By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post
ELMWOOD – After approving steps toward issuing $2.34 million of bonds for a long-awaited HVAC project in the elementary school, the Elmwood School Board heard a pitch for another much-discussed project at its Monday meeting.
Board member Claude Keefer outlined his vision for a new 30×100 building that would adjoin the current 1,200-square-foot space allocated for Ag, Industrial Arts and trades education on the east side of the school complex.
“This project has been on the radar for some time,” Keefer said. “The key is to get the kids enough hands-on to get them excited. We need to create excitement with the opportunity to learn.”
The building would include work stations and storage for tools, but would provide plenty of open space that Keefer said would be a “flexible shared space” for projects that are not possible in the current Ag/IA room.
“It’s like trying to build something in your bathroom,” Keefer said.
Keefer said his plan is to raise money so that construction of the new facility would not cost the school district anything. Keefer said he has already had three people offer financial assistance. He would like to have pledges in place by November so site construction could start in April of 2023.
Board members spoke enthusiastically about the project and agreed the next step is to come up with estimated costs for the building.
Keefer, who has organized the one-day Trojan Tool Day event that introduces Elmwood students to various aspects of the trades, called the proposed building, “Tool Day on steroids.”
One major difficulty could be finding a teacher for the Industrial Arts program, since there are currently at least 20 such openings around the state, Keefer said.
“I think this is the icing on the cake” of previous school facility improvements, Board President Val Ramirez said. “I really hope we can make this happen in our community.”
In other business, Superintendent Chad Wagner said he would be attending a 4 p.m. meeting today, March 31, regarding the extension of Elmwood’s TIF 2, which encompasses the downtown area.
The city has proposed a four-year extension of the TIF. Wagner said that equates to about $52,000 per year in tax money that the school does not collect due to the TIF. Wagner said preliminary discussions have shown a willingness by the city to give some of the TIF funds back to the school prior to expiration of the district.
“I would support an extension if it means the city is giving some funds back to the school,” he said.
Wagner noted the larger tax windfall will come after the expiration of TIF 1 in 2026. At that time, he said, the school district should start receiving about $300,000 in taxes.
The school board also welcomed Elmwood resident Erin Magee, who has been hired as a K-6 math teacher to replace the retiring Diane Burwell. Magee lives in Elmwood and has taught for eight years at Bartonville’s Monroe School.
Other hirings approved include: Christopher Conlee as elementary PE teacher, Lauren Stephens as elementary Bright Futures teacher, Kimberly Cook as a junior high aide for the rest of 2021-22, Jim Valla as academic progress specialist/interventionist for the rest of 2021-22, Todd Hollis as junior high boys assistant track coach for 2021-22, Tiffany Bell as 5th-6th grade scholastic bowl coach and Vicki Warner as junior high cheerleading coach.
The board also heard that tenure would be extended next school year to teachers Jon Huene, Laura Stewart, Luke Pratt and Lindsey Coppernoll.
Finally, the June board meeting was moved to June 20.
