Stew-Stras Schools Working on Infrastructure

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Published on March 23 2018 3:19 pm
Last Updated on March 23 2018 3:19 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Stewardson-Strasburg school officials are working on their infrastructure.

The school board this week awarded a bid for heating and cooling in the high school hallways. Bob Culbertson Heating and Cooling will do the work for $49,999. 

Superintendent Michele Lindenmeyer said since HVAC work was done several years ago, and despite corrections since then, there have still been problems. Lindenmeyer said, "We have been freezing in the hallways this year."

Meanwhile, there is no air-conditioning in the grade school portion of the Stew-Stras complex, and the boiler in that area needs replaced. A proposal is being worked up on what will be needed to provide cooling and to replace the boiler.

The district has also received word that $100,000 in state grant funds are headed their way to pay for new playground equipment. The funding is coming from Eastern Illinois Area Special Education.

Lindenmeyer said the district is receiving an e-grant that will help double the bandwidth capacity in Stew-Stras schools. She said the district is also seeking a $22,000 grant to improve WI-FI service in the school system.

Also this week, the Stew-Stras board:

--eliminated the report card day in next year's school calendar

--approved $4,250 bid to Allred's for refinishing the junior high and high school gym floor

--heard from Lindenmeyer that the district is keeping a handle on budgetary items they can control, but are yet to receive a dollar from the State in transportation payments, so the budget will likely need to be amended

--issued reasonable assurance of employment notices to 30-some non-certified employees who are not 12-month employees that they will liikely be back in the next school year

--heard that the Stew-Stras scholar bowl squad made it to the sectional, the highest ever for the district

--learned that in a writing contest through Eastern Illinois University, with students from five to six districts competing, Stew-Stras students finished one-two; Courtney Reel first and Tanner Clark second

--heard that Stew- Stras students will be able to obtain dual credit in Technical Math next school year

--hired Jamie Brown as a cook, Heather Linder as a part-time cook, and and Gabe Allen as a part-time summer custodian and maintenance worker