TECUMSEH RENOVATION
The Vincennes School Board has awarded contracts to re-model Tecumseh-Harrison Elementary School.
Superintendent Greg Parsley says the bids came in under budget. He says given the age of the building there was some concern that the numbers might come in higher than anticipated.
Krempp Construction was awarded the contract for general construction at just over 4-million dollars. Parsley noted that Krempp was not the low bidder for general contractor. He says since the bids were opened, the initial low bidder C-D-I provided them with an inaccurate number on one of the alternative bid packages and was eventually eliminated.
Renovations are expected to get underway as soon as school ends in May. Parsley says students will be displaced for at least a year while the work is underway.
He says the school corporation will continue to use Washington Christian Center, Free Methodist Church and Thursday Church to hold classes.
CLARK BONDS TO BE REFINANCED
The Vincennes School Board plans on refinancing the bonds on the new Clark Middle School. The move according to Superintendent Greg Parsley is expected to save the school corporation up to 1-point-3 million dollars while lowering the interest rate from 4-point-9 percent to around 2-and a-half percent. It’s expected the school corporation will close on the refinancing of the bonds within 90 days. The bonds on Clark Middle School are due to be paid off by January 2029.
LINCOLN SUSPENSION PROGRAM
Lincoln High School is participating in a cross agency program to try and to cut down on the number of school suspensions.
Shape which stands for Students Having an Alternative Positive Experience was developed for students who are suspended from school.
Knox Superior Court One Judge Gara Lee says students who are suspended will be put to work performing some type of community service.
Lee says suspended students will report to her court where the charges against them will be read. She added that parents must also appear with their child at court and pay a 15-dollar fee for participation in the Shape program.
The students will then be remanded to the Wabash Valley Regional Community Corrections Program where an administrator will oversee their community service. .
Lee says the program is being offered at no charge to the school corporation. She says the goal of the program is to act as a deterrent against suspension and modify student behavior.
Both the North and South Knox School Corporations have also agreed to participate in the program.