Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Glasgow City Schools got a nice present from the Kentucky Department of Education this month additional funding for a geothermal heating and cooling system at the districts new elementary school.

Superintendent Fred Carter said the state will give the district about $258,000, which it acquired through the School Facilities Construction Committee. The extra money is left over from other bond sales.

Although Glasgow City Schools was not next on the states list to receive more funds, Carter said the nature of the geothermal unit was what helped the district. Other districts on the list were waiting in line for aesthetic features, such as shiny tiles, but the geothermal unit was a legitimate and economical need for Glasgow.

I got a call from the Kentucky Department of Education and was thrilled to learn they hadnt sold as many bonds as they anticipated, Carter said. They posed the question to me: If in fact they could make another quarter-million dollars available, would geothermal be my first choice for it? I said, Absolutely, because it would save money for generations to come.

Glasgow had always wanted to use a geothermal heating and cooling system, which costs more at first than a boiler system, but saves utility costs in the long run.

Honestly, we had been so sold on geothermal that we had already drilled holes on site to see if that site would be suitable, Carter said.

However, the district had decided to cut the geothermal system from its plans after anticipated costs for the new school rose until Carter got the call from the state June 15. Now, the new school will include the geothermal system, which will be economical as well as educational, Carter said.

We had designed into the building some learning experiences for the kids, he said. They can learn some science by looking at the geothermal system. Its educational as well as financially good for the school.

Construction on Glasgows new elementary school started earlier this month. The site has already been leveled, and Carter said he expects concrete to be poured this week.

The $9.7 million school is scheduled to be finished in August 2005, with school starting there the same month. It will house students from the combined Happy Valley and E.B. Terry elementary schools.

It will be a very stressful summer next summer, to get things moved in, but thats our goal, Carter said.

The new elementary school will be on Scottie Drive behind Glasgow High School. It is yet unnamed, although a committee is taking suggestions from students. Carter said recommendations so far include Scottie Trail Elementary, Glasgow Central Elementary and Four-Leaf Clover Elementary, among others.  Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700