KINGSFORD - Once classes are out for the school year, many projects associated with the Breitung Township Schools bond issue will be ready to start, board members learned at Monday's meeting.
Jim Ebli of Gundlach Champion, reported to the board that the electrical work involving the new light fixtures is starting along with some of the mechanical work.
In the Kingsford Middle School building, they are starting first on the south end putting in the light fixtures. After school is out, on June 11, the carpeting will start to be installed as the contractor coordinates what the order of the classrooms will be with Bill Edens, director of buildings and grounds.
The day after classes are out, on June 6, site work will begin by Bacco Construction Co. at the Woodland parking lot with demolition of the concrete. There should be one month of work with access to the parking lots being just gravel prior to resurfacing, Ebli said. After Woodland, they will move to the north parking lot at the high school/middle school complex. The paving is estimated to be done the first week in July.
The contractor working on the boiler at Woodland Elementary has started this week with upgrades all to be completed by mid-August. Work on the new bathroom partitions and lockers will begin on June 11.
Board member Bob Hendrickson asked whether there would be temporary signage up during this time to direct people into the buildings.
Ebli said that they would take care of the signs to direct the public where to go.
Supt. Craig Allen said that they would have to work with access issues since the buildings are utilized for many things in the summer months, like the childcare center, summer school, and other activities.
Ebli added that they expect everything to be wrapped up by mid-August.
Board member Joanne To asked whether parents who utilize the child care center would receive some kind of communication prior to the end of school on June 5.
Allen said he would be sending something out to parents who utilize the summer programs in the school district.
Another project, which isn't being funded by the bond proposal, involves resurfacing the tennis courts near Kingsford High School. According to Hendrickson, the buildings, grounds and transportation committee met recently about the project, which will be done at the same time the parking lots are being resurfaced and the city's project on Hamilton Avenue.
Hendrickson said that the funding for the project looks good with $103,000 raised so far by the Athletic Booster Club. Another $25,000 was approved by the board coming from the district's public improvement fund along with other donations making them about $35,000 short of their goal of $170,000.
Anyone interested in making a donation to the project can contact the superintendent's office. The booster club may be doing another fund-raiser to help raise the additional money needed.
Other projects to be done during the summer, the committee noted, include painting in buildings, changing the toilets from manual to automatic flush, and new water fountains.
Hendrickson added that the Athletic Booster Club also received a tree grant to plant 30 some trees around Flivver Field. "That should give that area a new look."
Allen told the board that the Community Schools Advisory Board also met on Monday with Julie Wonders, director, about funds that are going to be given out to benefit the communities of Iron Mountain and Kingsford. He noted that $25,000 will be given to Breitung Township Schools for the tennis courts, since this is where the summer recreation program is held each year. Other monies will be given for the Flivver golf outing and the Tom Johnson Memorial golf outing in Iron Mountain.
Allen added that they also discussed having both the morning and afternoon advanced preschool classes at Woodland Elementary School.
Another donation for the tennis court resurfacing project was also received under gifts to the school district from Duane Tirschel of $10,000. That gift along with some monies for scholarships made the total of $14,597 received in gifts.
In other action, the board:
- Agreed to the second reading of the policy on bullying and other aggressive behavior toward students. Although the school district is given policies from NEOLA, this policy was tailored for the Breitung Township School District. Allen said it was done this way because they wanted a policy that was applicable to what is done in the BTS District.
Linda Lobeck's e-mail address is llobeck@ironmountaindailynews.com.