The Dundee School Board has not acted on the results of a recent poll seeking community sentiments about the construction of a swimming pool as part of an upcoming capital building project.
Superintendent Nancy Zimar reported 73 district residents expressed support for a pool and 78 said they were against a pool project in the poll. While school officials will continue to seek input from the community on the subject, School Board Vice President James Koehler, who chaired the Sept. 11 meeting, said he would need to see overwhelming support from the community for a pool project.
Zimar said some who supported the pool commented that the district should build a pool now, before the cost goes even higher. She said those who opposed a pool commented that the economy is not strong enough to support such a project.
The board will meet with the district’s architects at the next meeting on Sept. 25 to discuss more specific information about the proposed capital project, expected to cost $5 million.
The project will include health and safety and energy improvements, such as a new roof for a portion of the building; improvements to the building’s façade, electricity and lighting.
Other business at the Sept. 11 board meeting included:
•GEOTHERMAL STUDY: The board unanimously agreed to have the school’s architectural firm conduct a study of various energy options, including geothermal cooling and heating for the district. The study will cost $12,000.
• JUNIOR HIGH PRINCIPAL: The board appointed Laurie Hopkins-Halbert to a new position as Junior High School Principal. She will continue to carry out her administrative responsibilities for all of the district’s special education programs. Zimar explained George Tortolon, who previously was responsible for some administrative areas in the Jr./Sr. High level, has returned to the classroom as a social studies teacher. High School Principal Chris Arnold will now be principal for grades nine through 12 and Hopkins-Halbert will be principal for grades seven and eight.
• ENROLLMENT: Zimar reported on enrollment figures for the year. She said 50 new students have moved into the district, but 38 left, bringing the total enrollment to 893 students. Twenty non-resident students attend Dundee Central School. Twenty-five students from within the district travel to Penn Yan for parochial school, 25 attend school at Freedom Village, 10 attend other public schools and 98 receive home instruction. In addition, 231 children attend Mennonite schools in the district. She said some grades are at their maximum levels.
• PERSONNEL: The board accepted the retirement of building maintenance worker James Hand, effective Aug. 29; appointed Steven K. Howell as a building maintenance worker effective Sept. 15 at an hourly salary of $13.75 and appointed Kathleen Easling as a cleaner at an hourly rate of $8.25.
