Pay requests for K&S Construction Inc., totaling nearly $140,000 were approved unanimously by the Poplar Bluff R-1 Board of Education at January's monthly meeting on Thursday.
The four requests submitted between Oct. 2 and Nov. 30 were questioned by board members last month and tabled for further consideration. The approved total includes retainment of $40,000.
"After taking a careful look at the pay requests and doing our due diligence, we felt comfortable paying the four requests we paid," said John Scott, president of the Poplar Bluff R-1 Board of Education. "We held back $40,000 from one request because we believe that amount will cover the remaining work to be done."
According to Assistant Superintendent of Finance Rod Priest, K&S Construction Inc., agreed in writing to address the board's remaining concerns, which are leftover from district-wide construction projects that wrapped up in 2016. Landscaping touch-ups site wide, including the hillside below the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center and by the baseball field at the high school will be addressed, Priest said, when growing season reveals the specific areas needing attention.
Board members began questioning the competency of K&S Construction's work in May when a layer of mud consistently covered a portion of the track at Mule's Stadium. K&S agreed to excavate, reseed and enhance erosion control efforts for a discounted $36,000 fee during September's board meeting, which received a 4-3 vote of approval. Since that time, the repairs to the stadium have been deemed complete, Priest said.
Scott said he anticipates the remaining work will be finished in the spring.
Annual performance report (APR) scores either increased or remained constant for each building in the Poplar Bluff school district in 2017, according to Asst. Superintendent of Curriculum Patty Robertson, who presented a thorough explanation of the district's report card.
This year's overall APR reflects a continuing upward trend for the district, which received a total score of 86.4 percent - more than 7 percent higher than last year. The most notable building increase occurred at the junior high school, which jumped from 52.9 percent in 2016 to 84.3 percent in 2017.
"Our building administrators do an excellent job of knowing when to push and when to support," said Robertson, indicating she is pleased with the results.
The approved 2018-19 calendar has the first day of school set for Aug. 16, the last day set for May 23, 2019 and a five day Thanksgiving break, similar to 2017-18's, which included five days and an additional Monday that served as a professional development day for teachers.
Superintendent Scott Dill said next year's calendar omits November's professional development day.
" We felt it was too disruptive," Dill said. "There are not many instructional days in November and December. We did go back and forth on that, but our goal was to try and prove instructional integrity and keep the rhythm going as much as possible."
In closed session discussion, board members unanimously voted to extended Dill's contract through the 2020-21 school year.
The next Poplar Bluff R-1 Board of Education meeting will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 in the central office board room.