LOWER POTTSGROVE PA – Four “critically needed” improvements at Pottsgrove School District buildings, estimated to cost $80,000, were approved to be sent to public bid Tuesday night (Feb. 24, 2009) by the district Board of School Directors. The expense will be paid from a capital reserve fund of about $5.5 million, established by the board several years ago, rather than be added into the district’s still unfinished 2009-2010 budget.

One example of a ceiling overhead projector.

However, board members halted in its tracks a district plan to install overhead projectors in classrooms at Lower Pottsgrove and West Pottsgrove elementary schools, at a combined cost of $310,000. Although they consider the project desirable, a majority agreed with director Robert Lindgren’s observation: “I’m not sure we need to do it this year.”

Displays of educational materials, created by the ceiling-mounted projectors on screens within classrooms, have been described by district Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis as “the chalkboards of the 21st century.” They have already been installed at Pottsgrove High and Middle schools, so the decision to suspend work at the elementary buildings represents a significant, albeit possibly temporary, reversal in collective board thinking.

Because the board anticipates refurbishing Ringing Rocks Elementary School, although the nature or extent of renovations have yet to be authorized, it was not included in the projector project. In district literature, such as board agendas and minutes, the projector program has been referred to as “classroom technology upgrades.”

Receiving board approval for bidding were:

• Upgrading air conditioning in computer facilities at the district office, 1301 Kauffman Rd. Air handling there is considered inadequate to keep the systems cool, district Director of Facilities and Physical Plants Michael Katzenmoyer told board members during their Feb. 10 (2009) meeting. Cost: $30,000.
• A similar upgrade for computer service air conditioning at the middle school. Cost: $10,000.
• Increasing the back-up or emergency power supply for computers at the district office. Cost: $30,000. and,
• Upgrading a fire alarm panel at West Pottsgrove Elementary, $10,000.

The district will advertise for bids on all four in coming weeks, Business Manager David Nester said. Work is expected to be done during the summer and completed in time for school re-opening in September.

Improvements deemed critical by district administrators, as well as many others on a capital projects wish-list, initially were presented by Katzenmoyer during his review of the district Facilities Department proposed budget. Board members asked Katzenmoyer to prioritize the projects in anticipation that some or all would be paid for from the capital reserve fund.

It was during the Feb. 10 review, in response to a question posed by district resident Pamela Peerce-Landers of North Sanatoga Road, that Landis described the projector project and said he considered it “not a luxury but a necessity.”

Before the board’s vote Tuesday, board President Michael Neiffer endorsed continuing with the projectors. The district was “creating an environment very complimentary to education,” he said. “I’d hate for us to start hacking off these things.” Lindgren contended the administration had not sufficiently demonstrated how much, or how extensively, the already installed set of projectors was being used.

Photo from Northeastern Illinois University

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