Cape school district gets busy on bond-issue projects

Construction projects funded by a $20 million bond issue were among the topics discussed Monday at a special planning session of the Cape Girardeau School Board.

District officials also gave an update on instructional technology -- including the 1:1 computer laptop initiative -- and discussed school data and concerns about teacher preparation periods.

Superintendent Jim Welker said district officials and the board try to meet once or twice a year to look at "big picture items" and talk about where the district is and where it hopes to go.

Neil Glass, assistant superintendent of administrative services, gave an overview of the projects underway being funded by the bond issue approved by voters in April.

"We meet weekly as a design team, and that's district staff, the engineers and architects and anybody else we feel is important for discussion purposes," he said.

A driveway at Clippard Elementary, a ramp at Blanchard Elementary and a parking lot at Franklin Elementary will go out to bid as one project, Glass said.

"All our civil drawings are done for all those sites, and we're waiting to advertise for that, and that should go out later this week," he said, adding construction will begin about the time school reconvenes.

"It's not ideal, but it's as quick as we could get it out," Glass said.

A roofing project at Central Middle School has about the same timeline, he said. The design is finished, and the pre-bid meeting for the contractors is later this week. Bids will be received starting July 23.

The district also is replacing rooftop units this summer as HVAC controls are updated at the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center and Blanchard Elementary.

As the district reseals parking lots, rain has caused delays, but crews were working at the Central High School parking lot Monday, Glass said.

"We'll reseal them and re-stripe them, add all our numbers to them, and they'll be ready to go to start school," he said.

Lighting installation at the high-school baseball and softball fields also was underway Monday. All the poles have been assembled, and weather permitting, they'll be completed this month.

Old rubber at the high-school track has been removed and replaced, Glass said, and crews will return within 30 days, after the adhesive cures, to finish the structural coat on top of the rubber and restripe.

At the Central Junior High School, the rubber and asphalt will be removed and workers will start from scratch, he said. Concrete needs to be poured for field events and the bleachers, which are scheduled to arrive July 20.

Larger projects at the junior high and the Career and Technology Center will go to bid later this year, and construction will begin in early 2016.

"We're looking good budget-wise," Glass said.

The district's new instructional technology specialist James Russell gave an update on the 1:1 laptop initiative.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students will receive Dell laptops this year that will be more durable than the previous ASUS devices.

Officials said the junior high school had twice as many reports of breakage, because of mistreatment by younger students.

Sherry Copeland, assistant superintendent of academic services, said ASUS also wouldn't let the district work on the devices.

"That's why we put the RFP (request for proposal) out last year on it."

The new laptops can lay flat, preventing screens from being damaged when touched by a student. The equipment also is more resistant to breaking when dropped.

The technology department expects a 30 percent decrease in screen breakages with the new devices, Russell said.

The board also reviewed past school data collected by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, including enrollment and graduation trends, both which are increasing.

Officials compared the district to several others similar in size throughout the state and found the average teacher salary at the district is among the lowest. The board discussed possible reasons and ways to raise the average salary.

The board also discussed the possibility of changing prep periods to give teachers throughout the district the same amount of time spent in the classroom.

Welker told the board to think about how it wants to move forward with the district's comprehensive school improvement plan. Officials will need to tweak the current five-year plan, which was developed five years ago, or rewrite it.

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

301 N. Clark St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.