COLUMBIANA - Two architectural firms are vying for the right to design a renovation plan for Joshua Dixon Elementary School.
The Board of Education last month heard presentations from two architectural firms, M.S. Consultants and Strollo Architects, and Superintendent Don Mook announced at a board meeting Tuesday that he is currently looking over the two firms' references and materials before making his recommendation.
Mook, who would like renovation to begin as soon as possible to take advantage of low market prices, thanked the board for granting him additional time in making his recommendation and said he may call a special meeting Friday to make the announcement.
"Both architectural firms feel they can hit the ground running on this," he said.
The top priority at the school will be replacement of the roof, for which he said a pitched metal roof would be the best option.
"We want to put a roof on it that will last the ages," he commented.
Another upgrade Mook hopes to see at the building is the addition of four new classrooms. The addition would allow the fourth grade to move back in from the middle school, which currently has the largest size and age gap between students.
He also would like to see individual rooms for the cafeteria, auditorium and gymnasium, which are currently all in the same location, as well as new flooring and a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
"Some of the littlest things make a world of difference," said Mook, who also oversaw a renovation at Lisbon's David Anderson High School while serving as principal there.
The board will pay for the renovations through refinancing of the loans used to build the high school, for which the superintendent is anticipating receipt of $4-5.5 million.
After work at the elementary school is finished, Mook said he will next aim his focus at renovation of South Side Middle School.
"We need to make sure we're competing and putting our best foot forward," he commented, noting surrounding school districts are filled with new buildings.
Also at the meeting, High School Principal Dave Cappuzzello presented a breakdown of Columbiana student athletes' grade point averages. The breakdown showed nearly a quarter of all student athletes have a 4.0 grade point average, more than 65 percent of student athletes are on the honor roll and the average grade point average for student athletes is 3.34.
Female student athletes have been performing better than their male counterparts academically, with boys' soccer, basketball and football players having the lowest combined grade point averages. Volleyball players had the highest cumulative grade point average with 3.76 while football players had the lowest with 2.7.
Board member Randy Guy was happy to see the so many student athletes performing in the higher academic range.
