BURTON BOND PROJECT REMAINS ON SCHEDULE
Work on the Burton ISD bond project continues on track.
At Monday’s Burton School Board meeting, DSA Construction Management Project Manager Stad Tomlinson said progress is following along the same timeline provided when trustees met last month. He said crews onsite are putting in long hours, and their efforts are making a difference.
Tomlinson said on Monday that next week, the track and field crew will mobilize and dirt work and chemical injections will wrap up. He said inspection results for dirt that has already been injected are showing no issues thus far, and he is not expecting problems with further tests.
Last month, Tomlinson told the board that the stadium and home parking should be complete by the end of July. The high school and remaining parking are expected to be done by January, while the junior high and cafeteria renovations are anticipated to be finished by January 2025.
During her monthly report to the board, Superintendent Dr. Edna Kennedy said there have been some worries about increased student vaping and marijuana usage. She said this problem is not exclusive to Burton and that many schools are dealing with this right now, but it is “a pretty serious safety concern for us.” She said the district has purchased additional detectors and sensors to cover areas where children could sneak off to, and is also ramping up random drug testing and drug dog searches.
Also on Monday, trustees met in executive session to review contract terms for administrators and personnel, including the elementary and high school principals, assistant principal, athletic director, counselor, instructional coach and teachers.
Among the contract extensions were for Elementary School Principal Melinda Fuchs, who was extended through June 30, 2025; High School Principal Micah Goebel, whose probationary contract was extended through June 30, 2024; Assistant Principal Jeremy Johnston, extended through June 30, 2024; Athletic Director Jason Hodde, whose dual/term contract was extended through June 30, 2025; and Counselor Angela Rhodes, extended through June 30, 2024.