Salem Grade School Superintendent Dr. Leslie Foppe is looking at new facilities with some of the federal COVID relief money. The discussion followed completion of two bond sales to pay for a new heating and air conditioning system and other major renovation at Franklin Park School as well as new parking lots at both Franklin Park and Hawthorn Schools.
Foppe called the federal money amazing and would allow them to do things they couldn’t normally do. The first major project that Foppe is currently obtaining costs is for construction of a multi-purpose building.
“Large type pole barn gym building that we would like to put in the front area at Hawthorn that would be basic…four walls, a ceiling and multi-purpose floor. We are going to get prices to see if that is feasible. If we had that, we could have longer PE, kindergarten could have PE, we could have recess in bad weather. And people are always asking for gyms and this would open up another practice area for the kids.”
Foppe would also like to replace the current temporary classroom building at Hawthorn.
“Building here has 2 classrooms, I want to find one that has 4. We are busting at the seams here still and this would open up areas for the kids.”
The school board Thursday night also put $1-million of their federal relief money towards the parking lot projects.
The board finalized a $1,640,000 Health Life Safety Bond sale that will be paid off by an eight-cent increase in the schools property tax levy and $3,785,000 General Obligation Bond sale to be paid off through proceeds from the one cent sales tax for schools. Foppe was pleased with the low interest rates set on the bonds. The Franklin Park building improvements and the Hawthorn School parking lot expansion project are planned for this summer. While the entire new parking lot may not be finished for the start of school, the district’s construction management firm Omni Energy Partners is assuring them the bus lane and key parts of the project will be completed.
The board also acted on a number of personnel issues. Megan Green was hired as sixth grade special education teacher, Stephanie Clark as Franklin Park Guidance Counselor, Kristin Inlow as Registered Nurse at Hawthorn and Olivia Schimp as the district’s new Special Education Administrator.
A number of extra-curricular appointments were also made. Danette Wolfe will serve as head girls basketball coach, Ashley Bolton as Head Girls Softball Coach, Wendy Morris as Franklin Park Yearbook sponsor and Cara Allison as Student Council Sponsor.
The board accepted a letter of retirement from Lisa Michael who has been a para-professional in the district for 30 years. Talon Anderson resigned as sixth grade special education teacher, Katie King as nurse and Casey Young as a kitchen worker.
