The Salem Grade School Board reviewed spending plans for upcoming and ongoing building projects in the district. The district is currently considering proposals from three different companies for replacing playground equipment at Franklin Park, paid for with 50/50 matching grant funding from the state. New doors at Hawthorn will be paid for with Health Life Safety money, and the installation of a water heater at Hawthorn and floor work in the fourth and fifth grade area at Franklin Park is planned to be paid for with ESSER funds, pending state approval. Any expenditures not approved for ESSER will be paid from the Health Life Safety fund instead. These projects are scheduled to be completed this summer.
Superintendent Leslie Foppe reports that Salem grade schools now meet the requirements for the Community Eligibility Provision of the National School Lunch program, which would allow all students to receive free school meals. The district is currently applying for the provision, which if approved will go into effect next school year. The board will consider approval for implementing the provision at the May board meeting.
The board recognized three teachers in the district who have been nominated for Educator of the Year by the Salem Chamber of Commerce: Amy Daniels, Rebecca Frisby, and Ashley Bolton. The board approved Kerry Richards to renew her role as Salem’s Kaskaskia Special Education District governing board member for another year.
The board accepted the resignations of Andrew Miller as fifth grade language arts teacher, Lauren Miller as Franklin Park secretary, and Hannah Bowers as paraprofessional. They approved the extracurricular hirings of Ricky Huge as boys’ baseball head coach, Brian Lipe as boys’ baseball assistant coach, Brian Husk as boys’ basketball varsity head coach, Kaden Wayer as boys’ basketball assistant coach, Ashley Bolton as girls’ basketball varsity head coach, Cory Harris as girls’ volleyball varsity head coach, Rachel Williams as girls’ volleyball assistant coach and girls’ cross country assistant coach, Julie Quinn as girls’ track head coach, Marita Williams as boys’ track assistant coach, and Kristen Parret as girls’ track assistant coach. They also accepted the resignation of Nicki Brubaker as volleyball head coach.
The board approved amendments to the FY 2024 budget to reflect updated revenues and expenditures that varied from initial expectations. Because of the need to amend the budget, next month’s board meeting has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 16, to allow the amended budget for the required thirty days before the following meeting on June 17.
