Board approves donation-funded projects for schools
By Ben Pounds
ben@mycouriernews.com
While the school year was wrapping up, schools presented different projects for approval by the Anderson County Board of Education.
The board approved three projects that schools plan to fund with donations.
These projects, which did not require any local government funds were: shade structures and a playground for special education pre-kindergarten students at Andersonville Elementary School; a shade structure, tables and landscaping for Grand Oaks Elementary School; and renovations for Lake City Middle School’s gym. These votes happened Thursday, May 8.
However, the board put off voting on the one project that would have involved committing funds: additional supplies for Clinton High School’s band.
The board delayed its vote after Director of Schools Tim Parrott said he would prefer to put the project on hold until the next budget comes out.
He explained to The Courier News that the school system’s policy is to fund similar programs at each of the schools based on number of students rather than just which school requests the money.
“By student, everything has to be equal, so when you give more money to one group of students, you have to give it to the other band’s students,” he said.
Shade and play
at AES
Andersonville Elementary School Principal Beth Roeder stated in a letter that her school’s Parent Teacher Organization had already raised enough money for one shade structure, predicted to cost about $4,400, and hoped to raise enough for another to cost likely the same amount.
She predicted installation would cost $4,700. She said AES still didn’t know the price of the special education pre-kindergarten playground.
However, she said it will be “right outside the classroom door” and named Kim Towe as a purchaser of the equipment.
Board member Darren Carden made the motion, and Jo Williams seconded.
Home Depot
helps school
Grand Oaks Principal Jessica Conatser said Home Depot paid for the labor and equipment for her school’s projects.
“Through the generosity of their team, Home Depot is fully funding and completing a campus-improvement project that will include the construction of a free-standing outdoor pergola, the addition of multiple picnic tables, and landscaping around the front entrance of our school,” she said.
Board member Teresa Portwood made the motion, and Williams seconded.
LCMS Gym
renovations
At a work session, Monday, May 5, Kevin Golden, the Lake City Middle School boys basketball coach, said the school had raised $8,000 for some of the renovations he wanted for the gym, but not all. He said his goal was to raise $10,000.
Board member Don Bell made a motion to allow the school to do the renovations using money already raised.
CHS Band’s
request
The CHS band’s donation request, on which the board did not vote, was for a one-time donation of $50,000.
Band Director Matthew Bimstein, in his letter to the board, listed several pieces of equipment he’d like: an upgraded drumline for $21,000; a new Yamaha marimba for $6,000; an additional auxiliary rack for $1,300; additional brass and woodwind instruments, based on the student enrollment, for $6,000; a new baritone saxophone for $6,000; a new bell stand for the marching band for $1,200; new drum major podiums for $1,500; additional electronics for the front ensemble for $2,000; cases for sousaphones for $1 ,500, new chairs and music stands for $2,500; and color guard flags and equipment for $1,000.
