February 15, 2017 at 3:47 a.m.
SA moves ahead with project
South Adams School Board
SA moves ahead with project
Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
BERNE — South Adams is one step closer to renovating part of its high school building this summer.
During its meeting Tuesday, South Adams School Board agreed to move ahead with the design-build process with Performance Services and gave the company permission to order key pieces of equipment for the project.
The board also approved the replacement of all elementary school iPads and authorized its president and vice president to sign documents regarding the closing of a sale of property.
Initial plans had called for South Adams to use the nearly $2 million it saved by refinancing bonds to renovate the high school portion of its facility, with $1.625 million for construction, $200,000 for new furnishings and equipment and $160,000 for the design/build process. However, the entire construction portion of the project will not be able to be completed for the planned $1.625 million.
Instead, Performance Services, which was hired for the project Tuesday, offered a proposal that includes work to be completed with the base total of $1.625 million in addition to a list of 10 alternates. The base work includes moving the main office to the area east of the northeast entrance, creating a secure entrance to the school and renovating classrooms (including science labs) on the north and east sides of the media center.
Board members Arlene Amstutz, John Mann, Julie Mansfield, John Buckingham and Amy Orr, absent Landon Patterson and Mitch Sprunger, voted to move forward with the base project as well as alternates to remove a mechanical closer from classroom 19 at a cost of $17,775 and provide a new intercom system ($40,500) to be tied in with the elementary/middle school building ($22,500). They plan to use some of the money that had been set aside for furnishings to pay for classroom 19 and the intercom system.
The work is scheduled for this summer with a goal of completion before the start of the 2017-18 school year.
The board will review the project details over the next month in an effort to develop a path forward for completing the rest of the work called for in the initial plan, which includes renovation of the remaining classrooms and the media center, building a canopy over the main entry, adding a new data network and upgrading classroom audio/visual equipment.
Board members also approved spending up to $400,000 for the purchase of 760 new iPads for elementary school students and 60 MacBook Airs for elementary teachers and administrators. The purchase, which also includes iPad cases, is estimated at a cost of $376,227.48. The school expects to get between $65,000 and $85,000 for selling back its old iPads.
Technology director Myra Moore also reviewed the school’s $227,800 technology budget for 2017, the bulk of which — $170,800 — will be spent to replace laptop computers for freshmen, seventh graders and high school teachers. The wish list also includes computers for computer science labs and machine trades, and new laptop charging carts. She said she would also like to hold back $20,000 for 2018 expenditures.
Superintendent Scott Litwiller told board members that a site assessment on the former middle school property at the northwest corner of the intersection of U.S. 27 and Indiana 218 noted some “recognized environmental conditions.” Biggs Indiana Properties, which has agreed to purchase the land for $375,000, has therefore decided to extend the due diligence period by 30 days.
Litwiller said school officials will work with Biggs in an effort to alleviate any concerns.
The board then approved Amstutz to sign paperwork for the closing, with Mann as an alternate if she is unavailable.
In other business, the board:
•Approved the 2017-18 course description guide. New course offerings will include computer science, computer tech support, sociology and construction trades. Also approved policy revisions regarding personnel for extracurricular activities, background checks, health plans, drug prevention, graduation requirements and a variety of other topics.
•Accepted a $30,000 Lilly Endowment planning grant, which will be used to evaluate the school’s counseling program.
•Heard from Litwiller that teacher evaluations for the 2015-16 school year have been finalized. Out of 93 teachers evaluated, 63 were deemed highly effective and were rated as effective.
•Accepted donations of $1,233 from Swiss Heritage Society for the baseball program, which helped with its holiday bazaar, and $500 from an anonymous donor to the basketball program.
•During a report from director of buildings and maintenance Dave Vorhees, learned that night lights in the kindergarten through eighth grade building were replaced with LED lights. He said he expects the change to result in a cost savings of $1,000 per year. Also, work continues to the school’s baseball field.
•Approved the following: a freshman class field trip April 6 to the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, Ohio; a request to use the middle school hallways for a prayer walk from 8:15 to 9 p.m. on Sundays in March, April and May; a request to use the auditorium for a performance of “The Sound of Music” on July 29 and 30.
•Made the following personnel moves: accepted the retirement of high school secretary Karen Dubach, effective at the end of the school year; accepted the retirement of part-time special ed aide Jamie Fishburn; and hired Dennis Rowell as a bus driver and Mark McKinley as a computer science teacher.
•Approved coaching staffs for the spring season, including head coaches Brad Buckingham (baseball), Josh Hendrixson (boys golf), Clint Anderson (boys and girls track), Jessie O’Dell (softball) and Josh Zurcher (girls tennis).
•Heard from Litwiller that the Feb. 1 student enrollment count required by the state was 1,231. That’s up 22 students from the same time last year.
•Reviewed a four-year budget comparison after Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance certified the 2017 budget at $15,668,981, an increase of $1.05 million from 2016. The maximum levy — funds raised via local taxes — came in at $4.1 million, resulting in a tax rate of $1 per $100 of assessed valuation. That’s down from $1.02 a year ago.
