Monday, January 26, 2004
Each building will house kindergarten through fifth grade.
By JoANN JONES
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BELOIT -- Robert Steines of Ricciuti, Balog & amp; Partners Architects spent much of the West Branch Local school board meeting Thursday explaining site plans for the new Knox and Damascus elementary buildings.
The buildings will be the same size and have the same function, Steines said. The Damascus building is more expensive, however, because it has more alternates.
He explained an alternate is anything above and beyond what was accepted by the Ohio School Facilities Commission. The approximate cost for each building, without alternates, is $7,650,000.
The board authorized the advertising for bids for the projects.
Each building will house kindergarten through fifth grade, and have 15 classrooms, four special education classrooms, a central media center and an activity wing with art and music rooms, cafeteria, stage and gymnasium.
In related action, the board appropriated $50,000 for a sanitary sewer line for the Damascus building.
Other action
The panel also:
URecognized the high school for receiving the bronze award for the Buckeye Best Healthy School Award assessment from the Ohio Department of Health. The department recognizes schools whose policies and practices reflect a high priority on healthy outcomes for children.
UAccepted donations in the amount of $8,014, including $3,375 from several people, to the West Branch Community Sign Fund for an informational electronic sign that will be placed outside the high school facing Main Street.
UHired several coaches, including varsity coaches for fall. Steven Saulnier, a teacher at the high school, was hired for a second season as football coach at a salary of $5,493. High school teacher Kevin Buckley will return as cross country coach; middle school teacher Lynn Grove, as golf coach; and high school teacher Elaine Bonar, tennis coach. Each will make $3,260 for the year.
High school teacher Sue Deas was rehired as volleyball coach, and Matt Thomas, also a high school teacher, was rehired as boys soccer coach. Dave Brenner of Jackson Milton was hired as girls soccer coach. The three will make $4,517 each.
Several assistant spring coaches hired at salaries of $2,669 for the season included assistant varsity baseball, Walt De Shields, a teacher at the high school; junior varsity baseball, Scott Loudon, a district resident; assistant varsity softball, resident Gerry Braint; junior varsity softball, resident Chuck Pierce; assistant boys track, Tracey Wyatt, a teacher at the high school; and assistant girls track, Joe Ginocchi, a teacher at Beloit Middle School.
District resident Brett Griffith was hired as freshman baseball coach at a salary of $2,490, middle school teacher Mike Falasca was appointed the middle school boys track coach, and Beloit Elementary teacher Frank Edie the middle school girls track coach, each at a salary of $2,053.
UHired Jennifer Zamarelli as assistant musical director at a salary of $1,027.