The Van Pao Elementary School will be certified for Leadership in Energy and Envrionmental Design (LEED), according to a story from Channel3000:
In spite of the controversy over its name, Vang Pao Elementary is officially under construction.
Ground was broken at the new school site on Wednesday. School board members along with Superintendent Art Rainwater and the building designers all turned the first soil where the school will stand.
The new school will cost $12,923,000. The 86,396-square foot school will have 36 classrooms and house 690 students and 90 teachers. It’s expected to be completed by September 2008.
The green building will be LEED Silver Certified, and will include geothermal day lighting and solar electric panels. The school will be located on Madison’s far West Side off of Valley View Road west of County Highway M on Ancient Oak Lane.
“Green building construction really has taken off in commercial and industrial applications. Recently the U.S. Green Building Council set green standards for K-12 education, and we’re the first public elementary school in the state that will get the silver certification for that,” said Doug Pierson, director of building services for the Madison Metropolitan School District.
The district will pay more money upfront for the green building, but school officials said it will pay off in energy savings in 10 to 12 years. The new school will also have recycled materials incorporated in furniture, playgrounds, carpeting and sheet rock, WISC-TV reported.
Zimmerman Design Group is the school’s architect and it is being built by Miron Construction.
It is ashame that the Madison School Board selected such a controversial individual for a elementary school name. As a tax payer, educator, and a Madison resident I strongly oppose Van Pao’ name for a young children school. How come an individual of such dark and sinester background would be a good example for our elementary children? Van Pao is not a role model for young children. I am not against the Hmong community, am just against Van Pao because of his name is controversial because of his deeds during the Vietnam war.
Please Madison School Board Members, reconsider the name for the Linden Park School. The Madison Community deserve to be heard.
Sincerely,
Dr. Elia J. Armacanqui-Tipacti
Spanish Language and Latin American Professor