How Much Has ETHS Spent On PPE To Prepare For School Year?
EVANSTON, IL — Evanston Township High School administrators have spent just under $50,000 to purchase personal protective equipment and disinfectant since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with about $20,000 of that going to buy customized cloth masks bearing the school's logo, records show.
Most of the other largest single line items on a list of invoices classified as "Operations [PPE] COVID-19 Costs," which did not include May's custom mask order, are related to disinfecting the building. The school spent more than $3,500 on a pair of deep cleanings in March, and nearly $4,500 on sprayers through June.
Separately, the athletics department spent nearly $1,000 on yard signs, wipes, thermometers, gloves, cups and spray, according to data provided in response to a public records request.
Between operations and athletics, the district calculated it spent $27,138.10 on disinfectant and personal protective equipment, or PPE, during the pandemic — not counting the custom mask purchase. The majority of purchases were placed with Indianapolis-based Ferguson Facilities Supply. Nearly $11,000 of that money was spent on disinfectant and cleaning supplies.
In May, administrators received a solicitation from the owner of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin-based Imagine U LLC offering face masks for just under $4 each to school districts that buy at least 2,000 at a time.
"I hate to spent $20,000 on 5000 of them, but I also hate to keep chasing down masks as we are now," Chief Financial Officer Mary Rodino told Superintendent Eric Witherspoon.
"It's a lot of money, but something we can claim for possible reimbursement and also something to add to our list [of] costs for the mayor," Witherspoon responded, agreeing on the purchase.
There is no indication that school administrators conducted any price comparison or explored ways to acquire the masks through other means, although Rodino mentioned that Athletic Director Chris Livatino had been looking into something like customized masks but had not responded with cost estimate.
According to Rodino, the purchase was authorized May 1 — within two hours of receiving a mass solicitation email from the vendor. The masks were ordered May 12 and received May 28. Some have already distributed to year-round staff and coaches. Each student and staff member will receive a mask upon their return, she said in an email.
There is no date set for students or staff to return to the school building. Starting Aug. 17, class at ETHS will resume with full remote learning until further notice. Administrators said last week the "risks and restrictions" of attempting to provide a safe on-campus environment for students whose parents or guardians do not opt for full e-learning "just don't benefit student learning at this time."
Earlier: Evanston Township High School To Stay Remote Until Further Notice
This article originally appeared on the Evanston Patch
