Staff Writer
Members of the Eastern RSU 39 board of education met recently for a regular meeting at the superintendent of schools office in Caribou. Following the approval of minutes from the Sept. 2, meeting, the board members considered approving Senior Privileges, for the Caribou High School Class of 2010. Class Advisor Pat Sterris thanked the board for allowing the students to speak on behalf of their classmates regarding senior privileges.
Abby Small, class president, stated that the members of the CHS Class of 2010 represented their school well,” this statement re-enforced by noting that of 111 students, 52 held GPAs of 88 or better and17 were members of the National Honor Society.
Nathan Kamm, class vice president informed the board of education that as a junior class last year, 13 students participated in Junior Exhibition and that the class as a whole have held numerous fund-raisers while at CHS.
Class Secretary Kasey Pelletier stated that by the end of last year class members had raised $18,000 reminding those present of the Dancing Like a Star event held last year and that they had been responsible for sponsoring the Harlem Super Stars two different times.
Megan Jandreau, class treasurer, stated that 95 percent of the junior class last year showed up on a Saturday morning to take the SAT exams proving the students were dedicated to furthering their educations. The results of those SATs showed results above the Maine average.
Caribou High School Principle Mark Jones who was unable to be present at the meeting, forwarded a letter to the council which implied he saw the Class of 2010 as a very mature group of students who look out for each other and are cooperative within the school and with administration.
By a motion to approve the senior privileges for the Class of 2010 made by Kathryn Anderson and seconded by Dale Gordon, the RSU board members approved the request unanimously.
The RSU board spent the better part of the meeting time hearing from Brent Dudley, manager for Energy and Environmental Services for TRANE who presented a proposal for a Performance Energy Project at Limestone Community School.
The Limestone project proposal was a result of a building energy audit completed over the past months. Dudley presented an energy plan for the community school building which will bring about a cost of an estimated $1.7 million. The project, if approved will result in savings due to a reduction in consumption.
The suggested project would include upgrading lighting within the building, replacement of one of the two boilers with a PYROTEC woodchip boiler, installing a pool cover, improving water conservation and upgrading the facility’s computer network structure. Dudley also stated that creating a ‘building envelope,’ consisting of sealing windows and roof seams while using unit ventilators would keep the building healthy. A healthy building was described as a building where you can’t smell the kitchen — it leaves everyone their own personal space.
Dudley informed the panel that results from the previous energy audit did show that the LCS building was in good shape but said that the conservations measures along with the addition of the woodchip boiler would increase the savings in energy dollars.
It was recommended to the group that stimulus funds were currently available for ,”shovel ready,” projects regarding schools within Aroostook County. The idea of using woodchip boiler is similar to that currently being mapped out for the Caribou High School, a project that has not been started.
School board members were told by McElwain that he did not expect them to vote on this project during the meeting, if they wished to have more time to explore the information and proposal. The RSU superintendent did state to the panel that it was a viable project.
Following questions directed to both Dudley and McElwain, several board members stated they were ready to vote on the project at that time. Michelle Albert, RSU board member representing the Limestone Community School stated, “I attended this school, my kids are there, and I know this needs to be done.”
RSU Caribou board member Kent Forbes asked McElwain if the citizens of Limestone were aware of the proposed energy projects and did the board need to hold a public forum similar to the one held previously in Caribou. Albert commented that Limestone residents were aware of the energy performance audit that had taken place. McElwain informed Forbes that technically the board was not legally held to holding a public forum on this topic.
David Strainge, representing Stockholm on the RSU board, said he would like more time to get his arms around the proposal and become more familiar with all that it entailed.
The Eastern RSU, board agreed the vote on the proposal would come at a later date.
