SCHOOL COMMITTEE
(2 seats available - 3 year term) Listed in alphabetical order
In addition to supporting the core values, vision and mission of the Wellesley Public Schools, the Committee’s responsibilities are to:
Q1. How would you describe your commitment to Wellesley’s goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and what ideas do you have for actions the School Committee can take to support those goals?
Michael Robert Cave
A1 On a personal level, I have attempted to install a heat pump to replace an oil-fired heating system in the rental property that I own at 16 Stonecleve Road in Wellesley. Unfortunately, this effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions here in Wellesley has been thwarted by DPW’s insistence on installation of an underground cable (at my expense) to provide the needed 220AMP service needed to power a heat pump. Underground cabling would be cost prohibitive for this lowest rent in Wellesley single-family free-standing unit. Part 2: Ideas on what actions (that) the School Committee can take to promote this goal are as follows: I perceive by direct observation at the high school that there are redundancies in our school bussing. I have seen multiple arrivals of school busses during “A Block” with small numbers of student deboarding. Reduction of the redundant runs and operating the remaining runs at or near capacity through use of smaller vehicles or encouraging greater use by students of available bus runs could go a long way toward reducing emissions. At our 6 elementary schools, I have noticed that students, even those who live within walking distance, are often driven to school by parents. Insistence by the School Committee through the building principals on using the available bus services could reduce or eliminate emissions caused by the one-student-one car transportation system that has evolved. Only at the Middle School do we see extensive use of bicycles by students or walking to school. Strict enforcement of the anti-idling law at all school buildings is yet another way to reduce emissions. Lastly, parking at the High School by students can be restricted to a greater extent than is currently the case. The High School student parking lot is generally filled to capacity on most school days-evidence of extensive vehicular use and the attendant emissions.
Ayla Lari
A1. I support Wellesley’s goals for reducing emissions as intrinsic to shaping a better, healthier future for our community. At home I support Wellesley’s goals by separating my recycling, minimizing use of single-use disposable products and regulating our thermostat. As some of Wellesley’s biggest energy consumers, our schools can directly impact the bottom line, as well as lead by example. The School Committee can support initiatives that encourage greener activities, some of which are already under discussion. For example, we can move to using electric buses, build solar panels in parking lots, and install adequate charging stations at each WPS location. The School Committee can also support academic programming that increases environmental knowledge and awareness, as part of the curriculum or as special events, to build a culture of sustainability.
Costas Panagopoulos
A1) I firmly support Wellesley’s commitment to climate justice and to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The school system, and the School Committee, can be active partners in advancing these goals. Schools are ideally positioned to adopt energy conservation practices large and small designed to promote these aims. Such practices could include establishing policies to power down equipment when not in use, implement energy conservation challenges or awards programs to recognize and showcase successes, and educating students and staff about actions they can take to help.
The School Committee can do more. It can continue to encourage and promote ride-sharing schemes and alternative modes of transport, support efforts to monitor and track energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions data and trends, and conduct carbon usage audits. In addition, I would support working with the Select Board and Board of Public Works to move the Hardy/Hunnewell solar panel array project forward. These new schools were originally designed with the goal of installing solar panels to help advance the town’s decarbonization and sustainability goals.
Schools, teachers and administrators can also work together to educate students about climate science, track schools’ climate impact, and design programs to encourage best practices. These could include “reduce, reuse, recycle” campaigns, placing helpful information and reminders around schools, introduce more green spaces and encourage planting trees, support student-led initiatives to promote climate justice and greenhouse gas emission reductions and engage with the broader community on these issues. Finally, families must join schools and the larger Wellesley community to cultivate a culture of shared purpose in advancing climate justice in our town.
Robert Sullivan
A1. It is the schools responsibility to support the town’s goals in a fiscally responsible way. Since budget dollars are limited, we need to make sure we spend money on initiatives that will provide the biggest bang for the buck. New construction projects and retrofits should be analyzed to ensure we fulfill our commitment to the town’s climate goals in a fiscally responsible way. Importantly, we should also consider the learning opportunity that our initiatives have on teaching students the importance of sustainable behavior and model to them the impact they can have on the environment. Hands-on participation in things such as improving how the school handles its waste, helping to keep families mindful of the impact of leaving their car idling and encouraging students to walk or bike to school are great examples of ways we can involve students to think about their everyday behavior.
