The Frontier Central School District Board of Education received a preliminary presentation at Tuesday evening's Board of Education meeting, detailing the proposed INSPIRE 2027 Capital Project, a districtwide modernization effort estimated at $113,256,817.
"The INSPIRE project brings our multi-year capital campaign full circle, completing a vision that began with the SOAR project in 2021," said Superintendent Christopher J. Swiatek. "This final piece of capital work secures the structural transformations necessary to truly make Frontier Central Schools a destination district."
The plan, presented by the Campus Construction Management Group, Gordon W. Jones Associates, and R.G. Timbs Inc., outlines extensive infrastructure, academic, and athletic upgrades across nine district facilities.
Of the total budget, approximately $30 million is dedicated to necessary districtwide roof replacements designed to safeguard all district buildings for the next 30 years.
New York State is expected to reimburse the district approximately 65 cents on every dollar spent on eligible project costs, offsetting a significant portion of the local funding requirement.
Target Facility Allocations
The high school represents the largest portion of the conceptual budget. The proposed allocations include:
Frontier High School: $65,945,100
Christopher J. Swiatek Falcon Center: $10,821,342
Big Tree Elementary School: $7,067,145
Cloverbank Elementary School: $4,735,425
Frontier Educational Center: $2,849,244
Bus Garage / Transportation Center: $2,760,825
Blasdell Elementary School: $2,658,088
Pinehurst Elementary School: $259,875
Proposed Upgrades and Key Renovations
Frontier High School
The project aims to align the district with the New York State Education Department’s "Portrait of a Graduate" pathways, which emphasize visual and performing arts proficiency starting in the 2027-2028 school year.
Plans include creating a new Fine Arts Hub and Performing Arts Hub by converting existing offices and scattered art rooms. The central gymnasium would be reconstructed into new band, orchestra, and choral suites. Additionally, the current auxiliary gym would expand into a full-size gym featuring a mezzanine with a three-lane walking track. The main auditorium will receive air conditioning, acoustic treatments, and seating improvements.
Frontier Middle School
Renovations focus on air conditioning upgrades for the cafeteria and auditorium, music wing renovations, and a new multipurpose synthetic turf field equipped with dedicated parking, a scoreboard, and perimeter fencing.
Elementary and District Infrastructure
Capital improvements would tackle critical maintenance, including districtwide roof replacements and the overhaul of outdated boiler plants at Cloverbank, Blasdell, and the Falcon Center. The transportation department would see the conversion of an obsolete "zombie" boiler room into a usable staff workspace.
Estimated Timeline and Next Steps
The district will follow a multi-step evaluation process leading up to the public vote. The board expects a full financial summary in November, followed by a formalized draft of the project’s phasing schedule and community tax impact in January 2027.
The board must adopt the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) and pass a formal resolution by March 9, 2027, to officially place the capital project on the ballot for the May 18, 2027 vote. If approved, construction would proceed in three distinct phases managed over the subsequent five years.
INSPIRE 2027 Capitol Project Preliminary Presentation October 13, 2026: INSPIRE Presentation
Frontier Central School District Board of Education meeting October 13, 2026: BOE Mtg. October 13, 2026