LEWISBURG — The Tri-County North Local Schools Board of Education met on Monday, June 27, and discussed various updates being completed within the district.
Superintendent Bill Derringer reported on ongoing improvements being completed in the district office. It will be painted and is getting new carpet. The carpet will include the school’s logo, a panther, to show more school pride, according to Derringer.
Derringer also informed the board there are new nutritional standards. The board or anyone in the public is welcome to review the new standards, he said.
Derringer reported on three resignations: Amy Owens, the assistant head cook; Maria Flaherty, a paraprofessional aide and TCN Middle School Principal Joe Hoelzle.
Board members approved a motion giving Derringer the ability to hire new employees before getting them approved by the board. According to school officials, the board meetings often fall close to the beginning of the school year and it makes it difficult to get board approval for new employees before the school year begins. Giving Derringer the ability to approve and hire employees will ensure new employees will be able to start on time.
Derringer also provided an update on the district’s new turf and track. Pavement for the track is completed and the asphalt has to be cured for 21 days before it will be sealed with a rubber coating of a quarter inch of material, he explained. The pavement has to release moisture before it can be covered. According to Derringer the turf, has been delivered but has not yet been installed. “Once that happens the project is pretty much complete and they’re on schedule right now as we agreed to have things done by Aug. 1,” he said of the project.
According to Derringer, there was some trouble with construction in the shot-put area. The shot-put area was supposed to be in red, he noted, however, the construction crew made the area gray. Derringer and the board approved the area to be done in red. Derringer and his staff have discussed with the crew getting it changed to the color discussed, but if it is not, the school will be getting some kind of credit with the company.
Other construction around the track and field facilities included tile being put down for drainage. Derringer explained where different tiles were installed around the fields and walkways to prevent flooding in the new areas.
Derringer also updated the board regarding the school’s gym floor.
“We are actually on our final sanding for the gym floor,” he said. “Basically, you can sand the gym floor every 10 years and you basically get three sandings off of a floor.” After this sanding, the school will have an additional 10 years before they need to replace the floor, he explained. When it is time to replace the floor, the school will have to rip out the old flooring and put all new wood down, along with a new sealant.
