Members of the Wayland Board of Education Monday evening saw and heard presentations from Tower Pinkster architects about plans for the sixth-grade addition to the middle school.
The plans made up a major portion of a $19.25 million bond project approved Nov. 7 by voters. The project also includes renovations and improvements at Pine Street Elementary School, a 76-year-old building, and 12 new tennis courts behind the middle school.
Tower Pinkster’s sketches were well received for the 30,000-square-foot addition, which Superintendent Norm Taylor said will make the middle school the second largest building in the district. Sixth-graders are supposed to move in before the fall of 2019, thereby making Pine Street only for fourth- and fifth-graders and taking pressure off crowded classrooms at Dorr Elementary.
Taylor later in the meeting noted that space for the next academic year will be at such a premium that there is no room is left for Head Start students, at least temporarily.
In other business at the work session, the board:
• Was told by Finance Director Patricia Velie that the district anticipates about $1.68 million in revenue sharing for the next year from the Gun lake Casino, a 3.1% increase.
• Agreed to adjust Safety Director Matt Miller’s employment to 52 weeks and pay an increase of $14,200 for the program.
• Was told by Velie that Wayland may get between $100 and $240 per puil in additional state aid next year, perhaps bring the per-pupil allowance to at least $7,751.
• Received information that the current enrollment at Wayland is 3,020 students and officials expect an increase of 47 pupils in the 2018-19 academic year.
• Learned the agining swimming pool, almost 43 years old, will cost the district an estimated $40,000 in repairs and maintenance for this fiscal year.
• Was told by Velie, “We’re on target to reach our goal of 12 percent fund balance,” with the figure now standing at 11.95%.
