Brewster School Board reviews facility survey

It's a few years away-if it happens at all-but Brewster School District officials are starting the discussion of what could be (maybe, might be, possibly) a school construction bond proposal in 2010 or 2011.

The first step in the process is to determine if a bond is needed at all, said district superintendent Aaron Chavez, so district officials conducted a "study and survey" to see what kind of capital improvement projects are needed, what's viable and what they might cost. The results were presented at the regular Brewster School Board meeting Monday, July 28.

The study did identify some things that could be done-adding a separate wing for the junior high at Brewster High School, adding a gymnasium at Brewster Elementary School, or performance space, or both. Roof maintenance fell behind schedule when voters twice rejected maintenance and operations levies. Some projects could qualify for money from the state's school construction fund, but the district won't be eligible for state funding until the 2010-11 school year at the earliest, Chavez said.

In the meantime district officials want to know what district patrons think-if they're ready to talk about a possible bond and if they are, which projects they would put at the top of the priority list and which projects they would add to the list. District officials will sponsor a series of meetings on the possibilities, "starting the talk," Chavez said, beginning in the 2008-09 school year.

In other business, Chavez reported that upgrades to the district's heating and air conditioning systems probably will spill over into the school year, although any work in classrooms will be done after school gets out for the day. The district received a small schools repair grant, approximately $90,000, from the state to pay for the work.

Chavez announced that additional security cameras have been installed at the high school and elementary school, the continuation of an ongoing project to improve security inside and outside the buildings. The scope of the project had to be cut back temporarily due to budget constraints; more will be added as the district can pay for them.

The board signed kindergarten teacher Paula Howell to a long term contract, replacing the one year contract that expired at the end of the 2007-08 school year. They hired Ann George to teach high school advanced math courses.