In old business, the board heard that the district attorney is still working on the agreement with Arrow Solar. The agreement should be ready by next month. The current school calendar was amended the last day of school for the school Children barring any unforeseen complications will be May 17th. This year, four camps were approved for the summer including a pickle ball fundraiser sponsored by the Echs girls basketball team. The EC Junior Football League camp will be held in June this year.
The district agreed to donate 20 old chromebooks to the country roads FFA school. The board also approved a donation from the Albion grade school music boosters for new sound equipment. The cost is to be split between the dinner theater program and the AGS music boosters. That program, a total of $4622.59. This is for half of the equipment.
Two trips were approved West Salem grade school, eighth grade trip to French Lick, Indiana, April 29th and the ECHS FFA trip to Joliet Livestock judging on April 6th, the board approved spending $7869 for aluminum bleachers at the West Salem ballpark and bids are to be let soon for the outdoor classroom restrooms at the K–12. The agreement with the Albion Baseball Association was also approved.
Superintendent Cowger told the board that the cafeteria report is better but still has a lot of red ink. Superintendent Cowger told the board that a reminder that graduation is coming up in the first part of May. May 11th is West Salem grade school at 10 a.m. ECHS Baccalaureate at 12 noon, Edwards County High School at 2 p.m., and Albion Grade School at 4 PM.
After executive session, the board voted to rehire all tenured certified personnel, all non-tenured, certified personnel and non-certified personnel. Also, they voted to employ two new bus drivers for the 24-25 school year that being Seaton Snidle and Eric Goldsmith. The board also hired grade school softball head coach Chris Shelton and the assistant Haley Kinard. The board also approved on a 7-0 vote, the Edwards County Teachers Association contract with the district through the 2027 school year. That contract calls for a 3.5% raise on top of the steps. Also, the board voted 7-0 to give the salaries for administrators a boost to 4% each year.