North Pike School District officials are hoping for a break in the weather to move forward with construction, which has been “very slow.”
“They are making great progress inside, but the outside and anywhere else, it’s just too wet to work,” Superintendent Dennis Penton said at the board of trustees meeting Thursday night.
Pike Construction has begun work inside the high school, but “basically nothing can happen outside right now, so we’re kind of limited on what we’re getting done,” Penton said.
Additionally, Penton said he will meet with architect Gary Bailey on Monday to discuss proceeding with plans for elementary and middle school projects.
“We need to get the planning and bid process completed so hopefully we can get it done during the summertime, at least the most intrusive parts of it, while students aren’t on campus,” he said.
At the elementary school, security measures will be added and small repairs will be made to the awnings and gutters.
“The biggest part is security on campus so that we have a secure entrance and exit to maintain our traffic a little better going into that campus,” Penton said.
Air conditioning in the gymnasium is a major part of the middle school project as well as adding a doorway with a locking system between the office entrance and hallway.
“At some point, we’re going to need awnings at the back of the buildings so that we can funnel traffic into the office and not have that cross traffic with the public and students, but we’re going to have to take baby steps in that direction,” Penton said. “Long-term, that’s where we need to be.”
In other news, the board:
• Discussed flooring for the central office. Penton said he wants to get quotes on reflooring the building with laminate flooring in the front area and the halls and putting carpets in the back offices.
• Resignations from full-time bus drivers Floyd Davis and Ardemis Wesley III, effective Dec. 31, 2018 and Dec. 21, 2018, respectively.
• Accepted resignations from certified teachers Jaime Fleming and Linda Smith, effective May 22, 2019.
• Hired full-time bus drivers Lance Torrey and Clary Marshall and substitutes Ashley Temple, Jessica Wilkerson and Shenita Webb.
