(8/27) Classes will be starting a little later this year for Fairfield Area
School District (FASD) as the district quickly finishes up the HVAC project
that has been in the works all summer long. Students will arrive back to school
on September 3, while some teachers arrived on August 20 to begin preparation
for the upcoming school year.
The 10.3 million project includes an upgrade to the current HVAC system that
has lived beyond its life cycle. The project came to a head last summer when a
few weeks before school was to begin a mold outbreak was discovered. At the
time the district cleaned the ventilation system, carpets, ceilings, curtains
etc. and approximately 300 pieces of furniture ruined by mold were replaced. As
part of the remediation contract dehumidifier equipment was rented and ran
until the buildings were switched over to the heating system. The project cost
an excess of 1.5 million.
Mike Rader from Barton Associates, an engineering firm engaged by the
district, reviewed and recommended changes to the district’s mechanicals
including the demolition of much of the existing systems in both the elementary
and middle/high school buildings, replacing them with high efficiency equipment
that has the capacity to dehumidify. Existing lighting will also be replaced
with efficient LED lighting, promised to be more cost effective in the long
run. Any existing equipment recently installed and updated will be preserved
wherever possible. Dennis Rumsey, a representative from Trane (the heating and
cooling company providing new equipment) noted that the new system will provide
100% dehumidification, while being the least obstructive option educationally,
and the best option regarding cost and energy efficiency.
During the August 12 School Board meeting, Howie Kessel, the district’s
Director of Buildings and Grounds updated the board on the project. The project
did see some minor setbacks including delivery delays, manpower and mis-delivery
of equipment, but Kessel noted that the project manager from Trane kept things
moving and kept the project on schedule. All HVAC units are in place at both
buildings but Kessel noted that some storage containers will remain on the
property for the remainder of the year to store additional equipment. Middle
School teachers and most of the High School teachers came back on August 20
while Elementary School teachers started back the week of the 26. The last two
weeks were a bit of a push to get everything cleaned up and ready for the start
of school, but ease of transition was promised.
In other school-related news, the school board approved a "fair share
classroom," a shared agreement between Lincoln Intermediate Unit (LIU) and the
FASD. A fair share classroom is a classroom allocated for children with special
needs and/or learning disabilities such as autism, hearing and visually
impaired etc. The classroom as well as some supplies, including desks and
computers, will be provided by the school district while LIU will supply the
teachers and aides. The district currently has six students who require this
type of classroom, two of which the district has been bussing to other schools
that offer this type of program.
This specialized classroom for kids with autism will incorporate both
Fairfield’s curriculum plus curriculum geared towards their special needs.
Typically these classrooms provide emotional support, intensive learning
support, psychologists and therapists, all supplied by LIU. A representative
from LIU noted that these kids will not be segregated from the rest of the
school. Although they will have their own classroom, they will also share
recess and lunch with the rest of the student body and may even share some
classes such as art or music.
"Having a classroom like this at your local school is so important," noted
one Board member. All members seemed on board and voted unanimously to approve
this program. As part of the agreement, the district is committed to this
program for three years.