Q2. As you know, Town Meeting passed the Select Board’s Resolution to Address the Impact of Climate Change in 2020. How do you envision this resolution being carried out by the School Committee when considering both large and small capital projects – from a new school building to installing a new heating/cooling system or roof?
Michael Robert Cave
A2 Given the prospect of reduced K-5 enrollments in the long run, we may be looking at another K-5 building closure in the not-too-distant future. Therefore, any large-scale capital project for the K-5 buildings that have yet to be renovated should be either delayed until future enrollment trends are clear or done with a view toward minimal environmental impact both in design and construction. I feel that more could have been done to this end during the Hardy replacement project. The biggest capital project that is likely to occur in the near future will be the installation of climate control at the Middle School. Based on my work at the Middle School, I feel that conditions that have prevailed in recent years during the August-October period and again during May and June make it imperative that something be done to improve the working conditions of teachers and students. In considering the several options that I have seen for addressing this issue, the School Department should send teams of observers to area middle schools to observe and report back on how retrofitting has been accomplished. An example of a middle school that has reached a satisfactory solution is that of the Diamond Middle School of the Lexington Public Schools. Another example is that of the retrofitting of
Beaver Country Day school’s 1921 building in Chestnut Hill. A more extreme response would be to house all 6-12 students at the current high school building. The current enrollment 9-12 does not fill the available space. Further predicted reductions of student enrollment Grades 6-12 would enable the creation of a “middle-high” building of the type that current exists (Tahanto Middle-High School) in the Berlin-Boylston Public Schools on Worcester County, Massachusetts, or the Briarcliff, New York public school district. This approach would totally eliminate the emissions caused by the proposed retrofitting project at the Middle School our high school building is fully climate controlled with a state-of-the-art system.
Ayla Lari
A2 Under this directive, it is the School Committee’s responsibility to weigh climate impact-related criteria from the outset in the plan for any capital project undertaken under its authority. Through research, studies and consultation with experts, the School Committee must evaluate and understand the impacts when initiating a project and make smart choices to minimize the greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resiliency, as a feature of the project and not an afterthought. These considerations must be balanced with our primary charge, to provide the highest quality education to our students, and fiscal responsibility. This will also require partnering with other town departments and committees such as the Climate Action Committee. I would rely heavily on experts in this area to provide that knowledge to make the right decisions.
Costas Panagopoulos
A2 I fully support the Town of Wellesley’s 2020 Resolution to Address the Serious Impact of Climate Change. The principles and science-based targets, including net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, reflected in this plan are consistent with what peer communities have adopted and with global, national and state recommendations. Large and small schools-based capital projects, including new buildings and installation of new heating or cooling equipment, should be developed and implemented within the guidelines articulated in the resolution and the town’s Unified Plan. In particular, all capital requests and proposals for new buildings and improvements, such as new heating or cooling equipment installation or upgrades, should proactively consider the climate impact and include a rationale for how these projects may influence GHG emissions and climate resiliency, as stipulated in the resolution. The School Committee should take these factors and climate impact projections into account in any consideration for capital requests and prioritize climate impact alongside other implications to the extent possible. A commitment to such an approach would help to achieve the “next-generation roadmap for Massachusetts climate policy” codified in the state in 2021.
Robert Sullivan
A2) I believe that when considering a new building, we should install best in class environmental heating and cooling systems and seek to match that with environmentally sound building practices. Retrofits to an existing building are more nuanced. The school committee should take into account the remaining life of the building when deciding how to spend capital on existing buildings. Best in class solutions like heat pumps should be given priority consideration. In the case of the new cooling systems at the three elementary schools and the middle school, we should strive to limit the environmental impact of the new systems within the context of our budget constraints and the full benefits provided by each dollar of incremental spend.. Each school should be looked at individually over the expected in service life of the project and include the benefit of reducing natural gas heating to come up with the best environmentally and fiscally responsible solution. We should not take a one size fits all approach to solutions.
