WEST BRANCH SCHOOLS Board seeks bids for building projects

The board granted a principal and support personnel three-year contracts.
By JoANN JONES
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BELOIT -- The West Branch Local School District is advertising for bids for renovation of the high school and construction of a building for grades K-8.
Bidders can view the documents at the Ohio School Facilities Commission's Web site at www.osfc.state.oh.us/index.htm, according to Robert Dickman of URS O'Brien Kreitzberg, the project engineering firm for the construction.
"The high school renovation includes asbestos abatement, new casework, dropped ceilings and capabilities for computer hookup," said Superintendent Louis Ramunno. "There will also be a 53,000-square-foot addition to the current 92,000."
Ramunno said they hope to award contracts for the K-8 building, which will be on 34 acres adjacent to the high school, by late April. He estimated the contracts for the high school would be awarded in early May. The target date for completion of both buildings, he said, is December 2003.
Also on agenda: In other action at the board's meeting Thursday, the board granted Goshen Center Elementary principal Leonard Slack, a resident of Washington Township in Stark County, a three-year contract. Also receiving three-year contracts were Marsha Schumacher of Alliance as director of special services and Lillian Stovic of Uniontown as school psychologist.
The board awarded district technical specialist Jim Graham a two-year contract and employed district resident Llewellyn Thompson as a substitute administrator for the 2002-03 school year.
Board members opted to continue open enrollment for next school year for both adjacent and nonadjacent school districts. In addition, they also contracted with Area Cooperative Computerized Educational Service System to furnish computer services for accounting, payroll, pupil information, library, e-mail and Internet capabilities at a cost of $44.71 per student.
The board recognized adviser Tracey Hinkle and the debate team for compiling an 11-0 record and capturing the high school's first state championship title in the Ohio High School State Speech and Debate Tournament.