The Frontier Central School District Board of Education reviewed an updated presentation on the proposed INSPIRE 2027 Capital Project at Tuesday evening's meeting, gaining additional renderings and revised state aid projections for the $113,256,817 modernization effort.

District officials announced that New York state is now expected to reimburse the district approximately 74 cents on every dollar spent on eligible project costs, up from the preliminary 65 cent estimate shared last month. To help the board determine whether to advance the proposal to a public vote on May 18, 2027, the district will reach out to community stakeholders this month to gauge their interest and gather feedback.

"The INSPIRE project brings our multi-year capital campaign full circle, completing a vision that began with the SOAR project in 2021," Superintendent Christopher J. Swiatek said when the proposal was first introduced. "This final piece of capital work secures the structural transformations necessary to truly make Frontier Central Schools a destination district."

The plan, developed with 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, roughly $30 million is dedicated to districtwide roof replacements designed to safeguard all buildings for the next 30 years.

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 2027-28 school year. Plans include creating a Fine Arts Hub and a Performing Arts Hub by converting existing offices and scattered art rooms. The central gymnasium would be reconstructed into 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 would 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 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 usable staff workspace.

Estimated Timeline and Next Steps

The district is following a multi-step evaluation process ahead of a potential public vote. Following this month's stakeholder outreach and financial review, the board expects 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 and pass a formal resolution by March 9, 2027, to officially place the capital project on the ballot for the May 18, 2027, election. If approved by voters, construction would proceed in three phases over five years.

All the information for the INSPIRE 2027 Capital Project can be found here: INSPIRE 2027 Capital Project