Construction highlights R-II meeting
CODY THORN/DAILY FORUM
Work has begun on the new Maryville R-II Adminstration building. The project was greenlighted in May and the concrete work will be done prior to the start of construction by the Northwest Technical School’s building trades classes.
In a rather brief meeting Wednesday night, the Maryville R-II Board of Education heard construction updates from throughout the district.
The poles have arrived for installation of the new lights at the softball and baseball field on the high school campus.
Tuesday morning superintendent Dr. Becky Albrecht tweeted a photo of the poles arriving in the parking lot next to the football stadium. In the May meeting, the board approved a contract with Pinnacle Electric out of St. Joseph for $140,385 for six steel poles and six Qualite fixtures. The cost of operating the lights will be 13 cents per kilowatt/hour.
Albrecht said the fixtures will need to be attached to the light poles and then raised into place. The hope is to have the projected completed as soon as next week, in time for the start of practices for fall sports on July 31.
In other construction news, the concrete footing has been poured for the new administration building, which will be located north of the high school cafeteria.
Earlier this month — July 5 — the BOE awarded a concrete bid on the project to Andrew Spire Construction to pour concrete for the soon-to-be built structure. The concrete needed to be poured before Northwest Technical School’s building trades class starts construction on the new administration building, which should be completed in time for the 2018-19 school year. The current administration building will be turned into an alternative school for the district.
Albrecht noted that progress is being made at Eugene Field Elementary where the old cafeteria is being converted into a library.
Also addressed were a pair of special events that will occur on Aug. 21.
That is the day of the Solar Eclipse and funds donated through the Spoofhound Debit Card Program from Citizen Bank & Trust helped the district purchase 2,000 solar eclipse glasses for the students to wear during the viewing around 1:07 p.m. If parents do not want their child to participate in the viewing they are asked to contact the administration.
Earlier that morning, Sgt. Ryan Glidden from Maryville Public Safety will give a presentation on inappropriate cell phone usage for students between seventh and 12th grades. A presenter will be there as well sharing her personal story and experience and later that day — at 7 p.m. — there will be an evening session targeted for parents at the Lee and Nina Schneider Center for the Performing Arts. There is no charge.
Albrecht noted they will host a similar session for area schools on Aug. 22.
Resignations were accepted for Adult Education & Literacy substitute teacher Ed Defenbaugh, high school track and field assistant coach Ryan Lessman, and middle school paraprofessional Darbi Fuhrman. Fuhrman was recently hired at West Nodaway as the Title I math teacher.
Recommended for employment were middle school special education paraprofessionals Michael Hansen and Megan Sole.
Extra duty assignments were handed out to Patricia White and Hans Plackmeier. White, who was hired by the district as a math teacher in May, will be the assistant high school volleyball coach, filling the void of Hannah Erspamer, who resigned earlier this month.
Plackmeier most recently served as the head baseball coach at West Nodaway. He will be the assistant baseball coach, filling the void left when Carson Riedel was promoted to the top spot.
In other news:
• Albrecht gave some updates from Summer Journey, the district’s summer school program. A total of 343 kids earned attendance incentives and 234 of those received a $100 card for perfect attendance. The grand total of all gift cards was $30,750 from Catapult Learning. There were 501 students on the first day — 97.8 percent of those enrolled — and the session ended with 434 students.
• A follow-up report from the 2017 graduates shows 66.7 percent will attend a four-year institution and 26.5 percent will be the first in their family to attend college. Another notable number indicated that 45.1 percent plan to pursue careers in STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — above the national average of 28.2.
• The sale of the Northwest Technical School building trades house officially closed on June 22.
• District registration day is Aug. 3.
The next board meeting will be on Aug. 16 at 6 p.m., where the 2017-18 budget and tax levy hearing will be held prior to the start of the regularly scheduled board meeting.
