– Trustees consider green building –

After months of planning and debate, the boundaries for Lakeshore Elementary School were approved by the Humble ISD Board of Trustees at the April 14 board meeting. Superintendent Dr. Guy Sconzo’s recommendation that citizens boundary committee’s Option 1 be adopted was approved by a margin of 5-2.

The result of this vote will move a number of students to the new school next fall, including those who reside in Waters Edge, Lakeshore, Park Lakes Northeast, Summer Lakes Ranch, Lake Forest Village, Lake Park Village, Suncrest Village, South Pointe Village, and Lakeside Terrace.

The decision to relocate students from Summerwood Elementary has been a point of contention since the original release of the boundary committee’s four-plus options. Residents of the area had requested an expansion of the current school, as well as an open transfer policy in order to keep Summerwood students within Summerwood. Of the seven board members, Dan Huberty and Brent Engelage were against Option 1.

“I don’t like people on Deussen having to drive past one school to get to another,” said Huberty.

Board president Dave Martin called boundary decisions an emotional issue. “I wish every kid in Summerwood could go to Summerwood,” said Martin. “I don’t like any of the options. It all stinks as far as I’m concerned.”

He was optimistic about the students’ future at the new school, however.

“It may be one of the best and most technologically advanced schools in the district.”

An additional school was also under consideration as the board approved development plans for Elementary School 26. The project is budgeted at $18.5 million, an increase from the $13.2 required to build Lakeshore. While part of the increased amount is based on pre-recession construction costs estimates, other costs are associated with efforts to obtain LEED certification. LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green building system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, and provides a set of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. Although the district has aimed to construct efficient buildings for some time, this would be the first that would comply with the guidelines.

While several members of the board expressed a desire to comply with the standards, they were less enthusiastic about associated commissioning costs.

“I don’t care to pay $30,000 to get a plaque put on the wall saying we are LEED certified. We need to build it operationally efficient to fit within the budget,” said Martin.

Board member Robert Scarfo was in agreement.

“There are a lot of things we are doing anyway,” said Scarfo. “I don’t want to get hung up in getting a certification. That means didly squat to me.”

Other construction items approved include renovations and additions to Turner Stadium and the Community Learning Center, and SBWV as the architect for the Kingwood High softball field design work.

On the lighter side, Martin and other board members challenged staffs of Creekwood and Riverwood middle schools to a basketball game. The event will be an extension of the board’s wellness challenge. Proceeds from the game will to go toward the schools’ World War I service learning project. “We hope the students will get energized to come see their principals and teachers play against us ... supporting a great project,” said Martin.

In other business, the board approved the annual AVID program membership and Population and Survey Analysts for a total demographic study.

The Humble ISD Board of Trustees meets on the second Tuesday of each month. The public is encouraged to attend.