Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Local Historic School needs decades old infrastructure update

Paul Ecke Central School was established in 1927.
It is one of nine elementary schools in the Encinitas Union School District.


The communique below has been making the rounds:

Thirteen of our classrooms do not have A/C and temps can be in the 80’s.  Tim Baird is not interested in providing it as he see’s it we never had it in the past, so not now.
We also never had iPads, or many other things we have now.
I bring this us as most parents at our school are unaware of the lack of A/C or of the other things happening at the other schools.  ECC got new furniture, garden, solar tubes and panels, OPE got solar as well.

I have emailed the board, with a lack of response.  Just they usual ok, thanks.

Our kids are entitled to a comfortable learning environment.  Our school is the ONLY school without A/C in all the classes.  PEC is last for many things and this basic can not be overlooked.  It would only be about $6500 to remedy the situation.

As Tim is up for review next Tuesday and is asking for a raise, I’d like to urge parents to contact the board and let them know your opinion/concerns about ANY item, but this in-particular   Following this will be all 5 board member e-mails as well as Tim Baird's, Leighangela Brady and our principle. Just copy any paste into a new email.  I will also include a quick blurb you can cut and past as well.  

Please feel free to forward to anyone at school you think might help.

Thanks!
Elizabeth Shany
Parent of 2 5th graders and a 4th at PEC


SAMPLE EMAIL

Dear School Board-

As a parent I feel it important that ALL the children in EUSD are provided a comfortable learning environment.  I urge you to remedy the A/C issues at PEC.  Other schools without basic need issues are being upgraded/remodeled, while this issue is pressing for our children.  As you know it’s only getting warmer, for longer periods of time. 

Thank you,



BELOW IS WHAT I ALREADY SENT TO THE BOARD

Good Morning-

I would like to invite you ALL to visit PEC today and work for 30 minutes in any of the 13 classrooms without A/C.  Yesterday I took a photo of the classroom temp at pick up (79 degrees) and another class at  Back to School Night (78 degrees at 7 pm).  I understand the district has sent a fan for each classroom.  This fan is so loud that the teachers can not use while they are giving instruction.  Also, in the old buildings, window's don’t all open to give a cross draft, so the fans can move cooler air instead of the hot air in the class.  We have already had 2 hot weeks starting the year and my kids leave the school, red, sweaty and tired, not the most optimum conditions to learn in.  The district was aware of this problem from last year and it is sad it has not been fixed.  I know the district is proud of it’s solar tubes, panels and new furniture at other schools, but this is a joke, PEC is always overlooked when it comes to basic necessities.

On Amazon you can buy portable AC units that will cool up to 500 sq./ft for $500 with free shipping.  That would be $6500 to keep PEC cool and learning.  I urge you to remedy this situation.  If the classrooms stay so warm, I am certain you are losing much needed teacher instruction time.  $6500 is not an unreasonable amount of money to ensure ALL kids in EUSD are able to learn in a comfortable environment.

Again, please go visit the classes to see for yourself.

Thanks,
Elizabeth Shany
Leucadia Blog Casual Observations:
*The childless anonymous haters who frequent the local blogs will not be sympathetic on this issue. *This is another example of why starting school in August before Labor Day is a bad idea.
*It's 2014, the classrooms need to be climate controlled.
*It's hard to believe Paul Ecke Central made it to year 2014 with A/C in only some of it's classrooms. 
*There are better 21st century design options to A/C to keep classrooms cool. 
*Turn off the A/C in the main office until this is resolved.
*Tim Baird, you are on notice buddy.

 See also: Commentary: Who paid for Encinitas school officials' pricey retreat?

14 comments:

  1. I'm not childless (my 10th grader attends SDA). Yet I'm finding it hard to muster much sympathy on this lack of A/C issue at PEC. Then again I also expect my child to walk the 2.9 miles to our home after school most days if he isn't participating in after school sports, so that puts me at odds with most of the parents of Encinitas school children and some might even say unsympathetic. ;-) I thought part of the beauty of coastal living was NOT needing A/C!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are wrong and a bad person.

      Delete
    2. 2.9 miles is less than an hour...kids need exercise.

      Delete
    3. PEC is paradise on the hottest day compared to 99.9% of the places on this planet.

      Delete
  2. Sorry, no money for infrastructure.

    Spent all the infrastructure bond money on iPads.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The school sent out an email saying that AC will be installed everywhere next summer and 7 portable units will be here this weekend or something.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cover up. Show the itemized accounting of their "educational" retreat. Obviously booze and fancy food enhances ones' creative abilities.

      Delete
  4. 79 DEGREES? And near the coast it's not even a DRY heat!

    Someone call Amnesty International!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, but this does violate state codes.

      Delete
  5. Only because this parent sent an email.

    ReplyDelete
  6. If I had a vote it would also be "no". It wouldn't surprise me to learn some teachers moan about the lack of air conditioning, but that's not reason enough to have it installed. The kids can tough it out. That line about a "comfortable learning environment" is a bunch of baloney.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rob K, just another asshole who sucks and makes Encinitas just a little bit shittier everyday.

      Delete
    2. Nice. I take it you're one of those people who's hoping to turn Encinitas into Del Mar North.

      Delete
  7. A small price for learning. Probably .001% of some of the administration's salaries. Turn off the air at the District offices until the money has been saved on their AC and put it towards PEC.

    ReplyDelete

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