Board reopens question of adding pre‑K to Riverside renovation after reimbursement clarification

Board members reopened discussion about whether to add pre‑K classrooms back into the Riverside School renovation after staff explained a legislative clarification: building full early‑childhood space could trigger a bonus reimbursement rate (reported in the discussion as a 15% bonus on top of a 20% renovation reimbursement applied to the entire project) and thus materially reduce the district's net cost.

Doctor Jones summarized the change in reimbursement interpretation and said that if pre‑K space is built for the project the reimbursement bonus would apply to the full project rather than only the two pre‑K rooms previously considered. Board members and the building committee debated whether Riverside is the right site for additional pre‑K capacity given parking, traffic and playground constraints in that neighborhood versus alternative locations such as Julian Curtis or other eastern‑side schools.

“There's a clear multimillion‑dollar savings that comes with a total cost of this project if we add in pre‑K,” one building committee member said, noting preliminary estimates of roughly $5 million in project savings tied to adding the two classrooms. Other members warned of traffic, parking and field‑space impacts at Riverside and urged additional analysis on sprinkler costs, play space, and timing before a final decision.

Staff said an official cost estimator's numbers and a fuller Q&A package would be provided in a week or two to inform the building committee. Board members asked for details on reimbursement timing, traffic impact for the 30 additional students, and whether the state requires preschools to remain dedicated to early childhood for a set period to qualify for reimbursement.

No formal vote was taken; the board asked staff to return with clarified cost estimates, traffic and play‑space analyses, and a description of alternatives including Julian Curtis.