Bridgeporttoimprove air quality, cooling systems at 2 schools
Jul. 11—Officials have not yet announced which two schools will receive the upgrades, but could be an example for other schools. The release said they will "serve as demonstration sites for all 39 schools in the City of Bridgeport and for thousands nationwide."
In addition to reducing expenses, officials hope the upgrades will create a safer learning environment for students by lowering harmful greenhouse gas emissions inside classrooms, hallways and other settings.
"While we impact the minds of our students, we are also focusing on the surrounding areas where learning takes place, which is our school facilities," said Board of Education Chair Bobbi Brown. "Many of our students rely on our school building as safe havens in all aspects. So, we are happy that Bridgeport Public Schools has been awarded this grant."
The district is one of 24 school systems around the country that have been awarded a total of $178 million for energy improvements as part of the Renew America's Schools Program's first round of grant funding. Energy department officials said the investment will directly impact about 74,000 students and 5,000 teachers in nearly 100 schools.
The highly competitive program, which received hundreds of applicants from a total of 48 states, was created after Congress passed a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure package into law nearly two years ago.
"Kids should be able to focus on their classwork without worrying about the quality of air they're breathing," U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, a Democrat who supported the bill, said in a statement. "I am proud to bring funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law home to Connecticut's Fourth District to improve the health of our children with safer, greener infrastructure in our schools."
In Bridgeport, the grant money will also fund an apprenticeship trade school program at the Bullard-Havens Technical High School and provide engineering internships for Housatonic Community College students.
The multi-million dollar program, which requires about $750,000 in cost sharing from the district, also includes a specific commitment to work with the local union of plumbers, pipefitters and HVAC repair technicians during the construction process.
Students and teachers have faced poor ventilation and overheating inside local school buildings for years. Many were built several decades ago and do not feature modern air conditioning. Last year, amid a powerful heat wave, the district was forced to dismiss some students early due to the dangerous conditions.
Jeff Morrissey, the president of the Bridgeport Education Association, the union that represents the district's 1,500 or so full-time teachers, said he hopes the district will eventually be able to make similar upgrades to all of the 39 school buildings in the city.
"I am very pleased to hear that two of our schools will be receiving HVAC upgrades," Morrissey said. "Improving air quality and energy efficiency within these buildings sounds very encouraging."
