Gwinn schools probe bond issue
Gwinn schools probe bond issue
By MELISSA SALAGOVICH
Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE —The Gwinn Area School Board had a brief meeting last night to discuss issues facong the district in the 2006-07 school year, including a bond issue to finance upgrades on its four area schools.
“We have been working on the bond for six to seven months now,” Superintendent of Gwinn Area Schools, Steven Peffers said. “We have been working with architects and construction groups to help finalize pre-plans to be ready to present to the community.”
Each of the four area school buildings are over 40 years old and are in need of new roofs, new exterior doors, floors, and ceilings. Gwinn High School pool renovations will also be built into the bond issue, Peffers said. Peffers said the amount of the bond proposal has not been set.
The first presentation to the community will be on Aug. 23 and will be by invitation only. The board has invited 80 influential people from around the district to present the plans they wish to see on the February ballot. All other meetings will begin in September and will be open to the public, Peffers said.
The board also discussed the U.P. Education Legislative Summit, which will be held Sept. 8. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. with the summit meeting beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Great Lakes Room at Northern Michigan University.
“Annually, we host the U.P. Legislative Summit at (NMU) where legislators, senators and educators from around the state come for a day long discussion on education,” Peffers said. “Each year we also have a student panel where they are asked two or three questions and put on the spot. Usually, they are very frank in telling you where school funding and programs should be spent.”
In other business the school board:
- Approved the July budget spending of $379,915,57. They also discussed bids for milk, bread and fuel. They announced there will be a slight decrease on the milk products and an increase on both bread and fuel products.
- Discussed employment levels for the 2006-07 school year. Connie Sather has been hired as seventh grade girl’s basketball coach and Joleen Lorens has been hired for the eighth grade girl’s basketball coach.
- Accepted the resignations of Billie Jean Yelle from the Title 1 paraprofessional position at K.I. Sawyer Elementary School and Kristen Grondz from the special education paraprofessional position also at K.I. Sawyer Elementary School.
The next Gwinn School Board meeting will be held Sept. 11 unless there is something that needs to be voted on. In that event, the school will hold a meeting on Aug. 28. If a meeting is scheduled for August the public will be notified.
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