Kewanee School Supt. Rebecca Baney congratulates Kewanee High School wrestler Ben Taylor during Monday’s school board meeting. Taylor was honored Monday with a school board resolution noting his wrestling accomplishments this year, including qualifying for the state finals in the 150-pound class. [Photo by Michael Berry]

The Kewanee School Board was updated Monday on some construction projects either planned or under way in the district.

Supt. Rebecca Baney reported:

— Repairs are finally to be made to fix damage from last July’s tornadoes to the roofs at Kewanee High School and Central School.

Baney said the contractor that will fix the KHS roof has been on site, and their goal is to start the repairs “immediately.”

The work at Central will be more complicated, as the contractor will have to work around more than 300 solar panels on the roof there. The contractor is working on a plan for the repair work.

— A pre-construction meeting is scheduled this week for an addition to the high school that would include a small auditorium and another classroom.

— Soil testing has been done for an outdoor fitness court and new tennis courts across Third Street from the high school. School officials are awaiting the results of those tests before work can begin on those projects.

Baney said retired KHS art teacher Sue Blake has been working on artwork for the fitness court.

Baney also reported on a program called Cartwheel, which provides online mental health counseling for students and their families. She said there has been “some engagement” by students with counselors.

The board Monday discussed a strategic-planning program for school officials. They have a choice of doing the planning through one-to-one contract with district employees over Zoom, or having the employees meet with program leaders in a group setting.

Baney said she hopes for the strategic planning process to be completed this year.

An idea for a major upgrade to baseball and softball facilities at Northeast Park has been shelved, for now at least.

School officials had met with Kewanee Park District officials about installing artificial turf on the main diamond and the two softball diamonds in the park — a project estimated to cost more than a million dollars.

After hearing from the park officials that their district doesn’t have the money to participate in the project, school officials also aren’t pursuing it any more.

“I’m unfavorable about more money for another program until we know where we’re at” with construction projects such as those planned at the high school, Board President Jeff Johnson said.