By TRICIA HILL
Members of the Boscobel School Board were caught off guard when they arrived for a special board meeting Tuesday night and found a letter of resignation in their packets from High School Principal Greg Bell, Jr.
“It was a total surprise,” said board member Barb Puckett.
Being only weeks away from the start of the 2014-15 school year, the board reluctantly accepted Bell’s resignation.
“Please accept this written communication as my intent to resign my position with the Boscobel School District,” Bell wrote in a letter dated Aug. 5. “I am thankful to the Boscobel School District for the opportunity to have served in the capacities for which I was assigned.”
Bell was attending a CESA workshop Wednesday morning and unavailable for comment.
The plan now is to post the high school principal position on Friday, Aug. 8, with all applications due by Aug. 22. If no one is hired for the position prior to the school year starting, the school will have to start without a principal until the spot can be filled.
“We are hoping to have someone in the position by Aug. 25-29 if they can start right away,” Board President Todd Miller said. “If not, I would understand, given the two week’s notice.”
The school year begins Tuesday, Sept. 2.
Staff hirings
The board hired several staff members Tuesday night, including Shawn Stone as the Elementary Education interpreter, Melissa Sina, high school social studies/psychology teacher, and Steven McKillip as assistant football coach. The board will be posting the position for a new activities director on Aug. 8.
Bob Silva of Precision Control, gave a presentation on Act 32 and what it meant for the district going forward. Silva has worked with the Boscobel School District since 1990 and is there when help is needed. He gave the board ideas of things that need to be upgraded in the school district as far as heat and air conditioning. Miller commented that since learning of the cost of making the high school energy efficient and learning some of the costs, some community members are wondering if building a new school might not be the more efficient way to go.
James Schwingle from WPPI Energy gave a presentation on energy efficiency options. He informed the board of different programs that may be of use to the district if they decide to go a different way and now talking new school, the district could make way with the new construction program and its incentives.
H&H representatives out of Madison who had presented back in June as one of the three energy efficient firms, gave their input on Act 32 and what it could do for the school.
After hearing from H&H, Silva, and Schwingle, the board decided to wait on the high school bus loading roof, Annex tuck pointing, high school roof, new phone system and see if the district can save money by doing these projects through Act 32.
Technology Director Allan Hines gave the board a brief update on the fire alarm safety and plans for it to be completed by Aug. 29 in time for school.
Other approvals made by the board were the summer band hours for the new band director, Michael Battersby, for 25 hours, the health and safety bid went to Advanced Health and Safety for a three-year contract and to post for fuel bids.
