The Poplar Bluff R-I School District ushered in new construction projects and created one new position this month.
The board approved plans to build a new culinary arts facility on the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center campus during a meeting Feb. 17. The program trains students in all aspects of restaurant work and prepares them to be immediately employable after graduation.
It currently operates out of the Mules Cafe adjoining the district administration office, about 3.5 miles from TCC.
Assistant Superintendent Amy Jackson gave an updated cost estimate of $1.2 million for constructing a new facility and laid out several payment scenarios with two grants: $277,000 from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and $500,000 from the Community Development Block Grant. She noted DESE funds must be spent by May 15.
The following cost options were discussed:
Scenario one: the district receives both DESE and CDBG funds and pays approximately $473,000.
Scenario two: the district acquires CBDG funds and the total cost is $750,265.
Scenario three: the district acquires only DESE funds and the cost is $973,172.
Scenario four: the district absorbs entire cost of $1.2 million.
Scenario five: the district renovates the existing TCC nursing building, cost unknown.
The last option would be cheaper than construction, according to the discussion. It would require student intervention programs in the nursing building to move back to the main Poplar Bluff High School building. The district would ultimately need to build another facility for TCC’s nursing program to expand into, administrators said.
Superintendent Scott Dill also saw no need to run to the cheapest option.
“There is nothing to preclude us from moving forward with this on good faith. In the worst-case scenario, we eat the entire amount. We’ve run some scenarios budget-wise, what that would look like. Our balances are strong enough to hold,” Dill said, adding the school’s revenue would likely recover the full cost within two or three years if it came to that.
The board decided to bid the project out and seek all possible funding.
Jackson also laid out the case for a new PBHS concession stand for an estimated $614,295. The board will bid out the project and seek in-kind labor to install electrical, plumbing and possibly HVAC systems.
The board also approved plans to expand the PBHS bleachers by 260 seats, make them handicap accessible and add an additional walkway, for approximately $70,000.
Early Childhood Center principal JoAnne Westbrook gave the monthly ECC report. She praised educators in the Parents as Teachers program for stepping up during the pandemic and finding ways to interact with children when home visits were off the table.
“They did a lot of things to keep that program going. So I really want to brag on those girls,” Westbrook said.
The program receives a yearly allocation from the state and provides contacts to be reimbursed for overage, but funding has gone from about $200,000 to $80,000 over the past few years.
She also expressed gratitude for ECC’s new facility.
“We’ve always had a great staff, but we have the facility to match that program. So we’re very proud of it,” she said.
In other news, ECC is encountering more frequent and severe needs in mental health, behavioral health and social-emotional development, a trend the staff have not seen before. Westbrook theorized this might be due to the pandemic impeding children’s interactions with other children, but regardless of the cause, ECC is trying to manage without access to counselors or intervention teachers.
“We’re working on looking at curriculum changes and maybe adjusting some of our staff to just better serve mental health needs for students,” Westbrook explained.
She also reported enrollment in early childhood special education is increasing and ECC is receiving more referrals in the First Steps program.
The A+ Schools program report was delivered by coordinator Susan Brown. The A+ scholarship gives qualifying students full rides to two-year community colleges. Eighty-one are currently enrolled, and another 18 are finishing the assessment portion of the application, making for a potential record of 99 students. Starting this year, some A+ high school students taking dual credit courses through Launch will also be eligible to have their costs covered.
The board approved the creation of an assistant director of special education position after a presentation by Director of Special Services Mindy Garrett. In addition to the increase in mental health issues Westbrook outlined, the Special Education department needs an assistant to help with programs and training.
The board reviewed and amended the job description for the open position of transportation director after member Tim Gaebler recommended applicants have a Commercial Driver’s License for training and emergencies.
“When we have a bus that slides off in the ditch and you don’t have another driver, and you’ve got a director who can’t take a bus out, that’s a problem,” he said.
Dill reviewed the district health insurance renewal information for fiscal year 2023. The district’s provider is Anthem, via the Educators Benefit Association. The renewal rate has risen 9.3% and Dill said he is looking into other options.
The next meeting is 6 p.m. March 24 at the Poplar Bluff School District Office.
The board also:
Approved renewal of mowing services through R&R Landscaping & Services, LLC.
Approved the removal and replacement of transportation department fuel tanks.
Approved the PBTCC Equipment and Expansion projects.
Approved the District Surplus Items list.
Approved the District Summer School Authorization for June 2022.