The Greenwich Board of Education voted 6-2 on Thursday night to reinstate two preschool classrooms into the Riverside School renovation project.
The decision reversal is projected to reduce overall costs by up to $5 million due to increased state funding incentives.
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The total savings stem from an additional 15% reimbursement rate that the state applies to the entire construction project when preschool classrooms are included.
The board had previously voted to exclude these two classrooms in February 2025 during the approval of the project's educational specifications, citing parking, traffic, and cost concerns.
Board member Veronica Chiavaroli advocated for the inclusion, pointing to the financial benefits and local demand for preschool options.
Riverside is the second largest elementary school in Greenwich, housing 430 students as of October enrollment data.
"Some of our schools are reaching 100% capacity, where we’re going to need those classrooms for our K-5 students," Chiavaroli said.
School board member Karen Hirsh supported the addition, calling the financial and educational choice a clear decision for the district.
"It is something that is in the state’s hands right now," wrote First Selectman Fred Camillo. Hirsh described the motion as a "no-brainer."
Conversely, board Chair Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony and board member Wendy Vizzo Walsh cast the two opposing votes, citing previous board consensus and campus limitations.
"Last year the board voted specifically against this because we felt as a board that it was not in the best interest of that campus to add pre-K," Mercanti-Anthony said.
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The board chair noted that the projected millions in extra savings did not change his perspective on the campus infrastructure layout.
"I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to change our thought process," he said.
Mercanti-Anthony claimed the municipality could secure state educational funds by placing the early childhood program at alternative locations.
Board Vice Chair Sophie Koven contested that assertion, stating that alternative sites would not yield equivalent financial advantages.
"The amount we get back is based on the total cost of the construction project, so building it elsewhere we might not realize that at all," Koven said.
She emphasized that rejecting the inclusion meant turning away state funds tied specifically to this major expansion layout.
The expansion will also address geographic disparities in local early childhood programs.
Greenwich Public Schools operates 17 preschool classrooms, but only two are currently located on the east side of town.
The proposed renovations at Riverside School include expanding the cafeteria, enlarging classrooms, and installing a secure entry vestibule.
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Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the district must provide preschool programming for children ages 3 to 5 who require special education services within an integrated general education setting.
