The Sweet Home School Board recently discussed an update about the seismic retrofit grant for Oak Heights Elementary School during their monthly scheduled board meeting, Aug. 12.
According to Superintendent Terry Martin, there are a lot of concerns about if the school will be ready by the time students return. With these concerns, both Martin and business manager Kevin Strong visited the school to see for themselves how far along the project was the previous Monday, Aug. 5. Martin stated that in some areas of the school, it’s torn down to the studs. The school currently has a separate office open for staff to work in during this process.
“It’ll be ready enough that the kids will be safe,” Martin assured. “Josh [Darwood] said ‘It’s like putting a year and a half worth of work into about 10 weeks.’”
Martin discussed how this process requires all key components to be orchestrated, referencing a recent time when unexpected rain hit. This unexpected rain led to the loss of 200 ceiling tiles.
With this, the board moved forward to approve the contractors for the Oak Heights Elementary seismic retrofit and renovation project. This approval went forward for the following companies with their funds and reason for usage:
- Bell Hardware; $93,045 for hollow metal doors, door frames and hardware.
- Davis Glass; $55,030 to provide storefront aluminum door frames, doors, hardware and installation.
- Davis Glass; $199,783 to provide the window package.
- Portland Coating Inc.; $88,425 for paint.
- Alpha Associates; $50,000 for electrical and wiring.
In other business:
- Martin discussed with the board about a recent article published in the newspaper. He confirmed to the board the receiving of a $100,000 grant from AgWest to the Sweet Home FFA group.
“That’s a great thing that we are appreciative of,” Martin said.
- There is a New Teacher Orientation for Aug 19 at the Sweet Home High School. With a District-wide In Service day on Aug. 26.
- Discussion ensued about Kristy Walker and her clothing event. According to Martin, the event had 15 volunteers and six student athletes helping out. During the event, 150 students received socks, shoes, coats, underwear, outfits and toiletries.
- This board meeting had only six board members in attendance.
- This meeting had a budget update. Strong mentioned that the year to date spending is a little over $49,000. This figure is higher than it was at the same time last year. He attributed this to higher labor costs, higher supply and material expenditures and higher payments to the charter school. Strong mentioned how other schools are suffering from budget challenges due to those factors. Discussion then ensued about the current “volatile market”.
- The board accepted the retirement of Special Education Teacher Ramona Perez from the high school. Effective Aug. 23, 2024.
- The board approved the hire of high school math teacher Emily Wagner.
- The board approved the hire of 5th grade Oak Heights teacher, Tal Halevy.
- The board waived their second reading of the board policies due to the lack of attendance. The second reading of these policies have to be unanimous.
- Administration requested from the board removal of “JHCCF and JHCCF-AR because of a language change. The proposal however is a reversal of what the superintendent would like to see. This proposal includes no longer segregating kids with head lice.
- A five-minute recess began before an executive session started. This executive session went over ORS 192.660(2)(K) which, as defined by Oregon Statutes, is “to consider matters relating to school safety or a plan that responds to safety threats made toward a school.”