School Replaces Bearkat Bus
The GCISD School Board voted Dec. 13 to buy a new activity bus to replace the ailing Bearkat Bus, which has been plagued with problems. The 44-passenger Bluebird bus, which will cost $108,000 plus $7,200 for special seats, and $2,200 for special paint, will be delivered in May. School Superintendent Steve Long reported the school has spent $9,100 to repair the old Bearkat Bus so it can be sold. He said he hopes to get $10,000 for it.
Saying they were very pleased with his work, the board gave Long a $2,500 raise at their Jan. 14 meeting. They also added one year to his contract, making it a four-year one. Long’s salary is now $69,500.
Approximately $2.3 million will be sent out-of-district from February to August for WADA payments. Long said some $983,000 will go to Valentine ISD and $1.3 million to Alpine ISD. In turn, those two districts send a combined $322,000 to the Region 18 Education Service Center, which benefits GCISD.
Long reported that band instruments are being repaired and some replaced, and a $10,000 copier has been purchased for the elementary school to replace one which he said was constantly being repaired.
New playground equipment for grades Pre-K – 3 has been ordered and should be installed in February. Long said the Head Start program would pay 97 percent of the equipment’s cost.
One or more bathrooms may be built in the Head Start area of the elementary school. Deb Pelzel is checking into funding.
Long also reported gate receipts of about $4,700 for the six-man playoff football game held here in December.
A textbook committee made up of Brad Jones, Faith Scott, Linda Jones, Randy Gartman and Carla Hirt will select sixth through twelfth grade science textbooks for use beginning with the 2002-2003 school year. In March, they will present their recommendations to the school board for adoption.
The board re-appointed Dennis Fuchs, Eugene Hirt and Wilburn Bednar to the county appraisal board.