Staff writer
After a firsthand examination of the weight room building and the weight room interior, the Centre school board approved an expenditure of up to $4,000 for improvements.
The building includes a storage area for outdoor equipment and a concession stand.
Board members conceded that a new building is needed, but the old one will have to do until the necessary funds are available to replace it.
Juniors Conner Montgomery and Dakota Stimpson accompanied the group and provided input on weight room deficiencies.
Improvements will include repainting the exterior of the entire building and purchase of new equipment for the weight room.
After 30 minutes in closed session with Superintendent Brian Smith to discuss personnel, the board accepted the resignations of head football coach Stan Wiles, ag teacher Jay O’Brien, and elementary aide Selena Diepenbrock. They hired Angela Basore as a seventh-through-12th-grade math instructor for 2014-15.
Mowrer scholarships
More than $26,000 in revenue from the district-owned Mowrer Farm was approved for senior scholarship awards. The money is for two years, divided among four semesters.
Selections were based on merit, scholastic achievement, and relative need.
Recipients are Grant Srajer and Amy Makovec, $4,200 each; Ty Simons, Timothy Vinduska, and Kyle Methvin, $3,000 each; and Makenzie Deines and Bryanna Svoboda, $2,000 each.
The remaining $8,000 will be placed in escrow.
Board member Terry Deines thanked Centre Perk for making its annual $500 payment on the $5,000 loan provided by the district to establish the business. Smith commended Ty Simons and Shelby Makovec for their successful management.
Sponsor Jennifer Montgomery and her debate team members sent a letter thanking the board for allowing the team to be established.
The board adopted a published resolution that sets the capital outlay fund at five mills, with no expiration date. The resolution allows the board to use the fund for additional items such as maintenance, as allowed by the Kansas State Department of Education.
The board also adopted a republished 2013-14 budget that will maximize the dollar amounts the district is entitled to receive. A brief hearing on the budget was held at the beginning of the meeting.
The increase of $41,835 in revenue is because of a larger than expected enrollment. No additional taxes will be assessed. The money will be received in July.
Technology request
Teachers Laura Klenda and Jennifer Montgomery, representing the technology committee, requested purchase of iPads for every student in grades seven through 12 instead of replacing aging Macbooks.
They said the iPads would be cheaper and would make it easier for students to capture information and interact with each other. Digital textbooks and reading material could be downloaded on the iPads. Smith said staff would receive training in helping students use the iPads.
The district will secure quotes and bids for board action at the June meeting.