Salem Grade School Superintendent Dr. Leslie Foppe says the district will begin a number of improvement projects once the school year ends next Friday.
Foppe discussed the improvements at Thursday night’s board meeting.
“At Franklin Park we are removing the carpet in the 4th and 5th grade area and replacing all that with tile. So it will be matching throughout the whole district with the same theme and colors. Over at Hawthorne we are going to take all exterior doors off and replacing with new doors. Hopefully if it gets done we are going to do an awning over our modular building so the kids have that when they walk in. And also the playground with the 50/50 matching grant over at Franklin Park.”
Foppe says various playground options are still being studied.
A number of fun activities are planned for students next week before the final day of attendance on Friday when they will receive their report cards.
Eighth grade graduation is set for next Tuesday night at Franklin Park.
Foppe also reviewed the tentative amended budget for the fiscal year that ends June 30th. She reports the deficit is larger than anticipated at $492,000, about $130,000 more than forecast. Foppe says more employees taking health insurance, salaries being higher than anticipated as a result of teachers completing further education to move up the salary scale, and serving fewer lunches. The news is better in the transportation fund where the anticipated deficit of $217,000 has been cut to $63,000 due to additional state reimbursement.
Foppe reports the district has $ 7.6 million in reserves to cover the shortfall.
A final hearing on budget changes has been set for 6 p.m. on June 17th prior to the regular June board meeting.
The board acted on several personnel issues. The board approved the move of Erica Nix to 5th grade Language Arts teacher. Shandi Schaubert and Kelsey Heinzmann were hired as new secretaries at Franklin Park. The resignation of the current Franklin Park secretary Kacey Puricelli was approved.
Several coaches were appointed for the next school year. They are Levi Quinn as assistant girls basketball coach, Joeli Schaubert as dance coach, Rachel Williams as Challenge/Brain Games sponsor and Amanda Litteken as assistant softball coach.
Six top Franklin Park Athletes are honored at the Salem Grade School Board meeting. Left to right are five sport athlete, 4.0-grade point average, and Jim Burnes Award winner Quinn Wolfe, golfers who advanced from regionals Scott Purcielli and Reogan Shuler, State Champion for Shot and 6th in Discus Silas Lux, 2nd in Discus setting new school record Braelan Knaak, and 2nd in State in Pole Vault Nate Lowry. (Photo by Bruce Kropp)
