Kosciusko Superintendent Billy Ellzey told the school board Monday night that the contracted portion of the $270,000 KJHS auditorium project is now complete, and that the facility is on-track to reopen in January after being closed for several years due to the discovery of asbestos in the facility.
The completed contract work included asbestos removal, fixing three roof panels, replastering the entire interior ceiling and repainting all the interior walls of the auditorium. Between now and January, school department staff will complete work fixing some seats, installing carpet, upgrading lighting and creating an area that will serve the handicapped.
A proposed Phase II of the project is being spearheaded by the Kosciusko Foundation for Educational Excellence, which is seeking to raise several million dollars to then upgrade the facilities so that it can become a multi-purpose location that can be used for various types of school and community cultural events. For more on that effort, see The Star-Herald magazine, “The Buzz,” in the Thanksgiving issue of the paper.
In other business Monday night, the board approved an $85,200 one-year contract for Gary and Ryan Rigby to provide district-wide lawn mowing and care services.
In personnel matters, the board accepted the resignation of Brenda Young, and approved the hirings of Alysha Thompson and Katie Cauthen as substitute bus drivers, LaTasha Johnson as a substitute cafeteria worker, and Sara McCaferty to replace Young as an assistant teacher at KLE. They also approved Katrina Rankin as a special education teacher and Tony Terry as part-time high school and junior high school fast-pitch softball coach.
