Superintendent of Jericho Union Free School District Hank Grishman is set to announce the finalized version of the $25 million bond proposal which will prepare local schools for upcoming curriculum changes and a population boom.

One Wednesday, October 7, Grishman presented the Syosset-Jericho Tribune with a cost breakdown of the proposed construction and renovations to take place in the district, on which the public will vote on Saturday, October 18. A public meeting detailing this proposal will take place in the high school on Thursday, October 16.

The revised proposal is essentially the same as that originally proposed in late spring of 1998, with most of the dramatic changes occurring in the secondary schools, which are on the verge of overcrowding.

"In 1988 the school district opened with just 1,900 kids," said Grishman. "We opened this September with 2,660, an increase of about 42 percent over 10 years." The most costly expense will consist of a three-story, 57,720 square foot high school addition, which will include 18 classrooms, nine science rooms, support space and a new elevator. Road relocation and new parking will be necessary to accommodate this expansion. Altogether, this will cost $7,965,000.

The middle school will receive a two-story addition at the cost of $2,180,000. Within the 19,800 square feet of new space will be 10 classrooms, two computer rooms and support space.

The library and adjoining support area currently used by middle school students will vastly expand to become the library for both secondary schools, though there will be separate areas designated for each school. The two-story, 7,300 square foot reference center, which will cost $1,392,000, will contain all the electronic communications equipment necessary for modern research projects.

Students will receive a new gymnasium at a cost of $2,640,000, which will house three separate gym stations, surrounded by an indoor track. Another $1,214,000 will go to converting the existing Girls Locker Room to a new Technology Center and adding an expansion for boys and girls locker space, a new lobby entrance, offices and circulation space.

At a cost of $260,000 the high school students' current Learning Center will become their new cafeteria, while their current library will become the new Learning Center. Other expenses on the proposal include the Guidance Center expansion ($170,000), new art rooms ($150,000) and a new computer center and music room ($250,000).

There will be no expansion in any of the elementary schools.

Most of the remainder of the bond - $2,734,000 - will go to capital improvements to all of the schools within the district. These funds would be allocated in the following fashion: Jericho High School/Middle School, $738,5000; Cantiague Elementary School, $396,600; George Jackson Elementary School, $375,600; Robert Seaman Elementary School, $454,300; Robert Williams Elementary School, $769,000.

A total of $500,000 would fund the purchase of additional books, furnishings and materials.

Approximate contingency costs for the construction would be $5,545,000, bringing the final total to $25 million.

If the bond proposal is approved, its resulting tax rate would be an estimated 2.07 per $100 of assessed valuation. In other words, a homeowner whose property is assessed at $100,000 would have to pay $207 to fund the bond proposal.

Despite this potential surge, Grishman said that the response he has received from PTA and civic association members "has been extremely supportive and favorable."

"It's important that the community is aware that the proposal was not cooked up overnight, but with much study, much input and discussion... We've been studying this for the last year and a half with public hearings and special meetings."

The October 18 bond vote will take place from noon to 10 p.m.