HHS adding facilities

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A two-phase plan that would see a weight room building and a concession/restroom building added to the Hillsboro High School/Middle School complex should go out for bid early next year, school board member Bill Myers said at Wednesday night’s meeting.

Phase two would be the addition of a field house to the concession/restroom building that will be located near the entrance to the new track/soccer facility. Board president Terry Britton said it would be around a year before that phase is put out for bids.

The weight room building will be located behind the school building.

Myers said the current timeline is for phase one of the project to go out for bids in February with the hope of having a contractor on the job by late March or early April. Britton said construction would take around six months.

“It would be wonderful if we were in these buildings a year from now,” superintendent Jim Smith said.

Myers said work will take place at both phase one sites at the same time. The board originally discussed constructing the fieldhouse at the same time, but said it decided to put that on hold temporarily due to budget constraints.

Jerry Walker, who was attending the last meeting of a four-year term on the school board before moving to Illinois to be near his grandchildren, thanked Myers and Britton for their work on the project.

“I think it’s a great testimony for the kids to be able to compete in athletics and different areas with the facilities that are being provided for them,” Walker said. “We are making a very concentrated effort and I hope the people of Hillsboro understand what you have here because other places don’t have this.”

A few months ago Walker asked the school administration to place some type of memorial honoring Hillsboro’s numerous former state track and field champions at or around the track/soccer complex. He asked Wednesday how that was proceeding and Smith said a marker has been ordered and will be placed near the facility’s flag pole.

Answering to another Walker request, Smith said the school hopes to have a new timing system in place for the coming track season.

Smith also mentioned that an area in the shape of an arrowhead near the entrance to the track/soccer complex that was formerly filled with mulch has now been filled in with brick pavers.

In other news from the meeting:

• April Michael, a school counselor for students in grades 6-12, gave a bullying presentation, noting that several bullying programs have been implemented at both the high school and middle school, both individually and in groups. She said she sees about five students a week that have been bullied.

• A robotics presentation was given by teachers Anthony Amore and Timothy Crowder. They said they have seven teams of seventh and eighth graders, all A and B students, using their study hall time to take part a robotics program. They have been to competitions around the state and have more coming up.

• The board accepted a $500 donation from Good News Gathering to be used to purchase something for needy children. Smith said the school has purchased 140 winter coats for elementary students so far this year. He said 50 of them were donated by Highland County Community Action and that staff donations paid for the remainder.

• The board accepted a donation of $3,000 from Millennium Business Solutions, the company it recently signed a copier lease with, for the staff Christmas party. The party will be held Dec. 21 from noon to 6 p.m. at Highland Lanes and staff members’ children are invited. There will be 100 pizzas provided.

• The board unanimously voted for Britton to serve as president pro-tem when the board holds its organizational meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6 at the board office.

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or on Twitter @13gillilandj.

Hillsboro Middle School students Emily McGinnis and Jack Roades, along with staff members Tonia Armstrong and Anthony Amore, give a robotics demonstration at Wednesday’s board of education meeting.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2015/12/web1_Hboro-school-bd-pic-1.jpgHillsboro Middle School students Emily McGinnis and Jack Roades, along with staff members Tonia Armstrong and Anthony Amore, give a robotics demonstration at Wednesday’s board of education meeting.
Project will go out for bid in February

By Jeff Gilliland

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