LASD Planning Process Continues
The Lewisburg Area School District has been engaged in developing a masterplan to guide the districts current and future growth. The public process has revealed a split between those who want something new at all costs and those who want to adapt and transform the old. The ultimate goal for both factions are high quality educational facilities, but there is fundamental disagreement about how to accomplish that. The smart growth and green building perspective comes down clearly on the side of compact, efficient and visionary adaptive reuse of existing facilities, transforming them to meet contemporary programmatic criteria. The debate over whether or not non-motorized modes of transportation remain relevant is heated. Take a wild guess where the peak oil money lies.
Everyone working for smart growth schools owes
a note of thanks to the school board members who voted to keep Option
C alive and part of the process. Michael Payne championed its
inclusion and Fred Scheller seconded and spoke compellingly (though
agnosticly) about the possibility that it could be the best option.
Kathy Swope and Steven Bolinsky joined them in voting to forward the
plan to the consultants. One vote less and the motion would have died
right there. Please consider reinforcing their action by calling them
or sending them a comment/thanks.
Thanks also to those who sat in the peanut gallery. I'm pretty sure
it made a difference in how the vote turned out by showing the board
that people are interested and paying attention.
The consultants themselves gave a skewed and deeply uninspiring
presentation that same evening.
The next regular meeting of the school board is August 12 at 7:30 pm
in the large group instruction room at Eichhorn. According to the
district website, "Progress reports will be made to the School Board
on August 12, August 26, September 23, and October 14."
LASD Planning Process Continues
Sustainability film series: END OF SUBURBIA
