St Elmo Board of Education Discusses Summer Projects

By Editor | March 27, 2024

Superintendent Travis Portz presents a retirement gift to longtime Jr/Sr High School Secretary Vicki Durbin who is retiring at the end of the month.

BY MARK HOSKINS
The St. Elmo CUSD #202 Board of Education met for their monthly meeting on Monday, March 18. Among several items of new business, the board approved a couple of summer projects for the district.
The board approved a bid from Vandalia Asphalt Service to oil and chip the high school parking lot, which has not been done in three years. The oiling and chipping will cost $14,821 for two coats on the parking lot.
The board also approved a bid from Allred’s Flooring Service to refinish the high school gym floor. This project comes at a cost of $31,351 and has been done each of the past few summers. Superintendent Travis Portz stated that Allred’s has done the floor refinishing each of the past few years and he has been pleased with the results. “We want to keep that gym floor looking as nice as possible for next school year,” said Portz.
Portz also informed the board of some other projects that will be done around the district this summer, including some roof patching on the high school, repairing a sidewalk in front of the gymnasium, and other routine maintenance.
At the top of the meeting, the board recognized Vicki Durbin who is retiring at the end of March after 25 years with the district. Durbin served as the Jr/Sr High School secretary.
“I want to thank Vicki for all her hard work over the years,” said Portz, who then presented Durbin with a retirement gift.
“Thank you for all of your confidence in me. I recognize all the positive changes within the district over the past 25 years and all these things are to the advantage of our students and faculty and really to the community as a whole,” said Durbin.
In other new business, the board approved the district’s membership in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) for the 2024-25 school year. This is an annual formality that allows the school district to participate in IHSA sanctioned sports.
The board also approved the Annual South East Purchasing Cooperative agreement. This has to be done each year to keep the district in the purchasing co-op which helps area schools to get competitive bids for food.
An overnight trip for the St. Elmo FFA was approved by the board. Members of the FFA will be attending the National Land & Range Judging Contest in El Reno, Oklahoma.
Following a closed session, the board approved two new hires for the district. Lauren Schoreck and Skyann Evans were both approved for employment as an elementary school teacher for the 2024-25 school year, pending a background check and employment history review.
The next St. Elmo Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m.