(2 seats available - 3 year term) Listed in alphabetical order
In addition to supporting the core values, vision and mission of the Wellesley Public Schools, the Committee’s responsibilities are to:
- Develop and manage school policies
- Support the allocation of resources by overseeing budget & facilities
- Hire and review superintendent of schools
- Advocate for the school district
Q1. How would you describe your commitment to Wellesley’s goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and what ideas do you have for actions the School Committee can take to support those goals?
Michael Robert Cave
A1 On a personal level, I have attempted to install a heat pump to replace an oil-fired heating system in the rental property that I own at 16 Stonecleve Road in Wellesley. Unfortunately, this effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions here in Wellesley has been thwarted by DPW’s insistence on installation of an underground cable (at my expense) to provide the needed 220AMP service needed to power a heat pump. Underground cabling would be cost prohibitive for this lowest rent in Wellesley single-family free-standing unit. Part 2: Ideas on what actions (that) the School Committee can take to promote this goal are as follows: I perceive by direct observation at the high school that there are redundancies in our school bussing. I have seen multiple arrivals of school busses during “A Block” with small numbers of student deboarding. Reduction of the redundant runs and operating the remaining runs at or near capacity through use of smaller vehicles or encouraging greater use by students of available bus runs could go a long way toward reducing emissions. At our 6 elementary schools, I have noticed that students, even those who live within walking distance, are often driven to school by parents. Insistence by the School Committee through the building principals on using the available bus services could reduce or eliminate emissions caused by the one-student-one car transportation system that has evolved. Only at the Middle School do we see extensive use of bicycles by students or walking to school. Strict enforcement of the anti-idling law at all school buildings is yet another way to reduce emissions. Lastly, parking at the High School by students can be restricted to a greater extent than is currently the case. The High School student parking lot is generally filled to capacity on most school days-evidence of extensive vehicular use and the attendant emissions.
Ayla Lari
A1. I support Wellesley’s goals for reducing emissions as intrinsic to shaping a better, healthier future for our community. At home I support Wellesley’s goals by separating my recycling, minimizing use of single-use disposable products and regulating our thermostat. As some of Wellesley’s biggest energy consumers, our schools can directly impact the bottom line, as well as lead by example. The School Committee can support initiatives that encourage greener activities, some of which are already under discussion. For example, we can move to using electric buses, build solar panels in parking lots, and install adequate charging stations at each WPS location. The School Committee can also support academic programming that increases environmental knowledge and awareness, as part of the curriculum or as special events, to build a culture of sustainability.
Costas Panagopoulos
A1) I firmly support Wellesley’s commitment to climate justice and to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The school system, and the School Committee, can be active partners in advancing these goals. Schools are ideally positioned to adopt energy conservation practices large and small designed to promote these aims. Such practices could include establishing policies to power down equipment when not in use, implement energy conservation challenges or awards programs to recognize and showcase successes, and educating students and staff about actions they can take to help.
The School Committee can do more. It can continue to encourage and promote ride-sharing schemes and alternative modes of transport, support efforts to monitor and track energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions data and trends, and conduct carbon usage audits. In addition, I would support working with the Select Board and Board of Public Works to move the Hardy/Hunnewell solar panel array project forward. These new schools were originally designed with the goal of installing solar panels to help advance the town’s decarbonization and sustainability goals.
Schools, teachers and administrators can also work together to educate students about climate science, track schools’ climate impact, and design programs to encourage best practices. These could include “reduce, reuse, recycle” campaigns, placing helpful information and reminders around schools, introduce more green spaces and encourage planting trees, support student-led initiatives to promote climate justice and greenhouse gas emission reductions and engage with the broader community on these issues. Finally, families must join schools and the larger Wellesley community to cultivate a culture of shared purpose in advancing climate justice in our town.
Robert Sullivan
A1. It is the schools responsibility to support the town’s goals in a fiscally responsible way. Since budget dollars are limited, we need to make sure we spend money on initiatives that will provide the biggest bang for the buck. New construction projects and retrofits should be analyzed to ensure we fulfill our commitment to the town’s climate goals in a fiscally responsible way. Importantly, we should also consider the learning opportunity that our initiatives have on teaching students the importance of sustainable behavior and model to them the impact they can have on the environment. Hands-on participation in things such as improving how the school handles its waste, helping to keep families mindful of the impact of leaving their car idling and encouraging students to walk or bike to school are great examples of ways we can involve students to think about their everyday behavior.
