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CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. - Returning Chappaqua students can expect to see some changes in the fall as Director of Facilities Joe Gramando and his staff will be hard at work this summer fixing up the district's six schools.
Much of the work will be coming out of the district's energy-performance contract, including new boilers at Roaring Brook Elementary School, Westorchard Elementary School and Douglas G. Grafflin Elementary School. Also included in the contract is the replacement of front doors at Roaring Brook.
Gramando said contracts are awarded to district's by the state in order to help save energy, and costs on oil and fuel.
If time is on his side, Gramando is also hoping to re-paint classrooms around the district in a specific way. The re-painting calls for three white walls and a fourth wall to be painted in light green, light blue, or light yellow. Gramando said the painting scheme came out of a study done when Seven Bridges Middle School was being built that helps students focus better.
"Some people arent happy about it, but theyre happy when they see their room re-painted," Gramando said. "It makes you feel like youre not in one big white room."
Gramando said his staff will also be focusing on air quality, which includes replacing carpet with tile, duct cleaning, and changing air filters in the classroom's vents four times per year.
"It used to be once a year," Gramando said. "They get totally clogged with dirt."
Rounding out the construction will be replacing gym doors at Horace Greeley High School, replacing windows at Robert E. Bell Middle School, and routine cleaning and re-waxing floors at all schools. Gramando said all gym floors will be re-coated except for Westorchard, which is being sanded down and re-finished.
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