A-P board reviews Parkersburg facilities

PARKERSBURG – Following last Monday’s regular meeting of the Aplington-Parkersburg School Board, the board toured the high school facilities.

Superintendent Travis Fleshner noted that while the high school building is the newest building in the school district at 13 years old when it was rebuilt after the tornado, items like HVAC, lighting, motors and carpeting are “nearing the end of their useful life,” not to mention the school roof which may need to be replaced in the next ten years.

The tour was meant to identify items like these to consider for repair or replacement, not urgent needs but serving as reminders for any future improvement plans for bond issues. The group also walked through career and tech education rooms to consider if they are sufficient size.

A planned tour of the Aplington building last Wednesday night was postponed to a date to be determined due to winter weather entering the area on Wednesday.

During the meeting, the board set a public hearing date for the 2023-24 academic calendar for Monday, Feb. 20 at the high school and set a 2023-24 budget hearing for Monday, April 10 at 6 p.m. in Parkersburg.

Superintendent Fleshner also updated the board on various matters, including a water issue with the locker room in the high school being fixed, radon testing beginning this week and discussion of a quote for bleacher removal at the Aplington building.

In other business, the board:

- approved early graduation requests for Alan Johnson, Amber Tyler, Jenna Clemens, Bryer DeGroote, Taylor Jackson, Desmond Johnson, Clayton McClanahan, Preston Morris, Dalton Schell and Kaylee Bultsma, after the second trimester, contingent on completion of coursework;

- approved a purchase of school bus radios from Motorola for $44,630.44.

- approved contract offers to Brian Meester, Custodian; Caroline Hedrick, 7th/8th grade play director; Serena Schmidt, 7th/8th grade assistant play director.