Overcrowding, Finances and Building Usage

I just read and watched the information on KING 5 news about the overcrowding issue here at Tahoma. I can understand the concerns involved since teaching students is the main focus of a school district. Some of the proposals for dealing with the overcrowding issue are feasable. I wonder though about the two suggestions of either year round school or double shifts. Although these might reduce overcrowding, has consideration been given to the financial impact?

Running buildings year round will increase usage of electricity especially because the AC will need to be run in the summer. There's no way students or parents will allow learning to take place in rooms that are in excess of 80 degrees. Running large machinery to cool buildings is costly. Also the supplies such as toilet paper, paper towels, water, electricity for lights, computers, active boards and so on will increase. This will also impact summer maintenance on buildings and custodians abilities to clean and prepare the schools for usage in the fall. Overall, it seems that the financial impact will negate any possible benefits.

Running a school in double shifts will also impact finances in much the same way. Lights on later for classes, heat running much later into the evenings, increased usage of supplies, impact on sporting events, evening classes and events, community usage of the buildings, custodial cleaning time and so on.

In the past year or so many energy efficient measures have been taken and over $500,000 has been saved. All that goes right out the window by increasing building usage either year round or into the evening with double shifting. It is also a huge increase of wear and tear on the buildings and the understaffed maintenance department struggles to keep up now. What would they do with increased building use?

Unfortunately the huge budget cuts by the government has impacted everyone and especially our young people. It's really unfair to them, but what can you do? Hopefully a reasonable solution will be reached soon and our district will continue to produce quality people entering society.