All Rights Reserved
BERNE — South Adams is one step closer to renovating part of its high school building this summer.
During its meeting Tuesday, South Adams School Board agreed to move ahead with the design-build process with Performance Services and gave the company permission to order key pieces of equipment for the project.
The board also approved the replacement of all elementary school iPads and authorized its president and vice president to sign documents regarding the closing of a sale of property.
Initial plans had called for South Adams to use the nearly $2 million it saved by refinancing bonds to renovate the high school portion of its facility, with $1.625 million for construction, $200,000 for new furnishings and equipment and $160,000 for the design/build process. However, the entire construction portion of the project will not be able to be completed for the planned $1.625 million.
Instead, Performance Services, which was hired for the project Tuesday, offered a proposal that includes work to be completed with the base total of $1.625 million in addition to a list of 10 alternates. The base work includes moving the main office to the area east of the northeast entrance, creating a secure entrance to the school and renovating classrooms (including science labs) on the north and east sides of the media center.
Board members Arlene Amstutz, John Mann, Julie Mansfield, John Buckingham and Amy Orr, absent Landon Patterson and Mitch Sprunger, voted to move forward with the base project as well as alternates to remove a mechanical closer from classroom 19 at a cost of $17,775 and provide a new intercom system ($40,500) to be tied in with the elementary/middle school building ($22,500). They plan to use some of the money that had been set aside for furnishings to pay for classroom 19 and the intercom system.
The work is scheduled for this summer with a goal of completion before the start of the 2017-18 school year.
The board will review the project details over the next month in an effort to develop a path forward for completing the rest of the work called for in the initial plan, which includes renovation of the remaining classrooms and the media center, building a canopy over the main entry, adding a new data network and upgrading classroom audio/visual equipment.
Board members also approved spending up to $400,000 for the purchase of 760 new iPads for elementary school students and 60 MacBook Airs for elementary teachers and administrators. The purchase, which also includes iPad cases, is estimated at a cost of $376,227.48. The school expects to get between $65,000 and $85,000 for selling back its old iPads.
Technology director Myra Moore also reviewed the school’s $227,800 technology budget for 2017, the bulk of which — $170,800 — will be spent to replace laptop computers for freshmen, seventh graders and high school teachers. The wish list also includes computers for computer science labs and machine trades, and new laptop charging carts. She said she would also like to hold back $20,000 for 2018 expenditures.
Superintendent Scott Litwiller told board members that a site assessment on the former middle school property at the northwest corner of the intersection of U.S. 27 and Indiana 218 noted some “recognized environmental conditions.” Biggs Indiana Properties, which has agreed to purchase the land for $375,000, has therefore decided to extend the due diligence period by 30 days.
Litwiller said school officials will work with Biggs in an effort to alleviate any concerns.
The board then approved Amstutz to sign paperwork for the closing, with Mann as an alternate if she is unavailable.
In other business, the board:
•Approved the 2017-18 course description guide. New course offerings will include computer science, computer tech support, sociology and construction trades. Also approved policy revisions regarding personnel for extracurricular activities, background checks, health plans, drug prevention, graduation requirements and a variety of other topics.
•Accepted a $30,000 Lilly Endowment planning grant, which will be used to evaluate the school’s counseling program.
•Heard from Litwiller that teacher evaluations for the 2015-16 school year have been finalized. Out of 93 teachers evaluated, 63 were deemed highly effective and were rated as effective.
•Accepted donations of $1,233 from Swiss Heritage Society for the baseball program, which helped with its holiday bazaar, and $500 from an anonymous donor to the basketball program.
•During a report from director of buildings and maintenance Dave Vorhees, learned that night lights in the kindergarten through eighth grade building were replaced with LED lights. He said he expects the change to result in a cost savings of $1,000 per year. Also, work continues to the school’s baseball field.
•Approved the following: a freshman class field trip April 6 to the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, Ohio; a request to use the middle school hallways for a prayer walk from 8:15 to 9 p.m. on Sundays in March, April and May; a request to use the auditorium for a performance of “The Sound of Music” on July 29 and 30.
•Made the following personnel moves: accepted the retirement of high school secretary Karen Dubach, effective at the end of the school year; accepted the retirement of part-time special ed aide Jamie Fishburn; and hired Dennis Rowell as a bus driver and Mark McKinley as a computer science teacher.
•Approved coaching staffs for the spring season, including head coaches Brad Buckingham (baseball), Josh Hendrixson (boys golf), Clint Anderson (boys and girls track), Jessie O’Dell (softball) and Josh Zurcher (girls tennis).
•Heard from Litwiller that the Feb. 1 student enrollment count required by the state was 1,231. That’s up 22 students from the same time last year.
•Reviewed a four-year budget comparison after Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance certified the 2017 budget at $15,668,981, an increase of $1.05 million from 2016. The maximum levy — funds raised via local taxes — came in at $4.1 million, resulting in a tax rate of $1 per $100 of assessed valuation. That’s down from $1.02 a year ago.
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD