To the editor:

For decades, Siwanoy Elementary School has been a cornerstone of the Pelham community, serving generations of families with care and commitment. But today, our beloved school is in urgent need of attention. Siwanoy is overcrowded, outdated and inaccessible to many students. The upcoming bond vote presents an opportunity to address these critical issues, and I urge my fellow residents to vote “yes.”

This proposition is not about luxury—it is about necessity. Siwanoy remains non-compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), more than three decades after its passage. This means that students, families and educators with disabilities are unable to fully access our neighborhood school. That is simply unacceptable. Bringing Siwanoy up to ADA standards is not just a legal obligation—it is a moral one.

In addition to accessibility concerns, Siwanoy is bursting at the seams. Last year, four students had to be reassigned to Colonial because there was no room to open a third Kindergarten class. The Kindergarteners who do attend Siwanoy learn in basement classrooms that are significantly smaller than current educational standards recommend. Special education services take place in closets, and students are assessed in hallways. There is no dedicated cafeteria—children eat lunch in the gym while other activities continue around them. These conditions are not conducive to learning, and our students deserve better.

Making the school ADA compliant will require removing four classrooms. Without expanding the building, we will end up with even fewer classrooms than we have now, which would only exacerbate the overcrowding issue. If this bond fails, Siwanoy will receive none of the improvements it so urgently needs. That would be a devastating outcome, not only for the students at Siwanoy but for families across the district, as more children would be shifted to other schools already facing capacity challenges.

Supporting this bond is about supporting all of Pelham. Great schools strengthen our neighborhoods, raise property values and reinforce the reputation our town has earned for educational excellence. A well-equipped school benefits everyone, not just those with children currently enrolled.

I understand that this project will be disruptive and expensive. But those behind the proposal have taken great care to minimize both disruption and cost as much as possible. The reality is that these problems at Siwanoy will not resolve themselves. Ignoring them means allowing more children to learn in cramped, unsuitable spaces, without the access or resources they need to succeed. We cannot in good conscience defer these improvements to future generations.

A public school is a public good—and the strength of that good depends on how much we, as a community, are willing to invest in it. This bond is our chance to do right by our students, our educators and our future. The annual budget vote and school board election will take place on May 20 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Pelham Middle School gymnasium. I hope you will join me in voting “yes” for Siwanoy, “yes” for Pelham schools and “yes” for our children.

Amy Platt

424 Monterey Ave.