Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MENTONE -ÊBoth Akron and Burket elementary schools need or will need facility and infrastructure repairs in the coming years.
Monday, the Tippecanoe Valley School Board was presented with a report on performance contracting by representatives of American Energy Conservation Inc., Fort Wayne.
A performance contract is a guaranteed facility improvement through the Indiana legislature, according to Steve Nutt, account executive with AECI. It improves the facility and infrastructure of a school, is financed by a third party and is guaranteed to pay for itself with energy and operation savings over a period of 10 years.
The report Monday focused on Akron Elementary, as Burket Elementary may be part of a feasibility study along with the high school.
Nutt said AECI has had more than 100 projects implemented in Indiana. The benefits are that the infrastructure is improved, there are no up-front funds and work and savings are guaranteed.
Work that could be finished by year's end at Akron includes new lighting, new ceilings, steam to hot water conversion, new centralized cooling, new unit ventilators with new shelving, electrical upgrade with technology outlets and Americans with Disability Act improvements.
Preliminary project cost, Nutt said, is estimated at $1.7 million. With a lease over a 10-year period at a rate of 6.1 percent, the school would pay $243,645 per year and have preliminary savings of approximately $245,000 per year.
"It's a 25- to 30-year solution," said Nutt. "That's the intent of the design."
Approval of the project could occur in April with work beginning in May, Nutt said. Substantial completion may be by year's end.
The board unanimously approved the request for the proposal. The project will be advertised to let other companies make proposals on the work.
Board member Tom Weaver said, "It's really no cost involved to us (at this point)."
In other business, the board:
• Approved the "Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Intervention Plan." The plan was presented and reviewed by the board in January. The costs associated with the implementation of the plan are covered by Safe & Drug-Free Schools and Communities grant funds provided by Safe Havens Grant.
• Recognized Don Wiesehan, who is the new Tippecanoe Valley School Resource Officer. Monday was his first day at the high school. Wiesehan has been with the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department since 1992 and was in the military before joining the sheriff's department. He is also a 1986 Tippecanoe Valley High School graduate.
• Accepted a donation of paper and ink, valued at $3,684.25, from Harmony Press for the TVHS graphics department.
• Approved by a vote of 3 to 2 R.W. Clinton to conduct the feasibility study on the high school for a flat fee $2,000. Board members Rod Eaton and Mark Wise were opposed. Other bids for the feasibility study ranged from $2,000 to $43,000.
• Was told by Superintendent Dr. Karen Boling that she is still waiting to hear from the Henry Township Trustee regarding Prill School. The trustee is looking for additional information through the county recorder's office.
Since Nov. 17, 1980, the school corporation has had a lease agreement with Prill School Museum Association. In January, the school corporation was notified that the association wants to cancel the remainder of the lease.
In checking on the cancellation of the lease, it came to the corporation's attention that the Prill School deed was never changed to show the school corporation as the property owner. The county recorder's office shows Prill School under ownership of the Henry Township Trustee.
• Recognized Bernadean Howard, fourth-grade teacher at Akron, for being selected as the Elementary Conservation Teacher of the Year by the Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation.
• Recognized Evan Boggs and Maria Contreras for passing the Microsoft Certification test.
• Recognized Superintendent Dr. Karen Boling for being named the 1999 woman of the year by the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce.
• Listened to a report on the ISTEP test by Burket Principal Mary Ann Irwin.
In grade three, 54 percent were above standard and 45 percent below in English and language arts. In mathematics, 59 percent were above standard and 41 percent were below.
Grade six English and language arts scores were 50 percent above and 50 percent below standard. Mathematics for the sixth-grade students this year were 55 percent above and 45 percent below standard.
English and language arts for grade eight was at 62 percent above standard and 38 percent below. Mathematics were 50 percent above and 48 percent below for grade eight.
Tenth-grade students did the best on the ISTEP+ test, with 70 percent above standard in English and language arts and 58 percent above standard in mathematics. Only 26 percent of 10th- grade students were below standard in English and language arts and 38 percent were below standard in mathematics.
The next board meeting is March 13 at 7 p.m. Board members are Bruce Andrews, Tom Weaver, Fred McSherry, Mark Wise and Rod Eaton.
