Work, plans reviewed

Jay School Board received an update on the status of roofs, parking lots and other major maintenance purchases and projects during its meeting Monday.

Gary Cagle, director of maintenance for the school corporation, shared details about work that has been done and work that is planned in the next several years.

For roofing projects, work that has been recently completed includes three sections of the roof at Jay County Junior-Senior High School, two sections at Bloomfield Elementary and several small sections at East Elementary, all in 2025. Sections over the main gym at East Jay Elementary are still planned for this year, weather permitting.

Plans call for roof work at Bloomfield and General Shanks Preschool/Jay Schools central office in 2026. Cagle said the General Shanks building is most in need of work, with projects planned in each of the next four years. 

Cagle said an assessment from McGuff Roofing indicates that the roofs at Redkey Elementary and West Jay Elementary are in good shape. They will be reassessed in the next couple of years.

Parking lot work planned for 2026 includes seal coating and striping the main parking lot at front office parking lot at the junior-senior high and the front parking lot at General Shanks. The Bloomfield and East parking lots, and sections of the East Jay parking lot, were coated and striped this year.

Other projects that have been completed or are in the process of being completed include a backup generator and a new radio tower at the bus garage, the purchase of a new scissor lift and an outdoor sweeper, new LED lights in the junior-senior high gym, new flooring in the pool/auxiliary gym hallway, new crabapple trees at the junior-senior high, various baseball field upgrades including concession stand lighting, outlets and a public address system and sinks in East Jay boys restrooms.

Planned improvement projects include new dirt for the baseball infield, a wheelchair lift at Bloomfield, outdoor lighting at East and sinks in East Jay girls restrooms.

Cagle praised his staff and local vendors and contractors for their efforts and partnerships in maintaining school buildings, with Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley thanking Cagle for his leadership.

“What I see in Gary Cagle is someone, he will absolutely show up at these schools 24/7,” said Gulley. “Two, he cares. And three, he’s proud of his team. …

“We want you to know you’re appreciated. And share that message with your team.”

In other business:

•Approved the following: career exploration internship and technical communication as new courses; increasing pay for aide substitutes for Lifeskills classes to $14 per hour, 50 cents higher than other substitute rates; various hirings, including Abbey Osborn as a bus aide and Amanda Rion as assistant girls basketball coach; a leave of absence for East kindergarten teacher Kayla Luginbill; and a field trip for JROTC students.-

•Were presented with proposed policy updates on topics included compensation, staff evaluation, nondiscrimination andf anti-harassment.

•Accepted a $4,000 donation from Mindy Weaver toward purchasing new cheer uniforms.

•Approved expenses related to the September 2024 tornado that hit Jay County Junior-Senior High School. Thus far, the school corporation’s insurance firm has approved $5.89 million in related expenses.

•The board wished all employees and the community a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.