Scarsdale presenters outline 2026 school bond to update aging buildings, add air conditioning and athletic facilities

Presenter (S1), a presenter for the Scarsdale Union Free School District, opened a district presentation about a proposed 2026 capital projects bond by saying the measure is “more than a vote” and framed it as part of Scarsdale’s long tradition of investing in schools.

District presenters described a multi-faceted plan that focuses on renovating aging elementary schools—particularly Fox Meadow and Edgewood—adding classroom capacity to respond to enrollment growth, improving spaces for special-subject instruction, providing air conditioning to large community-used spaces, and addressing athletic facility shortfalls.

The presenters said the bond proposal grew from a lengthy, inclusive planning process that sought input from the PTA, building staff, district administrators and board members. Presenter (S5) stated the district “looked at the needs of our students” and prioritized projects that support the district’s instructional mission.

Presenter (S5) described two main reasons for the focus on Fox Meadow and Edgewood: the buildings are old and need modernization, and each must better accommodate program needs and rising enrollment. Presenter (S7) said the bond would add homeroom classrooms and improve spaces for music, art, Spanish and technology to support students’ daily schedules.

On capacity, Presenter (S8) said Fox Meadow’s enrollment has been rising “ever since I’ve been here,” creating space shortages that have forced creative scheduling and shared staffing. The presenters said the bond would give the schools more scheduling flexibility and additional classroom space; the transcript did not specify exact classroom counts.

Athletics factored into the proposal: Presenter (S7) said the district fields several varsity teams—four in the fall and three in the spring—but currently has only one turf field. The bond includes work intended to provide better local facilities, including a home softball field so girls’ teams would not need to rely on town fields.

Air conditioning has been a recurring district topic over the past decade, presenters said. Since 2018 the district has cooled nearly all core classroom spaces in its seven buildings using window units; Presenter (S5) said Heathcote Elementary School’s design cannot accept window units and that the bond includes an appropriate solution for Heathcote. The transcript does not give a dollar figure or an implementation timeline for that work.

Presenters emphasized community benefits as well as student benefits: Presenter (S9) said air conditioning of large spaces such as gymnasiums would make those facilities more comfortable for school programming and community use and would enable a broader range of specials, health and athletics programming.

None of the segments in this transcript record a formal vote, a bond dollar amount, or an adoption decision. The presentation framed the bond as a community-supported investment and urged support while describing the district’s planning process and priorities. The district did not announce a next meeting date or formal vote in the provided transcript.