Region One approves planning goals, HVRHS Advanced Placement class

FALLS VILLAGE — The Region One Board of Education, at the regular monthly meeting Monday, Oct. 3 (online), approved funds for capital maintenance planning and added a new Advanced Placement class at Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS).

Business Manager Sam Herrick, representing the board’s Building Committee, presented a request for funding for the start of a capital maintenance building project.

Based on a 2020 study of the high school building, the main items on the agenda are: extensive renovations of the auditorium and cafeteria, updating the fire alarm system, and replacing HVAC components, some of which were installed in the early 1960s.

Herrick asked for $120,000 to fund a request for proposals with engineers and architects to draw schematics and architectural designs necessary to go to bid.

The funds would come from capital reserve expenditures.

“We would not be committing ourselves to anything in this situation other than the creation of these documents,” Herrick said.

Herrick noted that it was important to put the project on the market and get word out there, as well as how typically when a project is delayed its cost goes up by about 4%.

“There’s a nominal cost to go out to bid,” said Herrick.

The board approved the $120,000. The proposed project itself would begin in summer 2023 if the board approves.

HVRHS is getting a new AP Pre-Calculus class, starting in the 2023-24 school year.

The class will offer an opportunity for students to earn college credits, and will be similar to the school’s current class of Pre-Calculus Honors.

As the class is already being taught in all but name, the school will not need to hire any additional staff.

The course would be taught by Scott Fellows at first; however once the curriculum is fully set up it can be taught by any department member.

HVRHS is updating its outreach toward prospective students throughout October and November. On Nov. 3,  HVRHS Principal Ian Strever will host an open house for students in grades seven and eight, which will include tours of the building, with staff there to answer any questions about the school and its programs. Strever also plans to give tours to grade eight students when they arrive on the HVRHS campus for a track meet on Oct. 21.

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