The Delaware City Schools Board of Education approved plans Monday to renovate bathrooms at Carlisle Elementary School and accepted an anonymous donation that covered all negative lunch balances in the district.
During the board’s regular meeting, held at Willis Education Center, the board signed off on a $218,144 bid from McHugh Construction, LLC to renovate the main restrooms on the first floor of Carlisle.
Director of Facilities and Transportation Jason Sherman told the board in January that the bathrooms are part of the original 1955 building, and they are literally falling into the crawlspace. He said in January that the project will remove the fixtures, put in a new flooring slab, along with new flooring and finishes. Sherman said Monday that the bid includes three alternates to put new fixtures in the girls bathroom as well as accessible stalls in each restroom.
Funds for the renovation will come from the permanent improvement fund. The renovation will take place this summer.
Sherman said the district’s recent “Test Drive a Bus” event was a success, and the district found four “serious candidates” as a result. Sherman added he hopes to have similar event in June to make sure the district has all bus driver positions filled ahead of the new school year.
During the meeting, the board accepted a $3,000 anonymous donation to cover all negative lunch balances for students in the district. Superintendent Heidi Kegley said the individual wished to be kept anonymous, and they came to Willis to ask for the exact amount to cover all the negative lunch balances.
“It was pretty powerful,” Kegley said, later calling it “incredible” and adding that the district appreciates all donations from the community.
Additionally, the board approved the resignation of Jose Blecharczyk, an educational assistant at Conger Elementary School; Christina Stephens-Wolbert, an administrative assistant at Carlisle; and Jacqueline Twine Jr., an assistant School-Aged-Child-Care (SACC) assistant site manager.
The board also approved the retirement of Rose Long, the library media specialist assistant at Schultz Elementary as well as bus drivers Cherie Hardman, who has been with the district since 2001, and Lisa Harmon, who has been with the district since 1994.
The board approved several employments, including Michelle Kelly as a payroll assistant at Willis; Steven Lucas, a custodian at Carlisle/Conger; and Gavin Flesch, a SACC program assistant.
The board will meet next on April 1.
Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903.
