Students and teachers of Wethersfield CUSD #230 will find a fresh look in classrooms, hallways and other areas when they go back to school on Wednesday. Staff and contractors have been busy making upgrades and improvements and a few changes throughout all buildings in one of the most ambitious summer maintenance programs in recent years.
Several rooms have been brightened with new coats of paint and improved lighting. New floor tile has eliminated the squeaks in the wooden floors of the central hallway in the Blish Building; new carpeting has been installed in some rooms and asbestos was removed from several areas. Technology upgrades made include increasing the number of security cameras on each school bus from one to four. The new cameras will allow the driver to isolate a problem anywhere in the bus.
The interior of the historic Blish Building received a top to bottom interior makeover to accommodate moving high school classes which have been held there, into the main building on Willard Street, and move the junior high into the Blish. Part of the upgrade included removal of two original fire escapes which were no longer used. School officials said students evacuated the building internally in less than 30 seconds in the latest fire drill.
The board of education also moved from the unit office in the Blish Building to a room in the high school formerly used for Family and Consumer Sciences classes. The room will also be used by special education coordinators and for meetings between parents and special ed teachers.
Superintendent Dr. Andrew Brooks thanked those who worked over the summer to complete the improvements at the Board of Education’s August meeting Thursday.
Teachers’ institutes will be held Monday and Tuesday, with Wednesday the first day for students. Early dismissal is scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Dr. Brooks reported that the teaching staff is complete for the coming year.
Dr. Brooks also previewed the FY2024 budget reporting surpluses are anticipated in all major funds, The board set a hearing on the FY24 budget at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, prior to the regular monthly meeting.
The board approved a five-year loan of $121,065 at 5.25% from the State Bank of Toulon for a new 71-passenger school bus which was delivered Thursday. A bid of $2,150 from Cernovich’s Salvage, of Kewanee, was approved for an old 71-passenger bus, which is being scrapped.
Kewanee City Council member and former Wethersfield School Board member Tyrone Baker appeared before the board in response to concerns he has heard from parents about the condition of the curb in front of the elementary school entrance where crumbling and cracking has occurred in the concrete.
Baker said concerns have also been expressed about the painting of fading white and yellow lines for diagonal and handicapped parking in front of the school. He said he would look into getting the problems resolved. Dr. Brooks said he had been in contact with City Manager Gary Bradley and Mayor Gary Moore and the matter would hopefully be addressed.
Also appearing before the meeting was Jeff Johnson, Kewanee School Board president, who was recently elected director of the Blackhawk Division of the Illinois Association of School Boards. Blackhawk is one of 21 regional divisions across the state. The district directors “form the governing body for IASB and establish policies governing the association and standards for its management and operations,” according to its website.
The Blackhawk Division includes school boards in Henry, Stark, Rock Island and Mercer counties. Johnson, a 1976 graduate of Wethersfield High School, said he is visiting each school board in the district to introduce himself to the members and offer assistance, if needed.
