Clintondale superintendent outlines sinking fund plan, school repurposing and safety upgrades

Ken Janzirick, superintendent of Clintondale Community Schools, used a community town hall to summarize a year of district changes and to outline plans to repurpose an elementary school into an early‑childhood center while proposing a sinking fund to pay for safety and facility projects.

Janzirick said the district began a focused improvement effort in July 2023 and has made “gains and strides” but is not yet where it wants to be. He described a new K–12 aligned curriculum, intervention staffing in every building and a renewed focus on student wellness as the instructional foundation for the district’s next steps.

Why it matters: the district faces structural budget pressure and underused buildings. Janzirick said about $33,000,000 in annual revenue is being outpaced by roughly $34,000,000 in spending, leaving an approximate $1,000,000 shortfall and a $4,000,000 fund balance the district views as insufficient for large repairs. With 81% of district spending on salaries and benefits, officials are seeking ways to generate capital revenue without cutting core programs.

Key plans and programs
Janzirick announced a plan to repurpose Rainbow Elementary as the Rainbow Early Childhood Center. The center would house GSRP classrooms, Young Fives, kindergarten screening and affordable childcare. He said the district increased GSRP from three classrooms to five this year and proposes expanding to seven classrooms and five‑day programming next year to both serve families and bring in additional FTE revenue.

On facilities, the superintendent emphasized right‑sizing: several schools are well under capacity and the district intends to better match building use, staff and student populations to conserve resources while saying explicitly that right‑sizing does not necessarily mean closing schools.

Safety and security
Janzirick credited a state safety grant for enabling several security investments. He said the district has restored a K–12 resource officer (Officer Victor), installed locked doors during the school day, is replacing PA systems, and will move to badge/key‑fob access and interior "night lock" hardware to allow staff to secure doors from inside.

Sinking fund proposal and priorities
To pay for secure entrances, playground fencing, air‑handling units, roofing and other capital maintenance, Janzirick proposed a sinking fund that would create a dedicated revenue stream for building repairs. He described secure‑entry designs for Rainbow, McLennan and Parker that add locked foyers and buzzered doors so visitors pass through multiple controlled layers before entering student spaces.

Transportation and family impact
The superintendent said the district will not offer blanket districtwide transportation next year. Instead, families who live more than a quarter mile from school — or must cross a busy road — will be provided a bus stop, a change Janzirick acknowledged will have a “huge impact on families.”

Budget context and next steps
Janzirick presented financial figures including a cited state FTE rate of $9,608 per pupil and said the district is working to reduce an earlier, larger deficit to the current roughly $1,000,000 gap. He urged community members to review the active slideshow and sinking‑fund materials that will be posted online and available in print, and invited anyone with questions to contact him directly.

Quotes
“We're moving forward with our financial decisions,” Janzirick said, summarizing budget progress and the rationale for capital planning.
“We're repurposing a school as an early childhood center,” he said, framing the change as a way to increase utilization and bring in additional students and revenue.

What’s next
Janzirick said detailed renderings and diagrams of secure entrances and sinking‑fund information will be posted on the district website and available at the meeting exit. He invited residents to review materials, follow the district’s social media and contact him for further conversation.