When students in Long Beach returned to district buildings for the 2026-27 school year, they may have noticed some capital improvements taxpayers, in part, voted to approve in past years.
At a board of trustees meeting on Oct. 13, Michael DeVito, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations, presented an update on its $87.7 million capital improvement plan. Funding came from bonds — namely the bond voted on October 2025 — capital reserve funds and the district’s general fund, depending on the project.
Over the summer, DeVito said, crews worked to renovate playgrounds at the East, Lido, Lindell and West elementary schools with new equipment, turf and accessible play features. The project also involved resurfacing and drainage improvements.
He said that the wood shavings and hardtop surfaces were replaced with grass turf and a foam-based shock pad underneath to improve student safety.
Anne Conway, vice president of the board, said the change was a positive one. Conway said when she and fellow trustee Sam Pinto visited East and West elementary schools, they experimented with the playground.
“The surface itself is very bouncy,” she said. “When you slide down really quick and you fall down, you don’t get hurt.”
At Lindell, DeVito said acoustical panels were added due to teachers and students’ inability to hear announcements and bells over the loudspeaker.
The middle school had its walkways repaved and electrical upgrades, and a wellness room was created. At the high school, a classroom was repurposed for the new barbering program — offered in collaboration with BOCES — and gymnasium seating was refurbished to reflect “L.B.H.S” prominently.
Following the fall sports season, DeVito said, the district plans to reconstruct the high school’s baseball and softball fields and replace the football field’s turf. In the spring, reconstruction of the high school swimming pool, including a new liner, tilework, showers, lighting, skylight and acoustical ceiling panels will take place.
Other projects set to be completed by spring 2027 include districtwide HVAC upgrades, replacing in-window units, and electrical and plumbing infrastructure improvements at the middle school.
Nora Bellsey, board president, applauded district crews for their work.
“It’s so interesting because we don’t look at the infrastructure — the plumbing and electrical work — and say ‘ooh, ah’ but we have all the other stuff to go along with it and its just magnificent,” Bellsey said. “The Playgrounds look wonderful; the room updates look great. I’m just so thrilled with the direction that we’ve been going.”
