Maintenance projects approved at Heights
By Brian Sanders
As students in the Jackson Heights school district prepare for summer vacation, the district’s custodial staff is preparing for summer maintenance projects, some of which were approved on Monday by the USD 335 Board of Education.
During the board’s regular monthly meeting, board members approved at least $19,580 in estimated project costs as part of a list of summer jobs for custodial staff and contractors submitted by District Superintendent and Elementary Principal Adrianne Walsh. The other part of the list will likely be discussed at a later school board meeting.
For now, however, more than half of the above estimate would likely go toward HVAC duct maintenance at the elementary school and electrical work throughout the district. In the former case, Walsh told board members that duct maintenance, estimated at $5,000 was recommended by McElroy’s of Topeka when new HVAC units were installed as a means of helping the HVAC system to “be a little more efficient.”
As for the electrical work, Walsh told board members that the work — estimated at $5,100 — was “thrust upon us” after a representative from the Kansas Department of Labor inpected the district buildings.
“The main thing they found was that we need to replace a lot of our electrical outlets and install ground fault circuit interruptors, because those are safe for people,” she said. “It’s kind of like the fire marshal’s inspections — they tell you you’re going to do something, and you do it.”
In addition to the duct work at the elementary building, Walsh noted two other projects for the building, including refinishing of the gym floor at an estimated cost of $1,460 and paint work on the front decks of the elementary mobile units at an estimated cost of $300. She also said that painting costs on other district projects would likely be “pretty minimal.”
At the high school, projects discussed included refinishing the gym floor at an estimated cost of $1,920, recapping the concrete dock on the east side of the building for $3,320, painting the wood and the walls in the locker rooms and repainting the front entry. Cost estimates were not available for the latter two projects.
In addition to the electrical work throughout the district, Walsh said she had talked with Dean Williams of Whiting about bleacher and handrail work at the high school football bleachers, saying that Williams “knows what we’re looking for in widening the aisles and repairing the handrails.” Williams had given her an estimate of $2,500 for the work, she added, noting that he would “come out and look at things again” and possibly revise that estimate.
“He said he felt like he could do it for much less than that,” Walsh said.
Three other projects at the district level — painting the football field’s goal posts, refinishing the gazebo and cleaning up and burning junk piles — also were listed. In the latter case, Walsh said she had talked with grounds and maintenance employee Todd Hurt about doing the work because “those piles are growing bigger and definitely need to be dealt with.”
The second half of the project list would likely be dealt with at a later date, board members noted. One item on the second half involves repairing the press box at the football field, where Walsh said some water damage had been sustained.
“It’s just showing its age,” she said of the press box, noting that the district might look at taking a page from Nemaha Central High School, where press box repairs were made as a “community project.”
In other business related to the end of the school year, Walsh presented board members with a list of comments collected from this year’s graduating seniors on their opinions of the school as they prepare to graduate. The questions were posed to students during their “encore” period at the beginning of the day, she said.
The questions focused on what seniors appreciated the most about the district, changes they would like to see in the next five years, how their JHHS education “prepared (them) well for the future” (or didn’t) and what they wish they would have known before starting their JHHS years.
In the first category, students said they liked the small class sizes, teachers working outside of class time to help with instruction and being flexible when their schedules and community and alumni support, among other things. Appreciation was also expressed for the “encore” period, in which students received instruction on valuable life skills, Walsh said.
Graduating seniors said they would like to see a lot changed over the next five years, she said. Suggestions for improvement included better lunches, better computers, weight room improvements, increased community support, new lockers, home economics and life skills classes and “more leeway on due dates for students who are involved in school activities.”
In the third category, students said their JHHS experience has made them “well prepared for time management because of all the activities we do.” Middle and High School Principal Darren Shupe concurred, saying that “more work needs to be done” in helping students in that regard.
