Senator Nozzolio Announces $238,000 In State Aid To Help Restore Stone Schoolhouse At Union Springs High School
Union Springs- State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio today announced that $237,958.00 in State aid will be made available to the Union Springs school district to help renovate the historic Stone Schoolhouse on the Junior/Senior High School campus. The project would be subject to voter approval. If approved, the building would be used by the school district as a state-of-the-art media center to provide an important educational component to the school's curriculum.
“This is a major win for the property taxpayers living in the Union Springs School District as well as the students,” said Senator Nozzolio. “Students will have the benefit of a multi-use media center where they will have the opportunity to learn the newest and most current media and video communication skills necessary to compete in today's marketplace. The funding will also make it possible for the school district to save one of the Village’s most historic buildings. The Stone Schoolhouse building has been condemned, requiring the school district to either demolish this historic structure or cover the entire cost of the renovations to the building.”
After being made aware of the State Education Department's refusal to allow the Union Spring's School District to apply for state aid for this project, Senator Nozzolio immediately called upon the State to re-evaluate their decision. In a July 10th letter to Superintendent Linda Rice, the Department of Education rescinded their earlier decision and granted building aid status to the project.
Union Springs School Superintendent Linda Rice said, “We are so grateful to Senator Nozzolio for his efforts in advocating for the residents of the Union Springs School District and bringing this matter to the State Education Department's attention. This change in policy would not have happened without the Senator’s commitment and hard work.”
The now vacant stone schoolhouse, once renovated, would be used for instructional and production space for the video production course, which is part of the High School English curriculum.
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