Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School Board agrees to build GPS pavilion

Gurdon's School Board voted Tuesday to accept a bid from Terry Hughes Construction of $24,244 for a proposed pavilion at the primary school.

The bid was taken under the stipulation the superintendent is to negotiate with the firm on a smaller pavilion than proposed to get things "into line with our budget."

Bobby Smithson, school superintendent, said the bid was nearly twice what was already available for the project but he thought corners could be cut.

Rita Roe, principal at the primary school, wants the pavilion built for her playground. Smithson said the storage could be built from paneling, and the size could be reduced from 30x60 feet to 30x40 feet, which is similar to the size at the high school.

"Mrs. Roe has $9,600 in revenue for the project. I had expected the bids to go between $12,000 and $15,000 because of the costs of steel going up," he said.

Smithson said the Hughes bid was the lowest to respond to advertising.

Smithson said the ending balance was $730,822.74. He called that the highest point of the year, and said he still believes the school year can still end with at least $500,000 in contingency funds.

"We are doing OK with the finances," he said. "I will let you know if I believe we are getting in trouble. We have some things coming yet. For example, food services shows a loss but we will get reimbursed from the state for November and December. Once we do, we will break even on lunches. This is what we want. And we don't want to go up on their prices."

On Jan. 4, Barbara Brown, an assistant principal from Monticello who specializes in Benchmark test training, began working with the primary school on Benchmark strategy.

It was also reported that five interns from Henderson State University have been serving at the primary school. The visit from the "real Santa" on Dec. 13 was noted, as well as the fourth grade music program. Parent-Teacher Organization sponsors were thanked.

It was mentioned that a third and fourth grade honor club now exists, which students must have an 88 percent average to qualify. A technological advance "grade book" is being tried by the staff at the primary school, and will be used full-time during the 2005-2006 school year.

Cabe Middle School Principal Libby White said a grant was received for $3,000 to install surround sound, a power point and more in one of the CMS classrooms. She said a variety of teachers get to use the room as needed.

"For those of you who don't know, myself and some others at CMS went to jail recently," White said. "It was for muscular dystrophy and we raised nearly $1,200."

White said another new thing happening was her fifth graders putting together a newspaper. She said Monday evening, Jan. 24, was slated as fifth grade honors night.

At the high school, the distance learning grant for $27,000 was mentioned. Plus a report on career planning was given. Students were required to investigate three colleges that offered what they wanted to study. Pay was seen as an important factor.

Nurses, research was said to indicate, start out making $45,000 a year or more. In addition to money, working conditions and benefits were noted.

The idea is to let children know what they are getting into before they spend their time training.

The board also heard a report from Bonnie Ross, federal programs coordinator, about Excelsion software.

Ross said, "This will be a piece of software to show a student's grades, tardies, discipline and whatever else a teacher may think should be on there."

Ross also talked about the "no failure review plan for special education students."

"It is not that they cannot fail," she said. "But if they have done all they can and the staff has done all they can to help them, it is a different mode of evaluation."

Ross said everyone is doing all they can to get prepared for this spring's Benchmark tests.

Moreover, Smithson said the baseball field is ready and will be dedicated on Friday, March 4.

Although the coaches submitted a bid for the regional baseball tournament, it did not come through.

"We have a fine facility and those tournaments will come our way in the future," Smithson said. "Our softball lighting is not quite done because bad weather has delayed the project."

The superintendent said Pilgreen's Electric has not finished the wiring. Still, the project should be finished by the beginning of softball season.

"We have received notice of a grant from the Lewis Cabe Foundation of $5,000 and we have written a grant to the Horace Cabe Foundation for $43,500 to pay off the balance due on this project," he said.

"I also wrote a grant for an electrical sign that compared in costs. We have taken steps to where we can pay for the lights one way or another. I hope to get at least one of these two grants."

In regard to the Zone 12 School Board set, Ed Reece told Smithson he cannot serve. Jesse Runyan can continue. He told the superintendent he would resign or agree to serve through September, but has not given a yes or no to either as of yet.

Smithson reported the results of the 2003-2004 School Year Audit. He said the audit is finished and eight items were sited.

Smithson told the board information about the possibility of needing more classrooms for pre-k next year is still being considered, but as of yet pre-k has not been funded.

"I think we will need three classes for pre-k next year, but I think we need to wait and see what action the legislature takes," Smithson said.

The superintendent reminded board members to file a statement of financial interest in the County Clerk's office by Jan. 31, 2005.

Smithson asked the Board about changing up the schedule for the 2005-2006 school year to include high school sports practices after school, a 30-minute activity period to extend school to 3:30 p.m., and tutors that were folks other than regular teachers for after-school tutoring sessions.