The past six weeks have been quite a fluid time at North Star, as we have been working to register members for the fall and update our Covid-19 policy in light of the Delta variant. With so much in flux, I have missed a few of my personal blog posting deadlines. Here is a nifty three-part series to catch up on the news from North Star. We will send out the first two installments back-to-back, and then post the excitement of our first week of the new year closer to September 15th.
Part One: The Building Since March 13, 2020
Part Two: North Star’s Updated Covid-19 Policy for Fall, 2021
Part Three: Opening Ceremonies and Week One! Welcome Back!
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Part One: The North Star Building: New Ownership, Many Improvements!
When North Star closed for Spring Break on March 13, 2020, we had no idea it would be 18 months before we welcomed teens back inside again. Last year, we made the most of our outdoor activities and online interactions, with solid success. However, we remain committed
to the vision of in-person learning, together. North Star is, and needs to be, primarily an in- person program. With that commitment, we have been moving ahead on improving our space for this impending moment, and I am quite excited to see our building full of people again. In case you haven’t read every blog post and newsletter of the past 18 months, here are some of the highlights of our physical improvements:
In April 2020, I purchased the building rather than have North Star sign a new five-year lease with the former landlord. The building is now owned by KDD Properties, which rents the building to North Star. This long-term ownership not only makes financial sense for North Star’s long-term security, it also makes all of the other physical improvements described below reasonable and possible.
Common Room Renovation: We removed some half-walls in the Common Room to make the space more open. (Valley Home Improvement)
Maker Room Renovation: We removed a wall between the former Maker Room and Melanie’s office to create a larger workspace. We pushed back a wall of an unused bathroom to install a utility sink in the Maker Room. We also took a bit of space to make a closet opening to the upstairs back hallway to store music equipment for the Studio. (Valley Home Improvement)
New Roof: We replaced the roof prior to having solar panels being added. (Bay State Restoration.)
Solar Panels: We have installed solar panels on our south-facing roof. Combined with other improvements below, North Star will eliminate most or all of its previous $11,000 annual electric bill. (Valley Solar)
Heating: Two mini-splits have been installed in the Common Room, replacing baseboard electric heat and a window-unit air conditioner. A broken, “secret” furnace in the attic has been replaced and will heat and cool about half of the building, also replacing baseboard electric heating and window-unit air conditioners. (Surner Heating)
Landscaping: Visionary landscaper Craig Stevens has improved the entryway to our front door and the space around our sign by Route 116. You may feel you have “arrived” when you get to North Star. (Landscapes)
Lighting: We are replacing all of the light fixtures in the building with LED lights, all of the same color. The upstairs fixtures have been installed. The downstairs fixtures have encountered a shipping delay but should be installed in September. (G & L Energy Services and DeSorcy Electric)
Air Filtration: An ultra-violet filter has been installed on the furnace, which will clean air for approximately half of the building. We have installed four room-size air purifiers: Common Room, Studio, Maker Room, Classroom. The fans will run continuously. The installers remarked that combined with the mini-splits moving air, we have “A-1” coverage. With windows open in every room, they jokingly said, “A-1 +” coverage. (Surner Heating)
Lawn and Parking Lots: mowing, plowing, and weeding now managed by Snow and Sons.
Outdoor Shade: We have three basic canopy tents. We welcome the loan or donation of more pop-up tents for fall and spring use. Thank you.
Internet: We have improved our service from “Comcast Business 300” to “Comcast Business 1000.” We have more than tripled our bandwidth. (About Face)
Minor Repairs: new ladder to the attic, window repair, front door, roof leaks. (Bay State Restoration.)
Many long-term projects remain for consideration, starting with improving access to the full building for people of all abilities. It is clear our parking lot requires some paving attention as well.
The time, effort, and expense of having a building demands a huge commitment. During the pandemic, momentum has grown for some online-only homeschooling options. I will close here with a reminder of why I bother to have a building and host this space. North Star’s mission is to make living and learning without school possible for any interested family in the Pioneer Valley. What do most families need? What does a teen dreading going to school tomorrow need tonight to consider embarking on a homeschooling approach? My answer is that they need a place to go and an in-person community to join. We have this building so that we can support teens and families to change their lives. North Star’s investment in our building is a confirmation of what we value.
Kudos and bravo. Where can i make a small donation?