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Heat System Generates "Heated" Discussion at Haldane Board Meeting
by Mike Turton
A special presentation at the May 1, 2007 Haldane Board of Education meeting generated a "heated" discussion - yet no one so much as raised their voice. The discussion focused on options for replacing the elementary school's antiquated heating plant. Both existing steam boilers have had multiple failures and are well beyond their useful service life.
A six-member Heating Subcomittee, chaired by Damian McDonald, is grappling with determining the best option and updated the Board on their work. Three alternatives are being weighed: installing new steam boilers; replacing the existing boilers with a hot water system and installation of a geothermal system. Fuel oil is used to produce steam or hot water. A geothermal system uses water drawn from wells at a constant temperature of approximately fifty degrees in a heat transfer process using electrical power to operate the system.
Total cost for each of the alternative heating systems is not yet known. Upfront installation estimates range from roughly 1.9 million dollars for steam to approximately 5.9 million dollars for hot water with geothermal somewhere in between.
The upfront cost may be the simplest piece of the heating plant puzzle. Numerous other challenging questions must still be answered. What are the longterm, total costs and overall efficiency of each system? New steam boilers may offer the lowest initial cost but will they be more costly in the long run in terms of efficiency and maintenance costs? Which of the alternative systems will work best in tandem with the high school building which uses a hot water system? While energy costs will inevitably increase, which system offers the best long-term energy option? A geothermal system holds great promise for providing costeffective air conditioning but is that a priority? Which option will provide the best ventilation? McDonald indicated that the committee's major challenge is to provide the Board with accurate "total cost of ownership" data for all three systems.
Thirty-four percent of the project cost will be covered by funding from the NYS Department of Education with another $285,000 available through the State's Excel Aid program. Additional funding of $150,000 could also come from the NYS Research and Development Authority (NYSRDA) if a geothermal system is installed.
McDonald indicated that further input will be needed from the Board since its priorities for the new system will have a significant influence on costs and the committee's final recommendations. A meeting will soon be held with the architectural firm Fuller-D'Angelo which has made recommendations regarding replacement of the heating system as well as other structural and non-heating plant repairs which will influence the committee's recommendations. The committee will report back to the Board in approximately one month.
In other business conducted at the meeting, Nancy Martinez, a teacher at Haldane High School, made a special presentation to the Board, highlighting the Annual Professional Performance Review conducted for all teachers and teaching assistants. As part of the review, non-tenured teachers are observed in their classrooms twice a year while tenured teachers are observed once every three years.
Martinez indicated that classroom observation is not always as effective for experienced teachers in improving their effectiveness and performance. As a result, Haldane has been among the first schools to offer alternative methods of assessment, using a system that has been refined during the past year. Tenured teachers can submit an individual professional development plan which must be approved by the principal. Plans can range from conducting educational research and organizing parent-teacher workshops to publishing education-related articles and developing new teaching strategies. Some teachers have developed selfevaluation methods and have asked students to participate in the process. Trustees were enthusiastic in their support of the alternative assessment projects, suggesting that the knowledge gained be shared with the Board and staff.
For teaching assistants, whose roles have evolved in recent years and vary greatly, a multi-faceted assessment originally developed for teachers is used and has generally been well accepted.
The Board distributed copies of the proposed 2007/08 Budget to the audience. The budget totals $18,630,241 which would translate to a projected 3.99% tax increase. Budget details will be distributed in the upcoming newsletter and will also be available on the Haldane website www.haldaneschool.org Tax payers will vote on the proposed budget on May 15th.
Elementary Principal Maggie Davis offered her congratulations to the Destination Imagination Orange Team which recently finished first in the Statewide Competition. The team will be heading to the Globals in Tennessee at the end of May. Team members include Claire Carroll, Grace Carroll, Tess Foster, Julia Olsen, Michelle McEwen and Megan Scali. Co-managers are Seamus Carroll and Terese Olsen. The Haldane PTA has agreed to fund the entire $9,120 cost of the Tennessee trip.
High School Principal Andy Irvin reported that the sophomore class completed a very successful field trip to Washington DC at the end of April. Irvin also informed the Board that the both performances of the musical "Bye-Bye Birdie" played to a full house and received excellent reviews. He also congratulated senior Adrian O'Barr, a National Merit Scholarship qualifier and Chirstos Zouzias, Elizabeth Vardy and Kim Zaleski, who have earned NYS 2007 Series Scholarships for Academic Excellence.
Trustees discussed a request for payment of fees for 2006-2007 totaling $5000 from the Village of Cold Spring for the use of the baseball field at Mayor's Park. A letter is being sent to the Village requesting clarification of Village policy which appears to require the Haldane Board of Education to pay fees for use of the park while other non-profit organizations do not.
The Board of Eduction's next meeting is planned for next Tuesday, May 15 at 7pm, the same day as the District's budget/trustee vote.
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