School Board moving quickly on new schools plan?
In a follow-up to Mayor Jones’ push for a new Huguenot High School, the RTD is reporting that “the School Board will meet Thursday for the first of two scheduled work sessions to discuss building new schools” and that “a decision on which schools to build could come as early as Nov. 16.” Is this one of those “School Board meetings where you can be involved in this process”? If not, when is that supposed to happen?
Make ‘em build the schools green, as promised.
http://www.greenschoolbuildings.org/Homepage.aspx
Green schools cost less to operate, freeing up resources to truly improve students’ education. Their carefully planned acoustics and abundant daylight make it easier and more comfortable for students to learn. Their clean indoor air cuts down sick days and gives our children a head start for a healthy, prosperous future. And their innovative design provides a wealth of hands-on learning opportunities.
Across the United States, school districts large and small are realizing the benefits of green schools. Students, parents, teachers and community members are making the difference, by letting elected officials know they want their schools built, operated, and maintained green.
The School Board meeting on Thursday is a public meeting. It will be in a work session format which will be the Board gathering information in preparation to get public input; as we develop our response to the Mayors’ recommendations.
Work sessions may or may not have time for public comment. Public hearings have not yet been planned this is where the Board hears from the citizens. Those dates will be posted here as soon as I get them.
Thank you to everyone who responded to me by e-mail and phone your input has been very valuable.
I will be sending another community letter on this topic this week.
Don Coleman
7th District
School Board Member
Who is in charge of Richmond’s schools? (RTD 10/3/09)
We all know the School Board is not in charge of the schools, they have no MONEY!
That’s a good start Scott, but most of the evidence that “green schools” do this or that is mostly anecdotal and backed with very little factual evidence-except by those that advocate “green design”.
They are certainly considerably more expensive to build and operate (due to the large volumes of spaces to be heated and cooled) and the schools I see today are certainly over-designed for the task they are to accomplish. But that’s a discussion over a few beers for the particulars.
I went to one of those open walled high schools that was supposed to foster the learning environment. All it did was allow me and my buddies to signal each other as we walked around the hall.
BTW-I’m not anti-green. I was green before it was “cool”. My house had CFL’s put in when it was renovated in 1993. The walls are super-insulated with shredded cellulose (recycled newspaper), we use high efficiency condensing gas furnaces with programmable t-stats, my roof is silver, the windows are insulated, many of the architectural components were salvaged from buildings slated to be demo’d. My privacy fence is a green vegetative wall. My heating and cooling bills are half of some of my neighbors.
The east end is well over due for a new school and renovations. We have elementary schools busting at the seams; run down schools under populated with heat blasting and escaping through cracks and into high ceilings; school bathrooms with roaches, missing stall doors, and curse words carved into walls; schools not meeting ADA compliance; schools unable to offer the newest technology to the students….
East end schools are in crappy shape. If you don’t believe it, simply go visit new schools like Holton or see wonderful construction taking place at Fox. The difference is shocking.
“My house had CFL’s put in when it was renovated in 1993. The walls are super-insulated with shredded cellulose (recycled newspaper), we use high efficiency condensing gas furnaces with programmable t-stats, my roof is silver, the windows are insulated, many of the architectural components were salvaged from buildings slated to be demo’d. My privacy fence is a green vegetative wall. My heating and cooling bills are half of some of my neighbors.”
Many of these things can be done with schools. NJ has a huge solar schools program that is helping out a lot with
offsetting increased energy costs. Why not Richmond?