Maintenance projects discussed at Heights

Members of the Jackson Heights USD 335 Board of Education on Monday approved a list of summer maintenance projects for district maintenance and custodial director Bob Power to handle after school is dismissed for the summer.

However, during the board’s regular meeting that evening, board members heard a plea from instrumental music teacher Laura Holliday to help her do a little more than what has been planned for her room at the high school.

One of the items on Power’s list of summer projects was the purchase and installation of 13 ceiling-mounted pyramidal diffusers for Holliday’s band room at Jackson Heights High School at a cost of $3,606. Sound diffusers, it was noted, treat echoes and reflections in a room and attempt to scatter sound evenly in different directions.

Holliday, however, said she wanted to try and raise $10,000 to $15,000 to attempt to purchase equipment more likely to absorb sound rather than scatter it, including sound-absorbent ceiling tiles that she estimated would cost $2.50 per square foot. The board took no action on Holliday’s request.

Power also met with the board to discuss some of the projects on the list, including light replacement and painting in the high school gym, the former of which Power said would involve replacing some of the ballast in the lights. There are 12 of the “old style” lights in the high school gym that are not working as well as newer lights there, he said.

The main issue Power said he had with replacing some of the lighting fixtures is in the power rating of some of the newer fixtures, which have a 277-volt rating. Power said he was “not comfortable” with attempting to wire the 277-volt lights, although he added that he could install ballast on those lights after they are installed.

Power also noted that in painting the gym, he would need about 50 gallons of paint for the job, and with an estimate of $157 for a five-gallon paint bucket, it would cost the district about $1,570 for the paint. He also proposed painting the district’s fuel tanks, noting he would “rather see silver or gray.”

Power also commented on the effect of recent heavy rains on the school buildings, noting that door seals on some of the external classroom doors at the elementary school had allowed rain to leak into some of the classrooms. Leaks in one of the elementary classrooms, as well as a leak in the library, where the school board meets regularly, were repaired, he said.

Elementary school projects on the summer maintenance list included the installation of name signs by classroom doors, the removal of a sink from a sixth-grade classroom and repair of a cinder block wall by a preschool classroom, all of which bore no cost on the list of projects. Other elementary projects included installation of a ceiling fan in the principal’s office, shelving in primary bathrooms, painting in primary bathrooms and hall, repair of sheet rock holes, gym refinishing and gym lighting.

At the high school, the list also included repairing a cracked wall in an English classroom, painting in the Ag Hall and the Cobra Hall, gym refinishing, installation of new scoreboards in the gym, replacement of drapes below the stage, installation of a gym clock, installation of restroom signs and the installation of 23 feet of “horse fence” near the high school basement entrance.

Other district projects included relocating the sidewalk from the new middle and high school addition to the elementary school, adding gravel for food buggy parking, replacement of a shot put ring near the football stadium and repair of leaks in the shed at the stadium.

In other business on Monday, District Superintendent and Elementary Principal Adrianne Walsh asked board members to consider whether to continue to charge admission to junior varsity games at JHHS. At this point, Walsh noted, JHHS is the only school in the Northeast Kansas League that charges admission, and as a result, “people are not always nice to the ticket takers.”

At the three JV football games held this past year at JHHS, gate receipts totaled $524, with Walsh noting that officials for those games cost $200 per game. She also compared the district’s family sports passes and athletic fees with other schools in the league, noting that Jackson Heights is generally higher than all other schools.

Middle and High School Principal Darren Shupe reminded Walsh and the board that charging admission to JV games was “a local decision” rather than a league policy, adding that the district charges “middle school prices for JV events.” Shupe also noted that the district has to pay referees and clock operators for games, and board members agreed.

However, board member Melinda Wareham suggested that JV admission fees be discontinued, since “no one else is” charging, and “families get nickel-and-dimed everywhere else.” Wareham also recommended getting volunteers to take care of some tasks to offset the cost of referees, as well as eliminating league passes for board members. No action was taken in regard to the JV admission fees.

Board members also:

* Noted the absence of board member Konrad Coe.

* Approved the meeting’s agenda and consent agenda, the latter including minutes from the board’s April 13 meeting and monthly bills and account activity reports.

* Met in executive session for 10 minutes to discuss personnel matters with Walsh, Holliday and KNEA representative Linda Brungardt present. No action resulted from the session.

* Approved Walsh’s recommendation to keep monthly fees for the district’s preschool program at $130 for the 2015-16 school year.

* Discussed the possible establishment of a policy or guidelines for student participation in national trips, such as students’ participation in the national FFA convention.

* Discussed the possible purchase of a “tow-behind” lawnmower to be used primarily around the school’s lagoons.

* Reviewed a sample student accident insurance policy, which Walsh said many districts do not feel is not a necessity beyond KSHSAA insurance and districts’ individual catastrophic insurance policies. Shupe said many of the policies purchased in the area are “sports-related.”

* Heard a report on recent and upcoming elementary school activities from Walsh, who reminded board members of the year’s highlights at the school, the recent pie sales fund-raiser that generated $1,076.25 in pie sales and $155 in additional donations for the preschool program and upcoming field trips and events prior to the last day of school in the district on Thursday, May 21.

* Heard a report from Shupe on a recent KSHSAA board of directors meeting, in which possible statewide policy changes regarding sports programs were discussed.

* Heard a report from Shupe on middle and high school activities, including middle school league track results, a report on class schedules for 2015-16, driver’s education class, a $4,000 ONEOK grant that will be used to purchase a 3D printer, the recent senior community service project day, school physicals and handbook change requests. Shupe also noted upcoming activities, such as high school graduation on Sunday and eighth-grade promotions on Tuesday, May 19.

* Met in executive session for 30 minutes to discuss teacher contract negotiations with Walsh and Shupe present.

* Met in executive session for 30 minutes to discuss personnel matters with Walsh and Shupe present.

* Met in executive session for five minutes to discuss a student matter with Walsh and Shupe present.

* Following the executive sessions, accepted the resignations of Lyle Alley from his supplemental positions, Mark Fenton from his supplemental positions and Mark Friess as elementary physical education teacher.

* Approved a contract for Amy Roth as vocal music teacher.

* Approved lists of certified teaching staff and supplemental contracts for the 2015-16 school year. The lists will be printed in an upcoming edition of The Holton Recorder.

* Adjourned the meeting at approximately 10 p.m.