have engaged independent structural engineers and fire-alarm specialists, are documenting repairs for insurance, and will return to the board with refined scopes after the environmental analyses and restoration work reveal permanent layout options. They cautioned the board and community that some restoration decisions will need to balance programmatic needs with cost and insurance coverage.
The board also heard that, because the damaged section is effectively a frame, the district and its architects are evaluating reconfigured layouts that could, in some cases, lower overall bond renovation costs while addressing long-standing building-condition priorities.
Next steps: the district will continue restoration work, file insurance claims as needed, run air-quality testing during ongoing work and share updates as the environmental and design analyses are completed. The board indicated it will factor any design changes into future bond proposals and public FAQs so taxpayers and stakeholders understand what is being proposed and why.
