Glade work may begin in October

Breaking ground for expansion at Glade Creek School is expected to occur in October, according to Superintendent Jeff Cox. The announcement came during the board's June 8 meeting. This news is pending the funds through a USDA grant, expected to bring $800,000 to the project. The $800,000 in question will be put toward the payment of a new water and septic system for Glade.

"If we don't get this money, we will have to talk with the county commissioners about what to do," said Cox.

The probability of breaking ground in October is "pending that we will get the final reports from the soil scientists and engineers preparing a plan for the septic system in the next few weeks. Once that is complete, we will be ready to put the project out for bids. That will take 60 more days, which leave us approaching October before we will be ready to begin construction."

It is speculated when the ground is broken it will likely take place in the field beside the media center, as that will be the place the first phase of the building will come up, Cox explained.

Of the phases of the project, Cox remarked, "The first phase will be the new gym and classroom wing. Once that is complete, we will move out of the current gym. We will then begin renovating the old gym into a new cafeteria. The final phase would be completed next summer, which will include renovating the current cafeteria into office space and new classrooms. We will also make some changes to the front of the school during the final phase."

It is anticipated the project will be completed before August 2011.

Budget Update

Discussing the public schools' budget during the meeting, Superintendent Jeff Cox noted the House appears to be "much friendlier" to K-12 schools, while the Senate's version of the budget appears to favor the university system.

According to information provided to the school board, the appropriated budget is $7,360,833,223. The ending appropriated budget for the State Board of Education is $7,581,639,690; the governor's, $7,046,005,022; the Senate's, $7,086,914,359; and the House, $7,023,212,409.

Cox noted the discretionary cut is a "big item," citing an already planned $2.25 million discretionary cut on the state level and planning on a $3.48 million in the coming fiscal year.