One comment received under what students wish they had known four years ago — “don’t take online classes” — sparked discussion among board members, with Walsh suggesting that perhaps some students “don’t retain as much” with online courses. Shupe added that some students may have trouble with online courses because they have a hard time juggling those courses and other activities.
Board members also:
* Noted the absence of board member Melinda Wareham. Board members present included Dr. David Allen (president), Doug Amon, Konrad Coe, Neal Keeler, Kelly Kennedy and Ed Rostetter.
* Approved the meeting’s agenda and consent agenda, the latter including minutes from the board’s April 11 meeting, monthly bills and activity account reports.
* Accepted two donations for the district, including a donation of a large limestone rock from the Jackson Heights Alumni Association and an archway from the high school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter to be placed at the finish line of the high school’s cross-country course.
* Approved the annual Kansas Association of School Boards membership dues and legal services fees, which, at $5,239 for the dues and $1,650 for the legal fees, are the same as they have been for the past three years, Walsh said.
* Heard a reminder from Walsh of the upcoming teacher’s appreciation dinner on Friday, May 20, in which board members will serve an end-of-year lunch to district teachers.
* Heard an update from Walsh on the progress of an Eagle Scout project being done by Ralph Ortega involving a small bridge on the cross-country course.
* Heard an update from Walsh on elementary school events, including a summer enrichment program designed to help elementary students sharpen their reading and math skills during summer vacation, as well as upcoming activities, field trips, concerts and the last day of school, which is Thursday, May 19.
* Received an updated copy of the middle and high school student handbook from Shupe, with changes in the handbook focusing on tardiness, MTSS, lunch prices, enrollment fees and graduation requirements.
* Heard a report from Shupe on middle and high school activities, including Monday’s senior community service day, middle school league track results, school physicals and upcoming events including high school graduation on Sunday and eighth grade promotions on Tuesday, May 17.
* Met in executive session for 30 minutes with Walsh present to discuss teacher salary contract negotiations and non-elected personnel matters. Following the executive session, board members accepted the resignations of longtime third-grade teacher Jo Hufford and sixth-grade teacher Mary Williams, and approved contracts for Michelle Kuglin as third-grade teacher, Melissa Sauls as middle and high school music teacher and Lisa Joiner as a district cook.
* Approved a list of certified teaching staff for the 2016-17 school year.
* Approved a list of supplemental positions for the 2016-17 school year, including Brad Alley, head high school cross-country and track coach and assistant high school girls basketball coach; Lyle Alley, district athletic director and head middle school track coach; Vern Andrews, high school publications sponsor; Gary Baldridge, assistant middle school football coach; Chris Brown, head high school boys basketball coach and assistant milddle school track coach; Brooke Callaway, assistant middle school girls basketball coach; Gera Cochren, assistant middle school volleyball coach; Toby Cowdin, assistant high school football coach; Mark Fenton, head middle school girls basketball coach; Loretta Fitzgerald, head middle school volleyball coach; Jeff Folger, forensics sponsor; Brandi Fritz, middle school cheeer sponsor; Josh Gray, assistant high school football coach and boys basketball coach; Gary Keehn, assistant high school cross country and track coach; Diane Keeler, district PDC co-chair; Victoria Lamberson, high school cheer sponsor; Paul Lierz, FFA sponsor; Pat McKinney, middle school Scholar’s Bowl sponsor; Katie Morris, high school student council and prom sponsor; Greg Nilges, head middle school football coach and assistant middle school boys basketball and track coach; Amy Roth, high school play/musical co-sponsor; Melissa Sauls, high school and middle school music, vocal and instrumental, and high school play/musical co-sponsor; Dan Shupe, head high school girls basketball coach and FBLA sponsor; Robin Sides, assistant high school volleyball coach and high school Scholar’s Bowl sponsor; Denise Visocsky, high school head volleyball coach; Jamie Wells, district PDC co-chair; and Caleb Wick, head high school football coach, assistant high school track coach and head middle school boys basketball coach.
* Adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m.
