Scott City to break ground on safe room in June

A groundbreaking ceremony for Scott City's long-awaited performing arts theater/Federal Emergency Management Agency safe room will be at 10:30 a.m. June 16, the school board decided Wednesday.

The cost of the project is $2.1 million, funded through a FEMA grant with a 25-percent district match. The safe room grant, which the district first applied for in 2010, is 75 percent FEMA funded with a 25 percent district match. With the FEMA-reimbursable items, the new grant amount is $1.5 million, superintendent Diann Ulmer has said. The original award was $1.1 million.

Ulmer explained that she wanted to hold the ceremony while summer school was in session so students could be involved because the purpose of the 8,989-square-foot structure will be to keep kids safe. It could also be used as shelter by the community if a tornado occurs outside of school hours.

Zoellner Construction Co. of Perryville, Missouri, is the contractor, and Coreslab Structures of Marshall, Missouri, is designated to pour the concrete slabs for the building, which is meant to withstand an EF-5 tornado with winds of up to 250 mph.

Summer school

Summer school, set to run 7:40 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. Monday through Thursday June 2 through 26, also was discussed Wednesday night with administrators reporting that the most attendance should be at the elementary level.

Elementary principal Courtney Kern said she is offering a Summer Leadership Academy, expanding on the Leader in Me program, which goes up through middle school.

Leader in Me is designed to teach students values such as leadership, responsibility and teamwork. It encourages them to make good choices and to take charge of their own lives, the elementary school's website said.

Kern is expecting an enrollment of 267 students. During the academy, she said, teachers will work to develop students' love of reading, math and science. One of the big draws, she said, is a daily project hour for students in kindergarten through fourth grade.

During project hour, students will have a chance to explore technology, construction, newspaper/TV news, mini business, music, art, science, crafts, sewing and many other areas.

Middle school principal Mike Umfleet said his summer school will be divided into activities similar to those at camps, and will offer everything from hunter education to careers.

The offerings at the high school will focus on credit recovery. Principal Mike Johnson said he didn't know what his attendance will be, but physical education and health classes are forming now.

Johnson said math and social studies also usually have enough students to hold classes. He said he usually tries to get 12 to 15 students into those courses.

In other business:

* Johnson said part-time attendance will be offered to high school students again in 2014-2015. This is when students who are ahead on credits may leave school early to go to work or participate in other activities.

* Johnson noted a couple of changes to the dress code that will allow solid-color leggings to be worn under dress code-approved shorts and skirts, and cargo pants and shorts will be allowed.

* Ulmer said employees who have missed two or fewer days will be recognized at an event at 6 p.m. June 16 at Bella Italia in Cape Girardeau.

* Ulmer also mentioned various legislative items of interest as reported by the Missouri State Teachers Association.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

3000 Main St., Scott City