by Deb Alter
HFCS Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Paul Baker gave members a thorough and detailed tour of the school’s facilities at the Board meeting on Thursday, August 27. The purpose was two-fold: it served as the traditional back-to-school inspection, and to identify the areas that were addressed in the proposed capital plan.
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The pellet boiler is completely installed and ready to go. Baker showed all the parts of the system to the School Board members on the tour, and explained how they work. He said issues were raised last winter about making the new pellet boiler system fully compatible with the older oil heating system in the building, but the engineers have worked that out. It can be run from on site or remotely. The newly installed storage bin visible on the outside of the building holds 36 tons of pellets and feeds directly into the hopper. Pellets will be delivered in the winter about every two weeks. The District expects to save a considerable amount of money on heating the building this coming winter.
Building Ready
To Open
The building is ready to open on September 8. The floors are shiny, the classrooms are clean and ready for learning, and a beautiful Hoosick Panther donated by Frank Sheldon, stands in the main lobby just waiting to welcome the students. You can almost see your reflection on the gym floors.
At the time of the Board meeting Superintendent Ken Facin said that there were a couple of teaching vacancies, but he was confident that they would be filled quickly. Math teacher William Clairmont has resigned to take a position as an assistant principal in Mechanicville. The Board accepted his resignation with regret, but wished him the best of luck in his new job.
Need For A
Capital Project
During the course of the tour, Baker and Superintendent Ken Facin pointed out some of the places where there are safety issues and upgrades needed that they hope to address with a capital project. Several exterior exit doors, the boys and girls bathrooms, the glazing above the lockers and cubbies, all either original to the building or from a 1970s renovation, need to be updated to meet code and for student safety. Asbestos ceiling tiles (and floors, where necessary) need to be replaced, and several science and computer labs need to be upgraded. “The science labs are antiquated,” Facin said. “We’re pushing for more rigor, and the labs need to meet those needs.” He also said that students will start doing hands-on labs at the middle school level.
Facin was very pleased to show off the refurbished art room that had been damaged last winter when a heater coil blew and nearly everything in the room was ruined beyond repair by the 200 degree steam that filled the room and flooded the hallway. Because of the damage, the cost of the repairs and replacement of the ruined equipment was paid for by insurance. The Mac lab has state-of-the art equipment, and kids will learn and use art and design programs that they will encounter in college and on the job.
Borrego Solar, the company the District has been working with since last winter, has reached an agreement with the Wysockis to use an untilled field on their farm for a solar array, which will provide lower-cost electricity to the School District. National Grid has approved the site as viable. The project still needs to go through the Planning and Zoning process.
In Other Business:
• The District has had its water tested by the County, at no cost to the school, and there are no PFOA’s in it.
• The Board approved a resolution authorizing Facin to execute • A Memorandum of Agreement between the Board of Ed and the District Support Staff.
• Superintendent Facin’s contract was renewed.
• Brian Bushner, HFCS class of ’98, was appointed to the provisional position of Community Communications Manager.
• A committee comprising Facin, Baker, Pam Hatfield, the District Business Administator, and Board Members John Helft and Greg Laurin will work on setting up a series of workshops and information sessions to discuss the need for a Capital Project and get community input about it..
The next Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 17 at 7 pm in the High School Cafeteria.[/private]