JACKSON BOARD APPROVES PROJECTS

JACKSON -- Over $171,000 worth of capital projects was approved by the Jackson School Board, Tuesday. The projects will be included in the school district's 1994-95 budget.

They include the installation of air conditioning in classrooms at the junior and senior high schools, and at the Millersville Elementary School.

The board also approved a plan for the district's library services, and heard a report from district school librarians on available services.

Superintendent Wayne Maupin said most of the $171,300 worth of capital projects are earmarked for repairs or improvements to school buildings that have been deferred the past two years due to limited funds.

He said, "We now have sufficient funds and feel that we can fund these needed projects safely."

The most costly project is the replacement of the roof over the R.O. Hawkins Junior High School office, cafeteria, stage, gym and new building section areas. That project will cost $58,000.

Also approved is the air conditioning of 16 classrooms at the junior high school, at a cost of $20,000.

Other repairs and improvements at the junior high school include:

- repairing and sealing the exterior gym walls, $1,000

- refinishing student lockers in the blue hall, $1,800

- replacing the public address system in the gym, $3,000

- replace the gym scoreboard, $6,000.

At West Lane Elementary School, the board authorized the resurfacing of the north and west driveways at a cost of $10,500.

At the Kindergarten Annex, all of the classroom windows will be insulated, at a cost of $14,000.

Capital projects at the high school include:

- air conditioning nine classrooms on the third floor of Building A, $10,000.

- Tuckpointing and sealing Building A, $21,000

- Replace stair treads in Building A, $5,500.

At the Millersville Elementary School, four classrooms will be air conditioned, at a cost of $4,000. In addition, a drop ceiling will be installed in the hallway area, at cost of $1,000.

Other projects include the asbestos reinspection of all buildings in the district, which occurs every three years, at a cost $2,000; (a state and federal environmental mandated program) and the replacement of the school district's 1975 pickup truck. The district will purchase a new vehicle through the state at a cost of $13,500.

"We have purposely left the proposed concession stand-restroom at the high school stadium off the list," Maupin said. "The cost estimate on that project is $40,000. We want to take another look at it and see if we can build only a new restroom facility, which is urgently needed there."

High School Librarian Dreda McElrath said the high school library will computer-automated by this fall.

Terri Wondra, a school patron and parent, commented on the observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday on Jan. 17.

Wondra asked that it be noted as a holiday on the school calender. It was listed this year as a teacher Professional Development Day. Classes were dismissed that day.