Referendum To Vote On School Project Slated In Feb.

The proposed addition to and renovation of the high school and middle school complex was again the main item on the agenda at the most recent Crestwood School Board Meeting, held October 16th. Board President Gerry Orloski noted that a special referendum for the public to vote on the issue is now scheduled to be held in early February.

About twenty residents joined the board members and school administrative personnel in listening to a presentation by architect Bob Breslin of Breslin, Ridyard and Fadero Architects on the specifics of the plan, including rationale, restructuring of the grades, schematics, costs, materials, and timelines. In relation, the board approved the payment of an invoice for $4,196.04 to the firm from the 2006 Construction Account.

Breslin prefaced the plans by explaining statistics offered by the non-partisan Pennsylvania Economic League (PEL), engaged to project future demographic and enrollment conditions in the district.

He noted the PA Department of Education has a rating system for buildings, and currently the high school has a capacity for 847 students, although in actuality 1,083 students fill its halls and classrooms.

The PEL projects as many as 1,170 students may be in the high school by the year 2017.

The school is approximately twenty-eight percent over capacity now, and if the predictions hold true, that would translate into a student body thirty-eight percent over capacity in the near future, with 323 extra students than recommended in the high school, and the elementary schools projected to deal with an excess of four classrooms also.

The plan calls for restructuring Rice and Fairview Elementary Schools to contain kindergarten through fifth grade, while the middle school would be what Breslin termed “traditional,” encompassing grades six through eight. The middle school would be transferred from the north end where it is now to the high school. The new high school will feature a 138,000 square foot, three-story addition at the north end, including a new auditorium, homemaking suite, music and choral room by the stage, and an art room, and an addition to the cafeteria. The lower level will be the site of new district offices.

In addition, Breslin noted the existing science laboratories were designed by 1950’s standards and are undersized, so the plan calls for nine new science labs for the students. It also incorporates adequate special education classrooms. Superintendent Dave McLoughlin- Smith later noted after questions from the audience regarding state and federal regulations that the higher authorities can pull funding if a district does not have adequate arrangements for special needs children.

Breslin noted that regulations mandate the district must have at least four bids for separate projects such as general construction, electrical construction, plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning. The district may request more bids if desired, and by law must choose the lowest responsible bid.

The building will be constructed of fire-proof steel and concrete, with a sprinkler system in place for fire protection. Breslin noted option bids would be “prudent to adopt,” since it is unclear “what the bidding marketplace will be fifteen months from now,” he said. “Hopefully the bids will be competitive,” he added. The project is set to begin in winter of 2010, although Breslin noted the winter months will see materials bought and brought to the site, with actual construction set for the warmer weather the following spring. Construction is scheduled to be completed before the start of the 2012-2013 school year.

He noted all of the components of the construction process can be bid upon, including types of roofing materials, flooring, wall finishes, electrical facets such as fire alarms, intercom systems, etc. He noted some areas may not need air conditioning, and operable windows may not be necessary where it is in place.

Breslin further explained with the already high costs of electricity and the projected increased rates by PP&L, “daylight harvesting” is an option, with automatically dimming lights on sunny days, rows of lighting so those near windows can be turned down or off, and sensors to turn lights off in toilet rooms when not in use. One district recently installed the system at a cost of $120,000 but feels it will be paid back in just three years and will be especially invaluable in the future with projected rate hikes.

In short, Breslin explained, the plans call for a new building he described as relatively “modest,” in concept and design compared to other buildings designed as high schools, for a price tag of $54,750,000, which once adopted, can not be exceeded, he forewarned. A parking lot for additional one million is also being discussed, for which Breslin noted the zoning regulations and the need to get a variance from the township before proceeding.

As for public input at the meeting, resident Vince Wojnar noted that he has spoken to some of the students, and they have told him the school is over-crowded. He noted he trusts their opinions more than any projections from outside agencies, and pointed out that enrollment in the district has decreased by thirty-one students since this time last year.

Orloski responded that it is the board’s job to prepare the students and district for the future in addition to seeing to present needs, and reiterated that non-partisan groups project a gradual overall increase in the student population in the coming years. Board member Ken Malkemes added that the high school is almost 250 students over-capacity now, and if about 100 more are expected in the next eight years, the district is already having to cope with two-thirds of the problem of excess students today.

Board Member Bill Thomas then spoke up to note his change in thinking and voting on the project, before a supporter of the plan, and now against it in light of the national economy and also the tax increases affecting the county. He noted that “as a board member and a taxpayer,” he is now against the project.

Orloski described the project as a “district-wide benefit,” which the board hopes the public will learn more about and eventually embrace the idea of, and to that effect the board plans to have easels and pamphlets at parent/teacher nights and sporting events and other school-sponsored activities, to keep the public informed of the reasons for the board’s decision, although it is now no longer unanimous.

In regards to another controversial issue facing the district, the school board met with support staff representatives to negotiate continuing contract disputes on October 15th, and planned another meeting for October 21st.

The next work session and board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 13, at 6:30 pm in the high school library.

This is part of the October 22, 2008 online edition of The Mountaintop Eagle.

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