A Boiler, Science, the Web

      At the monthly meeting of the Springs School Board Monday night, its members unanimously gave their support to using $65,000 from the district’s repair reserve fund to replace an aging boiler and a defunct bridge on the school playground.

       The board also voted to begin a contract with Lime Energy, a national provider of renewable energy solutions and energy efficiency strategies, to upgrade the district’s lighting fixtures — a move that could lower the district’s energy bills in the years to come.

       In other news, the board voted to continue Camp Invention, a science enrichment program that ran as a weeklong pilot with 62 children last August. Though the dates have not been set for the coming summer, early registrants can expect to pay $245 in tuition, with discounts offered to siblings.

       Earlier Monday night, John Grant, who presided over the meeting since Elizabeth Mendelman, the board president, was on vacation, called the newly revamped website “a big improvement,” referring to prior complaints that it was woefully out of date. “If you haven’t checked the website, I encourage you to do so. It will stay fresh and current,” he said.

       To ensure that it remains so, the board agreed to pay Kimberly Belkin, an independent consultant, $3,265 to work as a writer and part-time facilitator.

       John Finello, the district superintendent, said the school’s first site-based committee met for the first time on Jan. 7. Increasing parental involvement topped its list of priorities. Timothy Frazier, a board member, asked that minutes from future committee meetings be posted on the website in a timely manner.

       The board approved a maternity leave request by Crystal Reiner, a special education teacher, effective Jan. 28. She is expected to return on March 17. The board appointed Sarah Dunkirk as an English as a second language teacher, effective Jan. 1, at an annual salary of $27,214.

       Board members accepted the resignation of Cheryl Ann George, a school bus driver, effective Dec. 20. They simultaneously approved the hiring of Frances Figueroa as a full-time bus driver at a salary of $31,319 plus benefits.

       Also at the meeting, Lisa Matz, the PTA president, said that a recently planned skate night at the Buckskill Winter Club in East Hampton had been canceled because of rain. The new date is Feb. 8 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Skate rentals will be free, and pizza, popcorn, and beverages will be sold. In addition, the annual Scholastic book fair is planned for Feb. 25 to March 4.

       At every meeting, Eric Casale, the principal, updates the audience concerning any changes in enrollment. Over the past six weeks, the Springs School has seen a slight dip in its enrollment, with 717 students now enrolled in grades pre-K to eight.

       The next meeting is planned for Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.