R-5 school district prepares to build new field house

Nevada R-5 patrons who are pushing for a new field house can breathe a little easier now, the board has approved a new 3,500-square-foot facility. The project will be put out for bids Feb. 29 with the bids being due back by 2 p.m. March 27.

The new field house will feature two locker rooms, each with its own bathroom and showers, a storage room with an overhead door, an ice machine, a washer and dryer, a coaches' office and a 21-by-31 foot meeting room.

Superintendent Craig Noah said they had worked hard to get the coaches what they wanted and needed. He added the new field house should be ready by the first of August.

"We went to the coaches and asked them what they wanted and needed in a new facility," Noah said. "We worked with them to ensure they had what they needed. It should be 90 to 95 percent complete by the first of August and we should be able to finish up in a week or so."

Noah said district personnel could prepare the old field house for razing but the actual demolition would be done by an outside contractor.

"They will have to bring in cranes and equipment we just don't have," Noah said. "We can do most of the work but it will have to be finished by an outside contractor."

Board member Dr. Warren Lovinger said the project was one he looked forward to.

"We've talked about this for a dozen years or more," Lovinger said. "I've been looking forward to this for some time now. For a time we had a slump in funds but we've worked that out now."

The board voted to purchase four new buses from Midwest Bus Sales. The buses cost $71,750 each for a total cost of $287,000. In addition, the district will trade in four used buses for $17,000. The 65-passenger Saf-T-Liner buses have diesel engines and a body style similar to the district's other buses. The board also voted to accept the $526 bid from Cornerstone Baptist Church to purchase a surplus 1988 22-passenger gas bus the district was getting rid of. With the sale of the bus to the church all remaining buses in the districts fleet are diesel.

Misti Raney, Benton Elementary principal, reviewed the districts Title 1 program. The district switched over from a targeted program to a school-wide program last year. Raney told the board the switch gave the district continued growth opportunities because the district wasn't limited to providing support to a limited number of students.

"With the school-wide program we can help every student in school," Raney said. "With the targeted program we could only work with 60 students per grade level. In addition there were materials that we could only use with the students in the program and now we can use them with all students."

In other business the board:

* Approved extending the contract with OPAA food services.

* Reviewed the gifted program and approved it for another year.

* Reviewed a new system district officials will use to analyze students' academic performances.