Prescott School Board update

PRESCOTT—The Prescott School Board met Thursday, October 22, via Zoom call for their regularly scheduled meeting.

Prescott School Board members are Chairman Preston Brock, Vice-Chair Kevin Chabre, Director Eva Madrigal, Director Erik Young, and Director Jacob Stueckle.

John Graham, Apollo Solutions Group representative, was accompanied by Mike Fuentes, Division Manager and mechanical engineer, to help answer technical questions for a solar array project that the school district has been exploring.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Graham approached the District about a solar array projects. Apollo Solutions is a state-certified Energy Solution Company (ESCO), one of roughly a dozen in the state that can perform energy work.

One big question the board had for Apollo Solutions pertained to equipment warranties. Graham informed the board that the inverters have a 12-year warranty, the optimizers have a 25-year warranty, and the modules have a 12-year manufacture defect and a 25-year power outfit warranty. The sub-contractor, TCI Renewables, offers one-year workmanship warranties and works with manufacturers to provide additional component warranties.

The board questioned insurance costs. Graham reached out to the Toppenish School District, who installed a similar system, and they did not see an increase in their insurance costs.

The project would require approximately one acre of land. The District plans to construct the solar array in the field behind the campus portables. That field is currently leased to a local farmer, and the board will investigate the property’s status. The proposed site is considered ideal for this application due to its southern exposure.

Graham shared a few grants that the school would be eligible for, should they decide to move forward with the solar array project. They included various energy grants and cost-overage grants through the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

Superintendent Justin Bradford shared that the HOPE2.0 hybrid-schedule has been going very well.

“The kids and staff seem very happy to be back,” Bradford shared.

He said there had been a few reminders about masks and distancing, and students have been willing to listen and honor the rules.

Like many superintendents in the state, he said he has no idea when they will advance to full-time in-person instruction, but he hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

Bradford said that the school is looking at starting a LEGO robotics team and is exploring a $2,000 grant through the OSPI for startup needs. The program has been successful as a virtual model, and several staff members are interested in leading the program.

He noted that the school is eligible for two grants through the Support Services division of the OSPI. The grants are $85,000 and $25,000 and have little spending restrictions. Bradford said he is working on the grant applications, and he is exploring using the funds for paraprofessional training and continuing education.

Two of the District’s custodians have resigned, and currently, there is one custodian candidate. Bradford said that the District is still looking for a second custodian. The board accepted the resignations and approved the hiring of the new custodian.

The District will hold parent-teacher conferences at Vista-Hermosa on November 9 and at the Prescott School on November 10. Report cards will be sent out around that time.

The board accepted the first reading of Policy 3211, Gender-Inclusive Schools.