By Heather Mullinix / hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com
The Cumberland County School system has been awarded $159,430 that will go toward energy efficient upgrades at three schools.
The county was one of four school districts awarded the grants by the Energy Efficient Schools Council, which awarded a total of $1.2 million for energy efficient upgrades in kindergarten through 12th-grade schools across the state. The funds were the first grants awarded through the program.
In Cumberland County, North Cumberland was awarded $67,430, Pleasant Hill was awarded $61,835 and Pine View was awarded $30,165. The grants will go toward the TRANE energy sustainability project, which is to be paid for using grant funds.
The TRANE energy project includes system-wide upgrades to lighting fixtures, windows and heating and air conditioning systems. Estimated cost for the project is $5.28 million.
The Energy Efficient Schools Council Fund allocated grant and loan funds to each of the 136 school districts in Tennessee, using one-time resources from the state lottery reserves.
Also receiving grants were Claiborne, Hamilton and Jefferson County school districts. The applications for incentive grants and loans are available online at the Tennessee Department of Education Web site, tn.gov/education/EES_init.shtml.
At its July meeting, the Cumberland County Board of Education also voted to grant applications for a supplementary band instructor grant proposal. The grant proposal is being prepared by Lee Wayne Cole, a contemporary business management and human relations student at Trevecca Nazarene University, as part of his thesis project. He hopes the grant would allow the school system to hire two additional band directors who would work in the elementary schools, growing interest and preparing students for participation in Cumberland County High School and Stone Memorial High School band programs.
"We, as a community, cannot afford to lose the school spirit that is so recognized by our high school marching bands," Cole wrote in a memo to the board. "Please allow me the opportunity to make a difference for the future band students with this grant proposal."
