Board candidates say facilities upgrades, outdoor classrooms and turf fields are priorities
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Summary
Candidates and board members highlighted facility needs including upgrades at Stimson Middle School, outdoor learning spaces at elementary schools, turf-field investments and general playground improvements across the district.
Speakers at the forum emphasized facilities upgrades as a top district priority, naming targeted interior improvements, outdoor learning spaces and athletic‑field work.
Nicholas Ciappetta said the district has started targeted work at Stimson Middle School and plans to continue interior upgrades to make the building more inviting. “I want Stimson Middle School to have a wonderful reputation,” he said, and he listed interior improvements as a near‑term objective.
Ciappetta also said the budget includes two outdoor learning spaces this year and that he would seek two more the following year. He identified turf-field work as a priority for athletic programs and said the district will review fields “district‑wide” for upgrades.
William B. Ngasso and Geraldine Westman Clark both called for systematic modernization of playgrounds and facilities. Clark described maintaining and modernizing aging buildings without overburdening taxpayers as a core concern and said maintenance must be balanced with fiscal stewardship.
Speakers reported that the budget includes specific facility line items (outdoor learning spaces and a turf field) but did not provide dollar amounts at the forum. Administration and board committees will continue facility planning and prioritize projects through the annual budget process.