Q2. As you know, Town Meeting passed the Select Board’s Resolution to Address the Impact of Climate Change in 2020. How do you envision this resolution being carried out by the School Committee when considering both large and small capital projects – from a new school building to installing a new heating/cooling system or roof?
Michael Robert Cave
A2 Given the prospect of reduced K-5 enrollments in the long run, we may be looking at another K-5 building closure in the not-too-distant future. Therefore, any large-scale capital project for the K-5 buildings that have yet to be renovated should be either delayed until future enrollment trends are clear or done with a view toward minimal environmental impact both in design and construction. I feel that more could have been done to this end during the Hardy replacement project. The biggest capital project that is likely to occur in the near future will be the installation of climate control at the Middle School. Based on my work at the Middle School, I feel that conditions that have prevailed in recent years during the August-October period and again during May and June make it imperative that something be done to improve the working conditions of teachers and students. In considering the several options that I have seen for addressing this issue, the School Department should send teams of observers to area middle schools to observe and report back on how retrofitting has been accomplished. An example of a middle school that has reached a satisfactory solution is that of the Diamond Middle School of the Lexington Public Schools. Another example is that of the retrofitting of
Beaver Country Day school’s 1921 building in Chestnut Hill. A more extreme response would be to house all 6-12 students at the current high school building. The current enrollment 9-12 does not fill the available space. Further predicted reductions of student enrollment Grades 6-12 would enable the creation of a “middle-high” building of the type that current exists (Tahanto Middle-High School) in the Berlin-Boylston Public Schools on Worcester County, Massachusetts, or the Briarcliff, New York public school district. This approach would totally eliminate the emissions caused by the proposed retrofitting project at the Middle School our high school building is fully climate controlled with a state-of-the-art system.
Ayla Lari
A2 Under this directive, it is the School Committee’s responsibility to weigh climate impact-related criteria from the outset in the plan for any capital project undertaken under its authority. Through research, studies and consultation with experts, the School Committee must evaluate and understand the impacts when initiating a project and make smart choices to minimize the greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resiliency, as a feature of the project and not an afterthought. These considerations must be balanced with our primary charge, to provide the highest quality education to our students, and fiscal responsibility. This will also require partnering with other town departments and committees such as the Climate Action Committee. I would rely heavily on experts in this area to provide that knowledge to make the right decisions.
Costas Panagopoulos
A2 I fully support the Town of Wellesley’s 2020 Resolution to Address the Serious Impact of Climate Change. The principles and science-based targets, including net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, reflected in this plan are consistent with what peer communities have adopted and with global, national and state recommendations. Large and small schools-based capital projects, including new buildings and installation of new heating or cooling equipment, should be developed and implemented within the guidelines articulated in the resolution and the town’s Unified Plan. In particular, all capital requests and proposals for new buildings and improvements, such as new heating or cooling equipment installation or upgrades, should proactively consider the climate impact and include a rationale for how these projects may influence GHG emissions and climate resiliency, as stipulated in the resolution. The School Committee should take these factors and climate impact projections into account in any consideration for capital requests and prioritize climate impact alongside other implications to the extent possible. A commitment to such an approach would help to achieve the “next-generation roadmap for Massachusetts climate policy” codified in the state in 2021.
Robert Sullivan
A2) I believe that when considering a new building, we should install best in class environmental heating and cooling systems and seek to match that with environmentally sound building practices. Retrofits to an existing building are more nuanced. The school committee should take into account the remaining life of the building when deciding how to spend capital on existing buildings. Best in class solutions like heat pumps should be given priority consideration. In the case of the new cooling systems at the three elementary schools and the middle school, we should strive to limit the environmental impact of the new systems within the context of our budget constraints and the full benefits provided by each dollar of incremental spend.. Each school should be looked at individually over the expected in service life of the project and include the benefit of reducing natural gas heating to come up with the best environmentally and fiscally responsible solution. We should not take a one size fits all approach to solutions.