NORTH CRAWFORD - At their Wednesday, Nov. 20 meeting, the North Crawford School Board reviewed capital improvements to their facilities and grounds funded through a referendum passed by the district voters in November of 2022. They also voted unanimously to approve an updated 10-year Capital Improvement Plan.

“The North Crawford School District overwhelmingly passed a Debt Service Referendum in the amount of $4.5 million in November of 2022 for the purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project,” Superintendent Brandon Munson told the board. “The referendum passed with 956 voting ‘yes,’ and 441 voting ‘no’ – an astounding 68% passage rate.”

Munson told the board that with completion of repairs to the district’s septic system, the referendum funds had been fully expended, and the account closed out.

“I am especially proud of the number of local contractors that were employed in the improvement projects, and the fact that only 2-3 of all the projects employed contractors from out of state,” Munson said. “Many of the projects came in under budget, which helped us shift funds to other projects that came in a little higher, like the greenhouse and septic system projects.”

The list of projects completed, when displayed in one concise presentation, seemed to impress the board with their scope. That list included:

• Building re-roof: $1,296,000

• Upper exterior insulation finishing: $243,000

• Exterior windows replacement: $280,200

• Rain gutters addition: $30,070

• Parking lot replacement: $498,000

• Sidewalk replacement

• Courtyard drainage: $58,000

• Childcare Center perimeter fencing: $5,035

• Baseball fencing repairs: $7,490

• Greenhouse installation: $112,294

• Maintenance shed renovation: $39,099

• Septic system redesign/replacement: $122,406

• Flooring replacement: $295,000

• Restroom additions: $886,000

• Locker room renovations: $886,000

• Elementary classroom cabinets: $40,771

• Library renovations: $46,616

• Tech Ed exhaust/dust collector sound mitigation: $28,939

• Performance Center rigging, lighting and backstage storage: $151,504

• Childcare Center renovations: $93,835

“While the referendum allowed the district to complete many important capital improvement projects, additional projects will need to be addressed in the short- and long-term future,” Munson told the board. “After we use $60 to 70 thousand of Fund 46 funds for the district’s match for our electric school bus grant, that will leave us with about $65,000 in our capital improvements fund.”

Munson issued a ‘thank you’ to current and past school board members, current and past staff, local contractors, and especially the North Crawford community for their guidance and support of the district’s referendum.

“None of this would have been possible without you,” Munson said.

Ten-year plan

Munson identified exterior signage, additional sidewalk repair/replacement, parking lot resurfacing, elementary playground beautification, elementary and high school flooring replacement, restroom stalls replacement, middle school/high school cabinet replacement, and baseball dugout construction as some of the projects that will need to be addressed either in the short term, or longer term future.

“Money is tight, but shouldn’t we find a way to start knocking these projects off the list?” board member Cody Brockway asked.

“Some of these projects we hope to address through the maintenance budget or through fundraising,” Munson replied. “Others may be addressed with funds from Fund 46 – I would love to be taking $100,000 per year and sticking it into Fund 46, but that’s currently not possible with the district’s funding package.”

“I’m also concerned when I hear that the boiler is original to the building,” Brockway said. “Do we have a backup boiler? I think we should keep the boiler a little more front of mind.”

“I agree with Cody, and I would like to see an updated quote on what a boiler replacement would cost,” board member Jerry Coleman said.

“Can we get a report on the boiler condition from a recent inspection?” board president Terry O’Donnell asked. “That boiler is cast iron, and those can last a very long time – the main issue will be needed replacement of smaller parts, which are readily available.”

“Maintenance Director Eric Hady must be listening in on the meeting, because I just got a text from him,” Munson said. “The district actually has two boilers, and Eric says the likelihood of both of them failing at the same time is very low.”

District showcase

In the District Showcase part of the agenda, the fall sports teams and the Playhouse were recognized.

“Congratulations to our athletes, and the staff and students  of the Playhouse who worked on the fall production of Cinderella,” Munson said. “Job well done.”

Volleyball coach Jill Bender observed that the team played 25 games, 75 sets, with an overall record of 12-13, and a conference record of 6-8.

“We were the only team in the conference to beat conference champion Ithaca,” Bender said.

Football coach Jeremy Fradette observed that the team had started their season ranked fourth in the state, and ended it ranked sixth.

“It was an eight-win season, and many of our athletes were recognized in the all-conference standings,” Fradette said. “Andrew Munson and Gavin Tamling in particular received all-conference, as well as regional and statewide recognitions.”

Cross country coach Chris Finnell noted that the cross country athletes had achieved many personal bests over the course of the season.

“Our conference meet is one of the toughest in the state,” Finnell observed. “Ingrid Carstens finished 10th, which was just below the level to qualify for state, and both Sam Knoble and Ingrid received first team all conference recognition.”

Playhouse Director Brandon Bankes thanked the board for their support of the playhouse with funding for rigging, new lights and backstage storage renovations.

“In our production of Cinderella, we invested over 100 hours in rehearsals, and played to 1,000s of viewers,” Bankes said. “The upgrade to the lighting system corrected the problem of the old, unsafe lights, and has made it easier to be more efficient and productive. The upgrades mean that our program sets us apart from other schools in our area.”

In other business

In other business, the board:

• learned that elementary staff is partnering with CESA-3 on a digital project that helps the district be compliant with Act 20 provisions

• learned that MS/HS principal Rob Sailer’s initiative to improve attendance had been a success, with absences reduced from 357 days at the end of October 2023 to 238 days at the end of October 2024

• learned that through the Rural Virtual Academy, six students are enrolled full time, and 94 students are taking remedial or advance classes

• learned that there had been a recent ‘super uptick’ in student mental health issues in grades 6-12, and that the district was working to ensure that a safety net exists for the kids