Three new ASCEND awards, facilities plan, and new playground equipment were the main topics on this month’s agenda for the board of education meeting last Thursday.
Jordan Williams, Adair County Elementary School principal, explained to the board the need for new playground equipment at ACES. The original equipment has been there since 2006 and was intended for preschool children.
“At any given time, we have between 100 and 175 kids outside on the playground. With the original unit, with both of these, even the one that’s falling part, basically we can have about 75 kids can play on it,” said Williams.
Williams said that he realized about two years ago that new playground equipment was going to be needed and started fundraising and looking at options. One of the companies had grants available to help offset the cost.
“So basically, what we are proposing is we have got two structures, that these two together would house about 95 students plus the structure that we have would give us about 140, that’s what they are proposed to be for how many students can be on it,” said Williams.
“We received a grant from them for $64,319.70. We have currently raised about $40,000 and that’s kind of been our activity fund. That’s not our entire fund, but we also don’t want to deplete it so we can do some field trips and stuff, too,” he said.
Williams said they must show an intent to purchase by Nov. 1 or they will lose the grant. He asked the board to cover the remaining cost of just over $34,000 with the intent of ACES reimbursing the board after raising more funds.
Williams discussed the fundraisers that were being done to raise the additional funds with the board. He has planned a fall festival, a vendors’ event, dances and a school wide fundraiser. He said they have raised a little over $40,000 in two years.
Board member Troy Grider went beyond the request.
“I will make a motion that we just fund what you need. That would be my motion,” said Grider. Grider said he didn’t want to see the school having to fundraise for two more years when they have raised $40,000 and received a grant for $65,000.
A discussion was held between board members on whether it was feasible to do this as far as funds are concerned. Jaimie Wisdom, finance director, was asked if the funds were available.
“I’m going to say that we can do one, but we cannot continually do these type of things year after year after year or it’s going to deplete what we have,” said Wisdom. “I want them to have this as much as anyone else for sure, but with the allocation, their section 6 monies that they are already given and everything else. We cannot give every sport, every club, every school this types of monies without soon feeling the hurt of that. I don’t have the numbers right in front of me to say how quickly that could happen, but as the finance director I can’t say that can continue to do it forever and ever because once you do it that one time, you set that precedence for everyone that follows year after year.”
More discussion was held about the fact that the school had raised a good portion of the money themselves.
Board member Destiny Greer asked if the funds were available to give them a loan, which is what they were initially asking for.
Grider reiterated his motion, “My motion was to fund the $34,095.21 to the school since they have already fundraised and come up with $40,000 of it and let that be on the boards part”.
The motion was approved unanimously.
ASCEND Awards
Sarah Hatton presented the ASCEND awards. She explained that anyone in the district can nominate a person who meets one of the core values. This month they are recognizing those who support the community.
The elementary winner was Heather Dudley with the family resource center. Brittany Smith, high school ag teacher, won the award for secondary education, and Athletic Director Tyler Maskill won the award for the district employee.
“Those three do a fantastic job. Any time you see them working it’s a pleasure. You see them every day. We are blessed to have them,” said Superintendent Jason Faulkner.
Faulkner gave an update from the architects on the facilities plan meeting. He explained that they assess all the school structures and determine what needs to be done to each one.
“We get funding based off of our facilities needs. On our last one, our facilities’ needs were – and that’s with showing the need for a new middle school – we showed about a $40 million need,” said Faulkner. “After contracting with DECO, they were able to go through an evaluation assessment of every structure we have on this campus and by doing that they are showing we have a $64 million need without the new middle school.”
“I don’t know what that additional need equates to in dollars for us, but I know it’s more than what we had,” he said.
Faulkner introduced Trina Nguyen, who will be serving as the student member for this school year.
“I went to Adair County my whole life and it’s a pleasure to be here. Thank you all so much for having me here and to Mr. Parnell for selecting me,” said Nguyen.
The board also voted to approve surplusing technology items, signing the yearly KETS grant, and gave permission to apply for a WHAS grant that would pay for a wheelchair accessible van and a one SUV.
By Amy Pike
amy@adairvoice.com
