Plans presented

The process of bidding on an improvement project for outdoor athletic facilities at Jay County Junior-Senior High School is expected to begin next month.

Dana Wannemacher of architecture and engineering firm Barton Coe Vilamaa on Monday presented plans to Jay School Board for projects to construct a locker room, restroom and concession facility and to install turf at Harold E. Schutz Memorial Stadium.

The Fort Wayne firm’s proposed plans call for the construction of a 7,000-square-foot building locker room, restroom and concession facility (estimated at $3.15 million) to be constructed on the northeast end of the football stadium in an area that is now a stone parking lot. Working from northwest to southeast, the building would house family public restrooms, a coach’s office, home football locker room, a meeting room, a trainer’s room, a concession area, a utility room, public restrooms, a girls locker room and a boys locker room.

A new driveway would be installed to allow buses to load and unload in front of the new facility, with a shallow detention basin in the remainder of the area that is currently the stone lot. (Another detention basin would be located at the east corner of the football stadium.) Wannemacher said the detention basins are intended to be dry most of the time.

New sidewalks would be constructed around the northeast end of the football stadium to provide better access between seating and the concession stand and restrooms.

Synthetic turf (estimated at $1.25 million) would replace the current grass field at the stadium, which would then be used for soccer as well as football and be available for physical education classes, band practice and other activities.

The existing long jump runway along the northeast end zone would be replaced with two parallel runways and long jump pits. The adjacent high jump area would be reversed so competitors will run toward the end zone to jump rather than toward the track.

The discus area would remain in its current location — it would be leveled and upgraded — southwest of the stadium. The shot put area, which is currently adjacent to the southwest end zone, would be relocated and placed to the southeast of the discus outside of the stadium. A new double-sided pole vault runway would run parallel to the southwest end zone.

The turf portion of the project is already out for bids, with Wannemacher adding that specifications for the rest of the project are expected to be made available to potential bidders Aug. 15. He hopes to have turf quotes and bids for earthwork, drainage and the locker room, restroom and concession facility to be considered at the board’s Sept. 18 meeting. (Current plans call for construction to begin May 1 and be completed by July 24, 2024.)

The new building and synthetic turf represent a bulk of a $6.1 million capital improvement project the school board approved in January.

Also Monday, board members Ron Laux, Phil Ford, Donna Geesaman, Vickie Reitz, Jason Phillips, Marcie Vormohr and Chip Phillips approved $79,590 in playground improvements at East Elementary School.

Assistant superintendent Trent Paxson noted that some of the playground equipment at the school for kindergarten through second graders dates back to when the school was opened. The new equipment from Serendipity Playsystems of Chesterfield will include a “playstructure” with multiple slides and areas to climb and play. New swings will also be installed.

In other business, the board:

•Accepted multiple grants and donations. A Digital Learning Grant of $49,982 will be used to support new teachers with professional development for blended and virtual learning, with an additional $2,867.06 Digital Learning Coach Grant for professional development for director of e-learning Katie Clark, who plans to attend the Future of Education Technology Conference. A $35,000 donation from the Don Wood Foundation will be used to purchase a laser engraver, two 3D printers, a Glowforge and other materials for Jay County Alternative School.

•Reviewed a proposed update to the high school’s weighted scale for dual credit/AP classes. It proposes weighting by 0.25 points for dual credit classes without admission requirements, 0.5 points for 100 level classes with an admission requirement and one point for 200-plus level courses or AP classes.

•Approved the following: The hiring of several new employees including Emily Muhlenkamp as a junior high science teacher; leaves of absence for junior-senior high special ed resource teacher Michelle Bennett and East Elementary speech/language pathologist Lindsey Peterson; contracts with Anointed Hands for sign language interpreting and Community Development Institute Head for services for preschool students with disabilities; a contract with McGuff Roofing of Muncie to replace a section of roof above the weight room at the junior-senior high school at a cost of $62,875; and a contract with Blazer Works for certified occupational therapy assistants

•Accepted the resignations of several employees, including Bloomfield Elementary second grade teacher Amy Fullenkamp and junior-senior high assistant principal Alex Griffin.

•Learned from Gulley that about 40% of Jay School students had been registered online prior to Monday’s in-person session. The corporation will review updated numbers this week and send reminders to those who have not registered.

•Accepted the retirement of bus driver Jeffrey Kerrigan.

•Reviewed a proposed board meeting schedule for the next 18 months with meetings, generally, continuing to be held on the third Monday of each month.