Board of Education Weighs Projects

Ed specs for a new Kelley School, which would be constructed in the wooded area just north of the current building, closer to Hart Street. PETER PROHASKA PHOTO

The Southington Board of Education had a busy agenda for its meeting of March 12, one that included hearing presentations on solar parking canopies, a kindness initiative, and a possible layout for the new Kelley school.

Before doing that, however, the Board had some technical matters to attend to. Superintendent Steve Madancy appealed to the Board to reduce the school year by one day to 180 days, which was approved. This will allow students, especially grade schoolers, to avoid classrooms that become uncomfortable in June in those buildings that lack air-conditioning. School cancellations due to snow and other weather conditions created the need, he said, but removing one day had associated cost savings as well.

The final day of school for non-seniors is now Thursday, June 18.

Madancy also noted that heavy snows this winter caused $60,000 in additional removal costs, as crews had to move high snowbanks that posed a transit hazard.

Citing enrollment numbers, the Board also approved a recommendation from its Finance Committee to raise preschool tuition rates 10% for the next school year. The new rate is more in line with area providers.

Another motion, to approve state-mandated nutrition standards, met with an objection from Board Member Joseph Baczewski. Speaking from his professional experience as a registered nurse, Baczewski said of the district food offerings, “I don’t think it’s nutritious," adding “I think we could be doing a better job of tapping into our local resources.” He suggested a salad bar would be preferable from a health standpoint and perhaps would entice more student spending on school meals. The motion passed 8-1. Approving those standards brings a $54,000 reimbursement from the state

Kindness Matters

 

Linda Reilly and Paula Lopatosky brought cookies for the Board members as part of their mission to bring more kindness to Southington schools. The two are part of a nationwide movement that seeks to install what are known as K.A.T.E. (“Kind Acts Touch Everyone”) benches. These benches, which will be installed at all Southington elementary schools, are meant to promote acts of “intentional kindness.”

“Being intentionally kind means planning how you will be kind to someone and then performing the act of kindness,” Reilly explained. Repeating these acts of intentional kindness are “just like practicing math and learning to write sentences,” and can become life-long positive habits that fit in with the schools’ stated goals.

“Research has shown that kindness can have a significant positive impact on both the giver and the receiver as well as society as a whole,” Reilly said.

The presenters cited the work of Dr. Jeannette Maré, Director of the Science of Kindness Community Collective at the University of Arizona, as well studies from the Mayo Clinic, the University of Sussex, Harvard University, and the work of Dr. Patty O’Grady of the University of Tampa, who focuses on elementary schools.

“Our conclusion based upon this research is that ongoing school-wide intentional kindness activities are needed to foster a positive school climate,” they said.

Solar Canopy Project

Energy consultant Adam Teff, of TitanGen, presented on a proposed solar canopy for Southington High School’s parking lot.

Teff emphasized the time-sensitive nature of the project. The federal government plans to eliminate investment tax credits related to solar on July 5, 2026, he said. In the case of a project like the proposed one, those credits make up 40% of the value of the project. “The industry is not expecting federal tax credits for solar in particular to come back anytime in the next three years,” Neff stated.

Connecticut also has a program called NRES (Non-Residential Renewable Energy Solutions) that subsidizes projects like this one, Neff said. Those funds have been released to allow communities to take advantage of them before federal incentives expire.

Connecticut-based Greenskies energy came back with the lowest bid for the project, which would include a solar canopy at the Police Station as well. Neff estimated a $6.5 million price tag for the two arrays, which would be paid for by Greenskies.

Teff explained that the Town would enter into a “power purchase agreement,” similar to what a homeowner has with a utility, that would spare the town equipment purchase and maintenance costs. The agreement would fix a kilowatt-hour cost for a 20-year period, adding stability and predictability to energy costs.

Teff suggested that such an agreement could save the Town $200,000 per year or almost $5 million over the life of the deal, if the Greenskies proposal was adopted. Currently, the Town saves about $63,000 per year on its energy bill from solar arrays at Hatton and elsewhere, per Teff.

Teff said that he spoke to the plow operators who clean the parking lot in order to determine how much more expensive clearing might be if storms similar to this winter’s occur. The amount, in a “worst-case scenario,” would be about $40,000, he estimated.

At the end of the 20-year agreement, the equipment could be taken back at the contractor’s expense, or terms could be renewed, Teff explained.

Several members expressed doubts about the actual savings the district would see and the safety of young drivers in the canopied parking lot. The short timeline for approval and the aesthetics of the arrays were also causes of concern. The Town Council had previously approved the agreement, but the Board of Education eventually voted 6 to 3 against a motion to approve.

Ed Specs for Kelley School

Jim Hoagland, an architect with SLAM, presented to the Board on educational specifications for the new Kelley school if the proposed rebuild is approved by referendum.

These “ed specs” help determine the physical layout of new schools, including traffic flow and site restrictions, and take into consideration requirements such as classroom and other instructional spaces. The SLAM team examined factors such as existing topography, where neighbors are situated, what zoning requirements may apply, and whether wetlands were present in order to develop a preliminary site plan. Hoagland described adding amenities such as sports fields within the town-owned parcel. The design is shown in the photo at the top of this article.

“We think there’s plenty of room, plenty of space, on the (Kelley Elementary) site,” Hoagland said of the test fit. “We think this could work quite nicely.”

Board Member Colleen Clark pointed out that these plans are conceptual until the spending for architectural renderings and final designs is approved by voters.

The ed specs for both school sites were approved unanimously and enthusiastically.