ANNA — The Anna Board of Education met recently to discuss reports in the elementary, middle, and high schools, changes in routine, and the school’s renovation schedule, among other things.
The Elementary School has received 120 new Chromebooks via donation from the Volunteers for Education, who recently held a fundraiser to support the school. Visitors Lunch Day will take place Friday, Oct. 5, in the cafeteria. The school will also be continuing to offer the After-school Enrichment Program, and will be headed this year by Amanda Stroh and Heather Wuebker.
In the Middle School, the All Rockets Read program has been reported to be doing very well, with many teachers agreeing that they are getting great participation from the students. The Village Salon and Spa’s “Back to School Haircut” event held at the start of the school year has donated the money raised back to the school, totaling $851.
The middle school’s Student Council has been upping the efforts to reduce waste in the school by recycling paper and plastic, and will be volunteering at the Shelby County Recycling Center on Saturday, Sept. 22. The middle school will also be having various drills , which will include a safety drill in which each classroom will get time to go over possible scenarios they may face and be able to discuss different ideas of how to respond to these threats.
The high school will soon be finished rebuilding the greenhouse used by the agricultural classes. They are also hosting the homecoming dance in the elementary school building for the first time this year, which they expect will be a smooth transition from the usual venue. They will possibly be hosting a visitor soon this month, as a war veteran by the name of Virgil Mills, who served in the Korean War, is seeking to learn more about a man named Forest Blackford. Sgt. “Blackie” Blackford perished in the line of duty in 1952 while serving alongside Mills in the Korean War. Blackford also graduated from Anna High School in 1944. The Anna high school will be welcoming Mills so that he may explore more of the life of his fallen friend and veteran.
The renovation on the school is being actively scheduled, budgeted for, and streamlined. The schedule was set back when one of the lead architects left for employment at another company, but his replacement is being trained on the project currently.
In other business, the board also,
• Approved Amanda Stroh as a classroom aide.
• Accepted donations from the Volunteers for Education and Village Salon and Spa.
• Approved the transfer of funds.
• Approved a FFA trip.
• Hired Beth Murray as freshman girls basketball coach.
• Approved supplemental contracts.
