For more than two and-a-half years, the members of the Growth Task Force –- a committee of residents, parents, village officials, Board of Education members and district staff –- have planned and discussed more than 11 different scenarios to address overcrowding in the district.

In order to make the best decisions possible for Goshen, the members of the Growth Task Force thoroughly researched the district's options in a number of ways. The committee listened to presentations from experts that included architects, demographers and administrators from other schools who have undergone similar expansion/renovation processes.

The committee also visited a number of schools in Orange and Westchester counties that have undergone similar expansion and renovation processes.

"We wanted to avoid any mistakes other districts may have made during their own building projects," said Superintendent Roy Reese. "By visiting those schools, we were able to ask questions, discover what worked and what didn't and become better informed overall."

The Growth Task Force worked with architectural firm Kaeyer, Garment and Davidson Architects, or KG&D, to review the district's Enrollment Projection/Demographic Study, which was prepared in January 2006 by Dr. Paul Seversky from Advisory Solutions, a section of the New York State School Boards Association. The study systematically projected student enrollment over the next ten years.

In August 2007, a second study was prepared to obtain the most recent and accurate information. This study found that Goshen's student population is growing two percent faster than stated in the January 2006 study. In fact, from April 10 to September 17 of this year, 194 new students registered with the Goshen Central School District.

This past July, the Growth Task Force presented a formal Summary Recommendation to the Board of Education, whose members then made further refinements to produce the $69,949,000 Building Project. The proposed project was adopted by the Board of Education on October 1.

The members of the Growth Task Force Committee are:

• Roy Reese
• Robert Miller
• Jane Unhjem
• Judy Green
• Martha Bogart
• Diane Missailidis
• Andrea McClorey
• Regina Eisenbacher
• Jane Carey
• Bonna Horovitz
• David Church
• Elaine McClung
• Larry McDowell
• Maura Koennecke
• Kathy Siebold
• Barton Schindler
• Pat Strong
• George Lyons
• Jim Riley
• James Kimiecik
• Russ Davidson
• Erik Kaeyer
• Joe Condello
• Nancy Clark
• Diane Burrows
• Cheryl Winship