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Building tour underscores past work in schools
Valley Stream District 24 officials invited the public for a tour of its three buildings last Saturday, showcasing the capital projects and upgrades made at the three elementary schools.
At the William L. Buck School, the gym was repainted, though some of the older murals on the wall were painted over in a cost-efficient decision. “To salvage them would have cost us more,” said Maintenance Supervisor Charles Brocher.
Buck was also fitted with energy efficient lighting and two new boilers. According to school officials, the new boilers are a vast upgrade from the antiquated system that was installed more than four decades ago. “What a difference,” board trustee Ian Wraith said of the new boilers. “This is a huge improvement. The others had rust leaking everywhere.”
Brocher pointed out that all upgrades done at each of the schools were funded by the energy performance contract. Other upgrades throughout the district included automated sensors put in classrooms and the library to control lights, unit ventilators that were rebuilt, thermostats replaced, steam valves updated and new insulation put in around the doors.
At Brooklyn Avenue School, the gym was repainted, energy efficient lighting was installed and the women’s bathroom was repaired. A rock-climbing wall was donated to the school and installed in the gym, but the boilers in the building, which are only 35 years old, were not replaced. “These were the better boilers at the three schools,” Brocher said.
At Robert W. Carbonaro Elementary, the boilers, unit ventilators, steam valves and thermostats were all replaced, and the gym was also repainted. Eight white boards were replaced, Brocher said, and energy-efficient lighting was installed throughout the school.
At all three schools, a building management system was installed to monitor heating and ventilation controls. Superintendent Dr. Edward Fale said for the district to receive more state aid, it could install a chair lift to make the schools handicapped accessible. He said to do that though, it would cost upwards of $1 million.
