Riverside School

Building Renovation Project

April 3rd Budget Vote Determines if the Renovation Can Proceed 

The BET’s annual budgeting process will conclude when it votes on the budget and capital plan at its Decision Day on April 3rd from 9am-5pm in the Town Hall Meeting Room. This meeting is open to the public, and attendees can come and go at any time. It will also be live streamed on GCTV's YouTube channel. 

If the BET approves $2mm A&E/Design funds in next year’s capital budget, the Riverside renovation project can move forward (pending RTM approval). It is also important that the BET allocate $41.5mm towards construction costs in the following year’s capital plan. 

If you’d like to express or reiterate your support for the renovation project, we encourage you to contact the BET before its April 1st vote. Every voice counts!

The Renovation Project Can Only Happen if it Gets Funded!

The town's annual budget process is underway.

The BET's vote to approve the town's annual budget and capital plan on April 1st will determine if the project can advance to its next phase ($2mm Design). Until then, we will be listening to any public BET discussions about the project.

March Recap

March 4th BET Budget Committee Vote: The BET Budget Committee arrived at a final (non-binding) budget recommendation that will then go to the full BET for consideration on April 1st. The 4-member Budget Committee unanimously approved:

• $2 million for A&E / Design in the FY26 budget
• $41.5 million allocation for Construction in the FY27 capital plan
• These figures are in line with the BOE/school district’s current recommendation

Please note that securing A&E funds and a full allocation of Construction funds in the FY27 capital plan do not guarantee that the project will be fully funded. Assuming the project stays on track, Construction costs will be considered & debated during the FY27 budget deliberations that would happen a year from now.

March 26th BET Public Hearing #2: Thank you to everyone who spoke at or attended the final BET public hearing of the budget cycle. The show of support from our community has played a critical role in advancing the renovation project. You can watch a recording of the four speakers from our community who voiced support for the project:

• John J., Virginia L. (6 mins)
• Mary C., Octavia M. (6 mins)

February Recap

As the town’s annual budget setting process continues, the BET had an opportunity to dig into the proposed schools operating & capital budget on February 7th with Dr. Jones, other district officials, and BOE representatives present to answer questions. The Riverside renovation was discussed during this meeting, with the conversation focusing on:

• A building expansion at Riverside would increase capacity in the district at a time when K-12 enrollment has been declining, with the possibility of a school closure or redistricting being suggested. However, the district’s overall building utilization remains relatively unchanged as reductions in K-5 class sections have been offset by additional Pre-K sections.

• At more than $45mm, some questioned if a new school could be built for roughly the same amount. Others countered that 1) the building is worth preserving given its historical charm & features, and 2) the renovation gives the building what it needs, whereas a new build would include other features that come at an additional cost.

• Some questioned the feasibility of moving walls in an older building like Riverside. Others noted that this would be evaluated, and an actionable plan developed for achieving this, in the next phase (Design/A&E) of the project.

January Recap

Thank you to everyone who emailed local officials, attended meetings or spoke in support of our project in a public forum in January. We capped off that month's efforts with Riverside speakers & attendees, dressed in red, at the January 28th BET meeting who made a convincing argument for supporting the project with a number of powerful and moving speeches. Read a recap that quotes a number of our speakers and watch the recording:

• Mitch V, Jason M, Carey B (10 mins)
• Alonso G, Alyssa L, Betsy M, Emily K, Katherine B, Virginia L, Caitlin W (20 mins)
• Jamie W, Pam K (5 mins)

What’s more, we were encouraged to see that First Selectman Camillo prioritized the Riverside renovation project in his proposed budget with $2mm Design in FY25-26 + $48mm Construction in the FY26-27 capital plan. While the BET could make changes to this, Mr. Camillo's support was a necessary first step in getting this project funded.

The Renovation Project Proposal ("Ed Specs")

Approved by the Board of Education

At its monthly business meeting on February 20th, the Board of Education discussed the Riverside educational specifications which provide the roadmap for the building renovation project. Apart from removing the addition of two Pre-K classrooms, the proposed ed specs were unanimously approved (with one member absent) as is.

While many details still need to be worked out in the ensuing phases of the project, the BOE's approval of the ed specs was another critical step in moving the renovation project forward. This endorsement solidifies the scope of the project, which will give the building what it needs:

• Accessibility, safety, and security upgrades
• A comprehensive renovation that brings the building into the 21st century
• An addition that provides room to enlarge small spaces and create additional designated areas for specialized instruction, student support and large group programming

The ed specs were initially presented to the BOE on January 16th, along with public comments from members of our school community. At a minimum, we encourage you to take a peek at:

Conceptual Design
A concept (pages 47-49) for how the proposed changes could be placed within the building, for the purposes of illustrating what is possible. Detailed design plans aren't created and finalized until the next phases of the project.

Possible Timeline
A schedule (page 80) used to develop the $45.5mm project cost estimate, which shows work on the building beginning as early as November 2026, if it is funded accordingly.

Want to Learn More About the Renovation Project?

View the presentation slides from the January 9th Zoom info session. Please share them with friends and neighbors outside of the Riverside School parent community. Please note: As of March 2025, the BET should not be contacted directly by email. When contacting the BET, please use this form. 

Greenwich Public Schools Riverside renovation webpage

Questions? Email riversideschoolrenovation@gmail.com.