KINGWOOD — Preston County Schools is in good shape with PPE and cleaning supplies to start school, the board was told Monday.
And while there still won’t be kids knocking on doors to sell something as a class or club fundraiser, virtual fund raising has gotten the nod from Superintendent Steve Wotring.
In addition to 100,000 face masks, the county also has enough face shields for each employee.
“A face shield is not as protective as a mask, but it does give teachers another option to use whenever they are standing in front of the classroom,” Wotring said.
Each classroom will have hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes, Plexiglas screens will be at each secretary’s desk, Cintas will provide cleaning rags weekly, sanitizing sprayers are in for all the buses and will also be placed in the schools for custodians.
Social distancing signs are in place at all schools.
“We are well stocked in supplies for the beginning of the year,” Wotring said.
Supplies will continue to be ordered throughout the school year, but there’s enough hand sanitizer for a month and a half, he noted.
Fund raisers had been on hold, but Wotring said virtual fundraising can be submitted for approval. No mass gatherings of people and no direct sales by students will be permitted.
“There are plenty of options through virtual fund raisers, and that’s how we’re going to approach them for now,” he said. “I just feel strongly that we need to get this year started, see how it’s going to go, before we do anything else.”
The status of several projects in the schools was also updated Monday.
Paving at Preston High School (PHS) and Bruceton School is complete. Roof jobs are done at the bus garage and 75% complete at the high school.
A total of 105 new security cameras are nearly all installed at PHS, Assistant Superintendent Brad Martin said. The county ended up paying only $1,000 for the project; the rest was covered by a Homeland Security grant.
The original total cost of the project was estimated at $165,000-$170,000, but because most of the installation was done by board employees, it came in at $110,00-$111,000, Martin said.
“We have a great view of the entire campus, interior and exterior,” Martin said. That includes the board office.
The board also heard suggestions from Peter Liga on saving money on electric bills by gradually replacing florescent bulbs and lights with LED lights.
The cost would fit into the normal maintenance budget if bulbs and ballasts were replaced just as they wear out, Liga said.
Board Member Pam Feathers said it sounded like a good plan. Board President Jack Keim agreed and asked Liga to meet with Wotring and County Maintenance Supervisor Matt Murray.
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