Mar 21, 2013 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – Carmichaels Area School Board will begin holding workshop meetings an hour before its regular meetings as it proceeds through the design phase of its school renovation project.

The board will be meeting at 6 p.m. before its regular meeting each month with district architect Kevin Hayes to review the details of the renovations as the design plans develop, Superintendent Craig Baily said Thursday.

The board approved an agreement earlier this month with the Hayes Design Group to complete architectural work on the project, which will involve renovating all three district buildings.

Baily told the board Thursday Hayes had attended the district’s last teacher inservice day to explain the project to teachers and to begin receiving input on the project from staff.

The project has been estimated to cost between $23 million and $25 million. State reimbursement, estimated at $7 million, will reduce the district’s cost to between $16 million and $18 million.

The board agreed to move its April meeting to April 25 because on April 18, the regular meeting date, student Morgan Berardi will be honored at a banquet, as part of the Dapper Dan Roundball Classic festivities.

Berardi is the daughter of board member Melodie Berardi. He, as well as Baily and John Menhart, junior-senior high school principal, will all be attending the banquet.

Morgan Berardi was one of only 60 girl basketball players in Western Pennsylvania to be selected for the classic. Baily noted that the last person to be chosen to participate in the Dapper Dan event was Menhart in 1974 for football.

The board agreed to advertise for a new driver’s education car. Baily reported the timing belt had broken on the existing car, causing additional damage that would be expensive to repair.

Prior to the meeting, an open house was held for the district’s new greenhouse, which was constructed by the district’s maintenance staff with funding by a grant from the Community Foundation of Greene County.

The building’s construction was a “remarkable feat,” Baily said, giving credit to the excellent work of the maintenance staff.

Baily reported the foundation has indicated it will provide an additional $15,000 grant to pay for a sprinkler system for the greenhouse. The greenhouse is being used by science classes, the sixth grade and life skill classes. Baily said flowers and potting soil for the greenhouse open house were donated by Clark Nursery.

The board received a retirement notice from special education teacher Nancy Mays, who will leave the district at the end of the school year. Mays has been with the district more than 20 years.