Blair Community Schools classified staff and administrators will receive pay raises for the 2021-22 school year.
The raises exclude nurses, physical therapist and occupational therapist.
The Board of Education approved $70,000 for the increase for classified staff total compensation inclusive of wages and benefits to be allocated by Supt. Randy Gilson.
The board also approved $32,000 to be allocated for administrators.
The board approved the hirings of five new teachers and the resignations of two teachers.
Jonathan Jaworski will serve as the Otte Blair Middle School instrumental music teacher. He previously taught for 16 years at Ashland-Greenwood. His wife, Janelle Jaworski, is a K-2 music teacher for the district.
Cassy Gade will be a K-2 special education teacher at North Primary. She is a Wayne State College graduate and has taught for a year at Humphrey St. Francis.
Avery Misfeldt will serve as a science teacher at Blair High School. She is a Blair High School graduate and has taught a year in Elkhorn. Her mother, Kathleen Misfeldt, is an English teacher at OBMS.
Clarrisa Patterson was hired as a K-2 special education teacher at Deerfield Primary School. She has taught for five years in Menasha, Wis.
Kendra Johnson was hired as a preschool teacher. She has taught for a year at Sarpy County/ESU No. 3.
The board approved resignations from preschool teacher Lauren Diffey and BHS science teacher Jennifer Brown.
The Blair High School gym will have two new upgraded scoreboards after fundraising effort for sponsorship.
The board approved the purchase of the ScoreVision scoreboards for $142,482. A total of $103,000 has already been secured for the purchase.
The scoreboards will be used to sell sponsorship packages for ads before and during the game.
The project has potential to generate revenue for Blair schools by the third year.
Following an annual gym inspection at BHS, OBMS, Arbor Park, Deerfield and North schools, it was determined some items need to be replaced.
The board accepted a proposal from Sports Maintenance in the amount of $20,168 for the repairs, which include backboards adjusted and repaired, a new rim, replacing missing bleacher brackets and horse wheels, adding cable guides to backboards and replacing safety straps.
The board approved a proposal from Electric Sound Inc. of Omaha for upgrades to the intercom systems at OBMS and Arbor Park Intermediate School.
The total cost is $40,790.
At OBMS, the system has been running by replacing parts and fuses for the last three to four years. The speakers also don't function correctly.
At Arbor Park, the bells have not been ringing consistently during the school year. A secretary has been ringing the bells manually.
Dusk Junker, director of Blair Kids Academy, was awarded a grant from Beyond School Bells 2021 Summer of Innovation program.
The grant totals $13,307 and will be used for an outdoor classroom to be located at Deerfield Primary School.
BKA has submitted a design proposal to Supt. Randy Gilson. However, the board would like to see a few changes, including the location, landscaping and accessibility before the project moves forward.
Blair High School skilled and technical sciences teacher Chris Schuler received a donation of 26 6.5HP engines from Kohler Engines. The estimated value of the engines is $6,000.
The engines will be used for the engine mechanics class at BHS.
