District holding special Community Meeting Nov. 7
Hear options to address problems associated with aging school
MEETING AGENDA

Port Jervis Middle School was built in 1918. The aging building was not designed to meet today's educational needs.

Renovate the Middle School or build a new school? Options to this important question will be presented Wednesday, Nov. 7 at a special Port Jervis School District community meeting. The Board of Education is holding a special meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the High School cafeteria to hear the results of the district facility study and a list of viable courses of action that could be taken to address deficiencies at the 90-year-old Middle School building.

“Our community is at an important cross road. We must determine
if we should spend millions of dollars to renovate the 90-year-old Middle School or invest the money in a new school,” notes Superintendent John Xanthis. Last fall, Highland Associates, the architectural firm hired by the District to evaluate the structure and functionality of the aging building, determined “the Middle School is deficient in regards to today’s educational standards.”

The Board of Education tasked the District Buildings and Grounds Committee to work with Highland’s architects to explore possible school building scenarios and develop a list of different grade-level and building location options.

The Committee’s recommendations for the best and most affordable building options will be presented at the November 7 meeting.

“The work that lies before us is important. This meeting is the first step toward providing a quality 21st Century learning environment for our current and future students,” said Xanthis.