The Akron Board of Education got a progress report and a performance Monday night at its mobile meeting at Ellet High School.
Ellet Principal Michelle Kearns gave a PowerPoint presentation on the construction of the new high school taking place behind the current building, with updates from Superintendent David James.
Construction of foundations in the southeastern part of the building — which include the auditorium, gym, locker rooms, cafeteria and career, construction and small animal labs — are underway, James said. The foundation walls are up to the finished floors in the auditorium, the gym and the locker rooms and the bearing walls can be seen. All the underground plumbing and electrical services are being put in, and the roof joists for the gym and auditorium should be installed this summer. A temporary enclosure for that part of the building should be in place by Christmas, James said.
Dust control measures in the area have been increased in response to concerns from neighbors, including providing a water truck to wet down the dirt to prevent it from blowing off.
“We got a report that [it] seems to be working well,” James said.
The building is expected to be completed in 2019 so it can open that fall.
Ellet is also in the beginning stages of planning for the College and Career Academies of Akron, Kearns said. A design team is in the works to include input from the students, staff and community to look at which programs would be best. The school is working with architects to look at the spaces within the new building that would be dedicated to the academies. Ellet is also welcoming the Navy ROTC in the fall, which will change that design somewhat.
Kearns also gave an overview of programs happening at Ellet, such as the annual community spaghetti dinner, Key Club, Thanksgiving dinner and adopting families at Christmas.
“That’s us in a snapshot,” she said.
The board also saw a performance of the skit Vanished by the Destination Imagination team of third-, fourth- and fifth-grade Betty Jane elementary students Tabitha Walberg, Audrey Walton, Hailey Andrews, Jazmine Burton, Harper Stephens, Reese Tucker and Emma Zawaski. The students told the story of what happened when the color blue disappeared from the beach in the fine arts category of the competition. They won regionals and then went on to state.
Destination Imagination is a worldwide organization that encourages imagination and creativity, said coach Nora Jones.
The students had to make up their script, story line and get their own props, costumes and scenery, said fifth-grade team member Tabitha Walberg, and are timed on their performance.
Board member John Otterman, wearing a neck brace, abstained from voting on agenda items during the meeting because he had been unable to attend the past two board meetings, explaining that he had surgery during that time.
In other business:
• The board voted unanimously after executive session to approve a three-year contract with Service Employees International Union Local 1, which represents 340 employees including bus drivers, bus mechanics, buildings and grounds, warehouse, custodians and maintenance personnel.
The contract, which includes pay raises and an increase in workers’ contributions to health insurance, mirrors the teachers contract approved in March that included a 1.5 percent wage increase in the first year that is retroactive to July 1, 2016; a 2.25 percent in the second year; and 2.5 percent in the third year. It expires in 2019.
• William Andexler, the district’s transportation services coordinator, announced the winners of the school bus ROAD-E-O held April 22 in Austintown. Akron’s team of Lisa Leemaster, Debbie Papp, Chris Pastor and Larry Walker won first place.
The drivers, dressed in the yellow T-shirts they had made for the event, were on hand to accept their plaque. Their spirit wear, designed by one of the drivers, also won them first place. Drivers must pass a written test and a test of multiple driving skills, such as railroad crossings, backing up, dropping off, pickup, etc., Andexler said. Ten of the 18 buses on the course were supplied by the Akron district.
“We get a lot of practice in Akron. There are a lot of orange barrels,” Andexler quipped. “They represented Akron very well.”
Monica L. Thomas can be reached at 330-996-3827 or mthomas@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @MLThomasABJ and www.facebook.com/MLThomasABJ.