JACKSON CENTER– The Jackson Center Local Schools Board of Education met July 20 to discuss and approve items to move forward with the construction on the new building.
Dan and John Freytag of Freytag and Associates were in attendance to provide an update on the new building project. A construction manager firm, Peterson Construction, has been selected by a joint committee between the District and the Ohio Schools Construction Commission and the first joint meeting was held the morning of Monday, July 20.
Discussion was centered around the cost and construct-ability of early layouts of the building. First estimates from the architectural side are targeted for mid-August and will have to be reconciled with estimates eventually provided by Peterson.
The project is considered to be in the schematic design (SD) phase and will next move into the design development (DD) phase. The current target to complete the DD phase is mid October and ground breaking is still hoped to occur sometime in the spring of 2016 with a targeted completion of the new building around the end of summer in 2017 and then the old buildings would be demolished in the fall of 2017.
They voted to authorize the treasurer to create a purchase order in the amount of $40,104.30 to STAN and Engineers for commissioning services for the new school building as outlined in the agreement between the District, STAN and the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission.
They also authorized execution of the pre-construction manager agreement with Peterson Construction Company for the new building.
In other business the board approved a donation of $627 from Tim Davis for driving the bus for the athletic department and FFA.
They accepted a donation of $144.09 from Doug Meyer for equipment for the softball program.
The board voted, certifying that Jackson Center has adopted nutrition standards updated in the Ohio Revised Code.
The board accepted the resignation of Nancy Nolan and LaCresha Clark and approved the employment of the following:
• Regina Hunsucker, elementary teacher
• Susan Elmore, middle school teacher
• Cathy Tenney, business/technology teacher
• Dustin Manger, assistant cross country coach
They approved the administrative contracts for five years for:
• Bill Reichert, superintendent
• Tony Meyer, treasurer
• Jeff Reese, high school principal
• Ginger Heuker, elementary school principal
The board accepted the financial report as presented. The forecast reflected that for the fiscal year just ending, revenues outpaced expenditures for the 3rd year in a row. The governor’s biennial budget for the next two fiscal years has been signed and is expected to be favorable to the district, allowing for further recovery and strengthening of the carry over balances that were depleted during the recession.
The principals reported:
• Susie Harris has been selected as an Outstanding Mathematics Teacher by the Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She is one of only twelve honorees at the district level in Ohio this year.
• Professional Development: Both principals have planned a couple professional development activities for the teacher workday on Aug. 14. Dave Shellhaas was hired by the ESC as the new curriculum director and has agreed to come in to discuss differentiation and formative assessments with the teachers. Also on that day, Cathy Tenney will be taking a group through Infohio.
• Summer room maintenance and cleaning is going very well and the elementary wing, along with most of the 2nd floor of the middle school wing, is already complete.
• 2015 3rd Grade OAA results were very good. The State Average Score was a 422. JC score is a 444 (Which is Advanced)
The superintendent reported the District has secured a home field for soccer, probably for the next 2 seasons. They will use the LCS Elite Soccer Field on Co. Rd. 80.
