Board hears $100,000 proposal to add coral-reef room to marine lab; members press for plan on ongoing costs

District curriculum leadership updated the board on CNI‑linked projects and described plans to add a coral‑reef room to the marine lab. The director said the $100,000 one‑time request would cover construction of the reef tank, an RODI water‑filtration system, lighting, plumbing and electrical work and an initial set of coral species.

"This $100,000 is what you're asking for," a board member said; the director confirmed the amount was a one‑time start cost and explained the system is designed so water circulates through a single system rather than requiring constant water replacement. The director also noted ongoing costs associated with living organisms and suggested a mix of staffing and program models to manage upkeep, including extending lab‑aid hours, hiring an aquarist (district comparisons put an aquarist salary at about $57,000 per year in other districts), and creating paid summer internships for students.

Board members repeatedly requested a concrete plan for recurring operations. "I feel like we need to actually have a plan ... what the ongoing cost will be and what we're committing to," one member said. The director said she is open to various models and will explore options to reduce the long‑term cost burden, including programmatic student involvement and grant funding.

The item was discussed as part of the budget-planning presentations; the transcript does not record a formal vote on the coral‑reef room during the meeting. Staff said the marine lab's phase‑one rack work is near completion and that the coral‑reef phase would follow with further financial and operational details to be provided.