| Good
news for old Elementary School
Christine Frei of CEDA and Steve Gill of the Idaho Division of Environmental Quality gave a presentation to the school board at the board’s June meeting Monday, June 19. Frei presented the findings about the old Elementary School that resulted from the EPA consulting group’s visit in March. The main point was to somehow retain the gym for community use. Housing, daycare and a community wellness facility seem to be the other primary uses for the facility and grounds. Frei said although there’s a need, she doesn’t see the numbers needed to make a tech training facility viable. Frei recommended the school board call for Requests for Proposals for the facility and give 90 to 120 days to have them submitted. Frei also reported they have been approved for a $15,000 Rural Business Development Grant which could be used to help the RFP process along. She would be willing to help come up with the questions that would be asked. Gill then gave the board some very good news. He said he has a cleanup fund he’s never had to use and was given the go-ahead to use funding for a cleanup of the facility. This would eliminate the asbestos and lead paint at no cost to the district and make the facility much more attractive to a potential developer. He said he’s looking at getting this process started in August and it should be finished by the end of September or early October. In other business the board held the budget hearing and the 2017-2018 budget was approved. They also approved going out for bid on bus fuel. Board chairman Gus Hoene said he feels this is something they probably should call for bids on every year. The certified election results were discussed with no changes from the preliminary numbers they got after the election. Steve Wilson and David Shears were approved for hire as the girls basketball assistant and JV coaches. Wilson resigned from his junior high boys post to take this position. Jeff Martin was approved for hire to replace him. Resignations were also accepted from bus driver Dave Remacle and Special Ed Aide Taylor Schaeffer. An activity bus pay form was approved. Some final changes to section 8 of the policy manual were approved. Also approved was section 9 of the policy manual. A transfer of $5,500 from MAFA to the bus fund was approved. This is to help with the new bus purchase. The Preschool Agreement was discussed but Superintendent Rene’ Forsmann had some questions about consistency in their facilities use policy. Hoene suggested developing a checklist similar to what they did for early graduation requests. Forsmann was directed to bring something to the next meeting. Action on the preschool agreement was tabled to the next meeting. In the facilities update Rene’ Forsmann said the kitchen cabinets at the high school should be completed by mid-July. The overflow building located where Jake’s shop used to be behind the Elementary School is making great progress and should also be completed by mid-July. The bathrooms at the football fieldhouse are finished. The track has received a couple of coats of rubberizing surface already and is not too far from getting the striping done. This is a month ahead of schedule as they were initially looking at mid-July. The heating system in the high school gym has had supplies and parts ordered. The conversion of the current Elementary School art room into a 4th grade classroom is expected to be completed by mid-July. Forsmann also presented results of the ISAT testing showing that for the most part Prairie students tested well above the state results. In the Idaho Reading Indicator results grades K-3 all showed very significant improvement from the fall to the spring. The meeting adjourned at 9:12 p.m. The next regular meeting will be Monday, July 17 at 7 p.m. This will also be the Annual Meeting. |
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