Designs for the new recreation center for Montpelier Exempted Schools were handed out to school board members at the Nov. 10 meeting.
Along with the designs Superintendent Jamison Grime showed examples of the materials to be used for the exterior walls and roof. The board will likely approve letting out the project for bid at its December meeting.
Grime said the packet the board received is about 90 percent complete. The next step is completing the bid documents, he said.
Examples of the block to be used on the building were on view and described by Grime. The front will have glazed block with a dark blue exterior.
The roof will use a new construction approach with insulation built right into the panel. This type of panel comes with an R factor and the public won’t see the fasteners holding the panels together, Grime said.
Having the insulation built into the panels, it will have a finished look on the inside and outside, Grime said. This will prevent the insulation from getting ripped and dirty over time, he said.
School board member Terry Buntain was recently recognized by the Ohio School Board Association for being on the board for at least 15 years. Grime said she was one of only six or eight trustees across the region to do so.
The district’s income tax settlement was 7 percent higher than last year. Last year, it was a slight decrease compared to 2014, Carla Rice said. The trend is the settlement increasing every time, she said.
“We should be above what we have in the estimate,” Rice said.
ODE is investigation school treasurers statewide to make all teachers who receive paychecks are licensed to do so, Rice said. The state calls failure as “conduct unbecoming to the teaching profession.”
Rice is making sure all staff have the proper licensing.
Elementary School Principal Lance Thorp reported a successful turnout for Grandparents Day, Nov. 1 for grades 3-6. Fifth-grade students put on a musical, he said.
The elementary school held a vote for the favorite flavor of sucker. Students chose between red or blue and Dum Dum Jerome came in from Spangler’s to help.
“The election in general was a major topic, probably more so than normal, ” Thorp said. “Our students got a little taste and they definitely have a lot of opinions.”
The third grade took the state fall assessment last week. The students will get another shot in the spring with everyone else, but the fall test shows them where they are at in regard to reading.
The school will host Buddy Week this week where parents and family members are invited to eat lunch with the students. Students and parents often visit the book fair as well.
Thanksgiving Break will be Nov. 23-25 to give families one more day together.
The third-grade musical will be 7 p.m. Dec. 1.
Donations to the school district include the Athletic Boosters giving $5,600 to wrestling, $2,500 to the athletic account, $3,800 to boys’ basketball and $3,130 to girls basketball; an anonymous donor gave $500 to boys basketball; the Reward Program received $150 from the Civic League, $125 from the Rotary Club, $100 from CK Technologies and $300 from the Athena Study Club.
The Montpelier Area Foundation/Bob Rose Fund gave $369 to the athletic account.
The next school board meeting will be 5 p.m. Dec. 8.
James Pruitt may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com