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Schools

School Board Approves Construction Project Outlook; Members Depart

Budget constraints mean some projects will be put on the back burner.

Harford County school board members heard opposition to a plan that would temporarily shelve construction on a replacement for one of Harford County’s oldest elementary school buildings. Monday's meeting also marked the end of the road for three board members who are not seeking another term. 

Building Plans

Assistant Superintendent of Operations Cornell Brown presented this year’s master plan for school construction. He told the board that building plans change as the county’s pocketbook swells and shrinks. Because of this, the county has had to put aside some plans that had previously been approved—including a replacement building for Youth’s Benefit Elementary School in Fallston and the John Archer School addition at Bel Air Middle School. 

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But Youth’s Benefit PTA president Laura Runyeon, speaking later during the meeting, said that problems at the school were too serious to be put aside. She said lead in the plumbing means that drinking water must be brought in, and when it rains, students must sit among buckets that catch the dripping rain water.

She said the building has been slated for replacement as far back as 2007, but plans were deferred in 2009. She urged the board to consider replacing Youth’s Benefit—as well as William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary school, another aging building—before pursuing other plans.

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During his presentation, Brown said the county would be looking for funds for those projects in the next few years. The 2011 master plan was approved unanimously.

Projects approved in the 2011 plan will be the basis for capital improvements slated for fiscal year 2013, which Brown also presented Monday night. The total projected capital improvement budget for 2013 is about $49 million. School officials project that they will request about $16.5 million of that from the state and $32.5 million from local governments. The money will go to things like energy conservation measures, repairs to heating and air conditioning systems and school equipment maintenance. The 2013 plan is expected to go up for vote in September.

Board members also heard about the costs of running the schools' busing system from Director of Transportation Charlie Taibi. Taibi explained that the budget for school transportation will see a bit of a rise this year because the county had to purchase new vehicles. In 2001, a 64-passenger diesel bus was $10,960 but the 2012 models cost $18,001.

David Volrath, executive director for high school performance, presented a schedule format for graduations for Harford County high schools. Under the proposed plan, “host schools” like Aberdeen High School, Bel Air High School and Edgewood High School would .

North Harford and C. Milton Wright high schools would plan their ceremonies at a designated host school on “Day 2," and Fallston and Patterson Mill high schools would graduate on “Day 3.” The plan is expected to go up for vote in August.

Improved Communications

Manager of Communications Teri Kranefeld gave an update on the county’s push to improve communication with the public. She said things have come a long way since 2007, when the board called for an audit of school system communications.

She said they have worked to make the county’s website more user-friendly. They are also looking into using social media and smart phone technology as other ways to reach out to parents.

There were several goodbyes at the meeting: President Mark Wolkow, members Thomas Evans and Donald Osman and student representative Caitlin Dooling are all leaving their positions.

 

Wolkow, with his mother and wife in the audience, received the gift of a mounted gavel for his nine years of service.

“Thank you so much, and much success in whatever you do,” Vice President Leonard Wheeler said.

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