posted by Joe Polk at 11:33 AM /
Mt. Lebanon residents have been e-mailing their school board for months about a plan to renovate or build a new high school, though it is still in its earliest stages.
Board member Elaine L. Cappucci had to start a committee report during a meeting in the spring by dispelling rumors of a $100 million price tag. As the district prepares for its first community meeting on the project July 22, residents have said tension is building.
"People in Mt. Lebanon either want to not spend a lot of money on it, or want to spend a lot of money on it," said Monty Kimball, a district parent and 20-year resident. "There's nobody in between."
Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/north/s_575663.html
Board member Elaine L. Cappucci had to start a committee report during a meeting in the spring by dispelling rumors of a $100 million price tag. As the district prepares for its first community meeting on the project July 22, residents have said tension is building.
"People in Mt. Lebanon either want to not spend a lot of money on it, or want to spend a lot of money on it," said Monty Kimball, a district parent and 20-year resident. "There's nobody in between."
Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/north/s_575663.html
Labels: high school renovation, school district
3 Comments:
"Board member Elaine L. Cappucci had to start a committee report during a meeting in the spring by dispelling rumors of a $100 million price tag."
Teachers want all the amenities a NEW school would offer, and the vocal members of the PTA, who never say a dollar they couldn't find a way to spend, want a new school.
Which side of $100,000,000 do you think the cost will be (not even counting the interest on the bonds which will need to be issued, which over time will probably double the initial quoted pricetag)? My guess is over $100,000,000 by a 7-2 vote of the school board. I really hope that I am wrong.
Good morning.
I applaud Mrs. Cappucci for keeping information available to the entire community so that we can all make informed decisions. As for the 'vocal members of the PTA,' one of which I certainly was (in my role as Council president last year), and will continue to be, I would challenge anyone to find anything from me as PTA Council president encouraging one design over another, including a new building. That is a total fabrication. Our Environmental Chair has been getting a lot of information about LEED certification and building green, and as we are responsible for educating our members on these issues, he has been certain to keep us informed. He has encouraged parents to let the school board members know if they want a green building, and I applaud his efforts in attempting to get the parents involved in this process.
As a member of the Education Specifications Committee, I kept an open mind to all designs and comments/recommendations. I would challenge other vocal members of the community to do the same. Until there is an idea of what the architects think would work, and how much that would be, I won't have a set opinion. As for the PTA, unless all member presidents vote on a proposal, the PTA will not officially have a stance on this project. Any member of the PTA is permitted to have an opinion as a taxpayer within this community.
Our PTAs fund programs and materials used within all of our schools. We bring in writers, artists, health professionals; we help with the design, and planting of gardens; we are classroom helpers and library assistants; we run science fairs, school stores and Odyssey of the Mind teams. And we do this by fundraising on our own. PTA does not ask for the money; we provide it as well as countless hours to enhance the educational experience for all of our students.
So please, Mrs. Cappucci, keep the information coming to all of us so that these rumors can be dispelled. Perhaps informed, cooler heads may prevail.
As a member of the Educational Specifications Committee that has now evolved into the Design Advisory Committee, I urge folks to take a look at this 2007 publication as part of their background material. It's a colorful 32-page booklet from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania School Boards Association:
"Renovate or Replace? The Case for Restoring and Reusing Older School Buildings"
http://www.saveourlandsaveourtowns.org/PDFs/RenovateorReplace/RoRMASTER.pdf
Mt. Lebanon is featured on the back cover, as well as in the "Best Practices" section.
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