The Harrisburg School District met on Nov. 21.
One man’s trash is another student’s educational opportunity.
Or at least that’s the reasoning of the Harrisburg School Board, which approved a resolution to support the installation of an organic waste composting facility at last night’s meeting.
The resolution allows the school district to start working with the city to develop and operate a facility for educational and operational uses at its property at 1901 Wayne Ave.
“The authentic learning opportunities are boundless,” said board Director Judd Pittman.
The district currently uses the Susquehanna Township property, near Capital Region Water, for bus and leaf storage, said Solicitor Samuel Cooper. The district is mandated to use the land for an educational purpose, Cooper said.
“This is a golden opportunity for students to learn about composting and other environmental aspects,” he said.
The district is still in a preliminary planning phase for uses for the composting facility, which also will be accessible to city residents.
A waste analysis completed last year showed that food waste created most of the weight of the garbage the school district disposed, Pittman said. The school pays for trash disposal by weight, which means a composting facility for food waste will reduce the cost for the school.
The city approached the school board with this idea about a year ago. The next steps to further the project are approval from Susquehanna Township’s zoning board and possibly a period of public input, Cooper said.
“It is normal procedure that the public will have a chance for comment,” Cooper said.
More news from the Nov. 21 school board meeting:
- Superintendent Dr. Sybil Knight-Burney led attendees in a moment of reflection for Shanice and Destiny Johnson, school children who died in a recent fire.
- The district is working with law enforcement to adapt HACC’s active shooter procedure.
- Chief Recovery Officer Audrey Utley said the district is creating “action plans” to address staff absenteeism and a task force to strategize how to minimize teacher absenteeism.
- The board approved 21 budget transfer items; five requests for facility use; seven fundraiser requests; 10 fiscal items regarding contracts or agreements; and personnel appointments, promotions, resignations and tenures.
- Harrisburg Education Association President Jody Barksdale gave five letter-sized envelopes filled with stories from staff and students to board President Danielle Robinson. “You don’t have the opportunity to come in and see what prevents us from teaching,” Barksdale said. The letters detailed persistent struggles teachers face on a day-to-day basis. Barksdale urged the board to offer mental health support students dealing with grief, poor coping skills and sexual abuse.
- Karl Singleton, senior advisor to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, urged the board to employ staff and sign contracts with people of color and women. He noted that he saw few people of color and women working on recent construction at the district’s baseball field. He invited board members to a Dec. 14 session on reducing negative police and minority contact.
Author: Danielle Roth
