A week after raw sewage leaked into classrooms at Mt. Hebron High School, Howard County school officials called for a $50 million renovation.
But parents want a new school.
“At this point, it may be in our best interest to rebuild versus sinking $50 million into a building that is going to continue to have problems,” said Cindy Ardinger, the vice president of the Mt. Hebron parent teacher student association.
The 40-year-old Ellicott City school has been plagued by complaints of plumbing problems, overcrowding and power failures, and the latest incident prompted teachers to send a letter asking the school board for relief.
“The school is as old as dirt,” said Lawrence Walker, a member of the school board?s citizen advisory committee and the father of a Mt. Hebron junior.
School officials presented five options to the school board Thursday night, ranging from a $19 million systemic renovation to the construction of a new school, which would cost between $80 million and $90 million.
The recommended $50 million plan would demolish parts of the building, widen hallways and expand fine arts, athlete and administrative suites in the building. It would not increase capacity for the school, which holds about 1,427 students.
“Our projections are showing that we can meet the capacity without adding seats,” said Patti Caplan, spokeswoman for Howard County public schools.
The proposal also would modernize the school?s heating, ventilation and air condition, electrical, lighting and fire-protection systems, and improve indoor air quality.
Some board members expressed concern about scraping together $80 million for Mt. Hebron when other schools in the county, such as Howard High, are even older.
“I don?t know where the money would come from,” said Diane Mikulis, the school board president.
