Courtesy photo | Delaware City Schools
The Delaware City Schools Board of Education welcomed its new student board member Monday during its final meeting before the start of the school year.
At the start of the meeting, Treasurer Jill Corwin administered the Oath of Office to Greta Walraven, an incoming senior at Hayes High School who will serve as this year’s student board member.
Walraven introduced herself at the end of the meeting and said she is a member of the school’s cross country and lacrosse teams, as well as a member of National Honor Society.
“Thank you all,” Walraven said after being welcomed onto the board. “I’m very excited.”
Walraven will attend meetings, provide the board with input from the student perspective, and will have a preferential vote on all board action.
“(We are) extremely excited to welcome Ms. Walraven to the board as our student board member,” said Superintendent Heidi Kegley.
Director of Facilities and Transportation Jason Sherman then gave the board an update about various ongoing projects throughout the district. Sherman reported the bathroom renovation at Carlisle Elementary School had been completed, and the roofing project at Carlisle is expected to be finished next week, aside from some trim work, which he said will not impact the start of the school year on Aug. 14.
Sherman reported the new chiller for Dempsey Middle School will arrive and be installed this week. He added a technician will be going to Cornell Stadium on Friday to replace burnt out bulbs in the stadium lights.
Sherman also gave an update on the district’s bus fleet and said the district has 59 total buses that operate in 49 routes. Thirty-one buses are propane, 19 are diesel, eight are gas, and there is one electric bus in the fleet. Sherman said the district’s buses traveled 586,411 miles last year.
The electric bus, Sherman added, was purchased as part of a grant program, and the district hasn’t had any mechanical issues so far. He said the bus requires a diesel-powered pre-heater in winter months, and if a variety of issues happen to the bus, it will need to be returned to the dealer because there are many proprietary pieces of technology that district mechanics can not fix.
Sherman praised the district’s propane buses and recommended the district continue to focus on propane buses instead of electric, diesel or gas.
“The fuel is cheaper, and our guys can fix them,” Sherman said. “We save operating money, run cleaner buses, the drivers like them and are used to them, and our mechanics can fix them. (I recommend) sticking with propane while we keep an eye on electric technology and see where that goes. (The electric bus has been) a fun experiment we’re going to continue to run, study and work with manufacturers … and hopefully move technology forward.”
Additionally, the board approved a number of resignations, including Lindsey Austin, an educational assistant at Conger Elementary School; Lynsey Chandler, a cook/cashier at Hayes; Daun Church, a cook/cashier at Hayes; Brittany Cooke, a cook/cashier at Schultz Elementary School; Ali DiLorento, a School Aged Child Care (SACC) program assistant; Jessica Holloway, an education assistant at Woodward Elementary; Anna Porter, an educational assistant at Hayes; and Lee Webb, an administrative assistant at Schultz.
The board also approved a number of employments, including Meghan Bame, an intervention specialist at Dempsey; Chanda Emick-Smith, a first-grade teacher at Schultz; Kevin McMahon, an intervention specialist at Dempsey; Adrianah Melvin, a career opportunities teacher at Hayes; Ariadna Oquendo, an EL teacher at Schultz; Laura Butterworth; a payroll assistant at Willis Education Center; Rachel Geske, an educational assistant at Schultz; Aaron Manzer, a mechanic; Mackenzi Merryman, an educational assistant at Schultz; Jean Messner, a SACC program assistant; Blair Millet, an educational assistant at Conger; Patricia Montgomery, an educational assistant at Dempsey; and Kristi Murfield, a SACC site manager.
The board will meet next on Aug. 19. The first day of school is Aug. 14.
Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903.
