Facilities News
FLower Principal Diana Keefe put on her hard hat and safety vest to check up on the progress of her new school building. She is happy to report that the construction team is almost done installing the 153,000 concrete masonry blocks and are approximately 30% done with the 180,000 bricks that need to be installed. The project received the D. Keefe signature of approval.
FHS is receiving a 2020 Bond-funded update, taking inefficient boilers offline and replacing them with high efficiency condensing boilers. In addition to efficiency upgrades, the new system will be scaled to appropriately meet the needs of the FHS building. A mechanical engineer assessment calculated that the existing plant was oversized, producing nearly twice the necessary output. These new boilers are rated at 96% efficiency vs. the old ones which were field tested at approximately 75% efficiency. The resulting carbon dioxide emissions savings, at the high school alone, is equivalent to consuming 20,391 gallons of regular gasoline. Similar reductions are expected at other buildings, as FECC and UHS will both be receiving boiler replacements next spring, following TCEC’s boiler replacement and building renewal this past summer.
Watch for our infographic explaining environmental impacts in the next issue of Local: the Community Education Magazine!
First fives began their community helpers unit for the month of October with a visit from a Ferndale bus driver, Mr. Tom! The students were invited onto the bus to learn some bus safety and to ask questions about Mr. Tom's role as a community helper. Next stop for the young students will be a trip to Westborn Market to explore a local grocer, as well as a walk to the Pleasant Ridge police department. Students will also be visited by the Ferndale fire department!
If you're interested in helping out your community like Mr. Tom, Ferndale Schools is currently hiring bus drivers to work while students are in school. Starting pay is $20 an hour with paid training, paid time off, and benefits including enrollment credits in the MI Public Schools Employee Retirement Plan for as long as you are driving. The job posting can be found here: Bus Driver Job Posting. Call (248) 586-8896 for more details, email james.stottlemyer@ferndaleschools.org, or contact your school office.
The Grant building, current home to the Tri-County Educational Center, was updated with a new boiler system, high-efficiency HVAC, and a roof improvement this summer. The interior also saw improvements, with new electrical, lighting, and flooring installed throughout.
Ferndale Upper Elementary School (FUEL) was recently improved with a new secure vestibule, to provide a higher level of security in our buildings. All visitors will now be buzzed into the first set of doors and required to pass through the office for screening before entering the building. The improvement also included high efficiency lighting and a more inviting, contemporary aesthetic. These improvements were made with bond funds at no tax rate increase.
