Hoover school board approves emergency repairs at Gwin Elementary School
School officials have known about a foundation problem at the school for a couple of years and have been monitoring it but recently determined it was getting worse and needs repairing this summer, Superintendent Kathy Murphy told the board.
Further examination revealed a foundation problem in a second location at the school. The board tonight declared the situation an emergency and authorized Murphy to work with Structural Design Group and New South Architects to seek bids from three foundation repair specialty firms.
Murphy said she hopes the work can be done for no more than $150,000.
Tracy Hobson, the school district’s operations coordinator, said he hopes to have the work completed over the summer. The first day of school for students is Aug. 8.
In other business tonight, the school board:
- Amended the school district’s policy concerning drug testing of school system employees to allow testing of any school employee whenever there is a reasonable suspicion that the employee is intoxicated or impaired by an illegal drug or alcohol while performing duties for the school system or attending a school-sponsored event. The previous policy allowed drug testing of employees only if those employees were in safety-sensitive jobs, such as a school bus driver, Murphy said.
- Approved a contract with ESS to perform random drug testing of students who drive vehicles on campus or participate in school-sponsored athletics. This is an existing program, but this coming school year, students who drive on campus will be charged more ($50) for the privilege of parking on campus, with $25 of that going toward the drug-testing program, Murphy said. Parents indicated in surveys they were willing to pay more for parking to support the drug testing program, she said.
- Awarded a contract to Coca-Cola United to provide exclusive concessions and vending services at Hoover High School. The company is paying $75,000 to be the exclusive beverage provider and donating $43,000 worth of products to the school and providing a scoreboard valued at $143,500 and coolers, ice machines, 20-ounce drinks and repairs and maintenance to drink equipment.
- Approved a school board meeting schedule for the 2018-19 school year, including meetings on July 2, Aug. 14, Sept. 11, Oct. 2, Nov. 13, Dec. 11, Jan. 8, Feb. 12, March 12, April 9, May 14 and June 11.
- Recognized Hoover City Schools Foundation Executive Director Janet Turner and Hoover City Schools Technology Integration Coordinator Kelli Lane for work they did with a SeedLab Initiative that prrovides grants to Hoover teachers for innovative projects.