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District warns potential $2 million state penalty over school size; reports summer closures and indoor-air testing
Summary
New London School District staff told the committee that the high school was designed for 1,631 students while current enrollment is 1,028, raising a potential state space-waiver penalty of up to $2 million; staff also described summer building closures, custodial rotations and indoor-air-quality testing results posted online.
At the April 7 meeting of the New London Board of Education’s School Facilities & Program Design Committee, Miguel Gautier Jr., the district’s executive director of district operations, said the new high school is designed for 1,631 students but current enrollment is 1,028 and the district has been engaged with the state about whether a space waiver will be granted.
Gautier said there is no written confirmation yet of a waiver and that, because leadership at the state has changed, it is unclear whether the district will face a penalty; he said the potential fine could be as much as $2 million. He added the district is concerned the same issue could arise for the middle school but that the state has not yet commented on the middle-school design.
On operations, Gautier described summer scheduling changes intended to lower costs and manage building use: multiple buildings will be closed in shifts, custodians will work a rotation and will be scheduled to work four 10-hour days during the summer with custodians reporting to one building for two-week cleaning cycles. The district has coordinated the closures with Parks & Recreation to limit service disruptions.
Gautier also reported that required indoor-air-quality testing has been completed at the new middle and high schools; those results have been posted to the district website. He said the district found deficiencies in the new buildings that contractors left unaddressed and that he wants contractors to return to correct the issues.
The committee approved the January 13 minutes (3-0) and adjourned at 6:49 p.m.
