Board discusses building projects; hears new teaching technique

by Laura Bednar

Oct. 15 board of education meeting

The Independence Local Schools Board of Education heard from Assistant Superintendent Tom Dreiling about two potential projects: a security vestibule at the primary school and windows for the wrestling room in the middle school.

The security vestibule has been considered for several years, but the district was waiting for the opportunity to apply for a $40,000 Bureau of Workers Compensation grant to help pay for the project. Dreiling explained that to qualify for the grant, the project has to be awarded to a contractor. There is no guarantee the district would win the grant.

“We’re as safe as we’ve ever been,’’ Dreiling said. “This just enhances our security.”

Of the two bids received for the project, Feghali Brothers came in the lowest at $138,000. If Independence gets the grant, it would still cost the district $98,000 to complete the project. Dreiling said the board could approve the vestibule construction contingent on receiving the grant.

A space in the middle school is under renovation to become a permanent wrestling room. As part of the transformation, the district received bids for adding a wall of windows. Of the three companies that bid for the project, the lowest was Warren Roofing at $267,014. This does not include architect fees, according to Dreiling.

Board member Carrie Sears asked if a window wall was necessary, as she had seen other wrestling rooms without windows. “This doesn’t have to be done,” she said, adding that she felt blindsided by the cost.

Dreiling said building with cinder blocks without windows would still be a higher cost, but said a window wall was not essential.

He added that it will be easier to determine what projects to prioritize once board members decide on a plan for new school buildings or future levy scenarios.

Said board President Tony Avila, “We have to make a decision [about buildings] by the end of this calendar year.”

Think Classrooms

Independence High School Principal Mike Janatovich and high school teacher Darlene Stefanski gave a presentation on “Thinking Classrooms,” a research-based practice that gives students the opportunity to think through academic problems individually and as a group.

Janatovich said they looked for opportunities in mathematics classes where teachers were taking the thinking away from the child and finding areas where thinking could occur.

He said the new classroom model teaches students how to complete high-level math by thinking through abstract concepts instead of being fed formulas to copy. Stefanski said the model includes hands-on activities that require students to work together and become comfortable getting wrong answers.

“This year I noticed there is a lot more math talk in the room and less of me talking,” she said.

All three high school math teachers have the “Thinking Classrooms” textbook, and two have already implemented it.

District and financial updates

Superintendent Kelli Cogan discussed possibly implementing a 2-hour delay for school when there is inclement weather. Each building would have an alternate schedule in place, and the administration would make the call the night before and notify parents. If the weather is worse than expected, the district will call off school.

The board approved the purchase of a $78,755 10-passenger van for student transportation. Dreiling said an athletic coach could drive athletes in the van to a game, and the district could use the van to shorten bus routes if there is only one student in a particular pickup area. Independence has two vans already, one for students and another for equipment.

Treasurer Jennifer Knapp said the district’s revenue was up 6.3% in the first quarter, which was in part due to an increase in state aid and local taxes. Expenses were up 4.4% in the first quarter and are expected to rise. Knapp said the cash balance continues to be less every year in the month-to-month comparison. “We need to look at needs versus wants … to see where we want to put our funding,” said Knapp. ∞