Grove City Messenger - February 20th, 2022

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By Dedra Cordle
Staff Writer
The South-Western City Schools District is set to tap
into its federal relief funds in order to make improvements
at several high school facilities.
At a recent meeting, the board of education unanimously
approved a resolution to authorize the replacement of
the roofs at the recreation centers at Franklin Heights,
Grove City, and Westland High Schools.
According to district officials, this $3.89 million project
is sorely needed.
“These facilities were built in the early 1980s,” said
Monte Detterman, the district’s director of business services.
“And while we have done repairs here and there over the
years, we feel it is well past time to address the underlying
issues and get it fixed through a complete replacement.”
Three companies bid for the project and two companies
were awarded contracts to oversee it. The Carl T. Johnson
Co. of Logan, Ohio will replace the recreation center roof at
the Falcon’s Nest for $1.34 million and R.A.M.E Inc. of
Washington, Pa. will replace the recreation center roofs at
Grove City and Westland for $2.54 million.
An additional $300,000 will be set aside for unforeseen
items or district requested changes during the roof replacement
project.
In Education
School district to use relief funds for roof improvements
Detterman said he believes all three roof replacement
projects will be completed before the start of the 2022-23
school year.
“We may still be making minor repairs but there should
not be any major impact to the students when school is in
session,” he said.
The district will be paying for the $3.89 million project
through its third round of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Last year, the district announced it had received an allocation
of $61.1 million through the Elementary and
Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund and with it came
a requirement that 20 percent of the total sum be set aside
to focus on learning loss initiatives caused during the
course of the pandemic.
The remainder of the funds could be used for capital
improvement projects with the stipulation that
they be used before the end of 2023. In addition to
the roof replacement at the high school recreation
centers, the district also would like to use those
funds to replace HVAC units at its intermediate
schools, reconfigure space at Buckeye Woods and
Darby Woods Elementary and build additional classroom
space at the South-Western Career Academy.
In other news, the board awarded a contract to
Decker Construction Company Inc. for phase two of
February 20, 2022 - GROVE CITY MESSENGER - PAGE 9
the transportation lot improvement project. According to
Detterman, the company will be using roller-compacted
asphalt to replace the middle portion of the 13-acre lot — similar
to what they use to create highways.
“It will last longer and be more sustainable,” he said.
The project will cost $521,601 with an additional
$52,599 set aside for unforeseen items and owner requested
changes during construction.
Detterman said phase two will take place this summer
while the third and final phase will take place next year.
He said the district had to break this project up into phases
due to the size of the transportation lot and the logistics
of moving its fleet.
Pandemic has impact on services To advertise in
By Dedra Cordle
Staff Writer
Officials at two of the most vital departments
within the South-Western City
Schools District presented the board of
education with its annual report last
month. The officials said while both departments
have been negatively impacted by
pandemic related issues, they continue to
do the best with what they are given.
Tim Cox, the supervisor at the transportation
department, said at a recent
board meeting that they are still struggling
to hire bus drivers, particularly at the substitute
level.
He added that while board approved
increases to wages have lessened the sting of
the shortage being felt at other districts, they
are still not where they would like to be.
“If we had 30 substitutes on hand a day,
that would be our optimum goal,” he said.
Unfortunately, he added, they currently
have 17 substitute drivers on their list and
not all of them are “everyday drivers.”
He said some drivers on the list can only
do field trips, while others have full-time
jobs elsewhere.
He said what is compounding the issue is
the shortage of CDL drivers across the nation.
“It’s everywhere, not just here.”
He said he hopes recent efforts by the
local, state, and federal government to
train individuals to get their licensure will
help in the near future.
According to Cox, the transportation
department’s fleet of buses are in good condition.
There are currently 210 buses in service
and a majority of them are newer models.
He said the district is currently receiving
federal funds though a Diesel Mitigation
Trust Fund Grant that allows older models
to be replaced at a discounted rate.
He said that is beneficial to the district
as the cost to purchase a bus has risen by
11 percent.
“We are now into the six figures per
bus,” he told the board.
After giving his report, Cox praised the
efforts of the transportation staff. That sentiment
was echoed by members of the board.
“They are the best,” said board member
Lee Schreiner.
Lisa Hamrick, the supervisor of the food
service department, also presented an
annual report to the board.
She said this department is experiencing
staffing shortages at the substitute level and
shortages with some items on the menu.
“We are not any different from any other
school district across the nation,” she said.
“We are definitely in the same boat as we have
also run into a lot of supply chain issues.”
Hamrick said the department has done
an “exemplary job” of making food substitutions,
especially as they have seen an
increase in participation numbers at lunch
and at breakfast. The department estimates
65 percent of the student body is
participating during lunch meals, while 33
percent of the student body is partaking in
breakfast meals.
Hamrick said while she does like to see
more student participation in school meals,
she worries they will see a drop off in those
numbers next year if the state and federal
program that provided free meals to all students
is not renewed.
She said the department does not and
will not “turn away children” should they
be unable to pay for their meals. However,
she did stress the importance of filling out
applications for free and reduced meals.
“It affects not just the funding within
our department but at many departments
throughout the district as well,” she said.
Both departments are still hiring for
positions. Visit the district’s website at
swcsd.us for more information.
the Messenger,
call 614-272-
5422.