The Mahomet-Seymour School District will go into the initial talks for a District-wide 15-year plan within the next few months. At the Monday night school board meeting, Superintendent Rick Johnson said through looking at the capacity of the District and setting benchmarks for development, the District will be able to develop a phased approach to upgrades and changes.
On Oct. 7, the Citizen’s Committee for the MECC Decommissioning Project presented future options for the historic Middletown Early Childhood Center. The building will be vacated when the new elementary school is completed in 2014.
MECC was built as Mahomet High School in 1925.
The Committee looked at options for the school district to occupy the space, to fix it up and sell it for commercial use or to tear the building down and secure the property for District use.
Due to outstanding costs to repair MECC for District or commercial use, the Committee suggested the building be torn down so the property can be used for other District uses such as parking or athletic facilities. The property may include a public space with a tribute to the building.
As the board moves forward with the recommendation, Johnson reminded them to keep the budget and District-wide plans in mind.
Board president Terry Greene said although the District won’t know the twist and turns State funding may take, a long-term plan will help the District look forward with responsibility.
The board approved the purchase of three additional copiers to be placed at Sangamon, Mahomet-Seymour Junior High and Mahomet-Seymour High School. RICOH representatives presented a mid-term report to the board.
The RICOH representatives said the teachers and staff at the schools have completed training, and are enjoying the availability of the prints in school alongside a scan to email option. Johnson said the in-school printing option will continue to save the District money.
The board also discussed an upgrade to technology and security options in the new elementary building. With technology upgrades since the initial plan, the board approved a work order not to exceed $530,000 for state-of-the-art equipment.
Part of the money will come from a robust tort fund because the equipment and technology relates to school safety. The board will need to budget for an extra $25,000 to pay for the technology upgrades.
Board member Valerie Woodruff stated concerns that technology is always changing and that once the District purchases equipment, new technologies will become available.
Johnson and Technology Specialist Rick Rose agreed that with a long-term, District-wide financial, structure and systems plan, the equipment upgrades will not be based on the availability of money, but rather a long-term maintenance plan that will keep technology current and within the District budget.
