Richmond County School System Building Committee Tuesday unanimously approved awarding the bid for roofing and HVAC projects to a Savannah company that came in significantly under budget for the project.
The Building Committee awarded the bid for construction projects at Terrace Manor Elementary School to R. W. Allen Construction of Savannah. The company bid $1.02 million for HVAC and roofing projects at the elementary school. The school board had budgeted $1.13 million.
The bid will now go to the full commission for approval at its Feb. 16 meeting. Tuesday was set aside for board committee meetings.
The Terrace Manor roofing and HVAC work are the final project RCSS had to begin in Phase VI of its building program funded by a one-cent sales tax extension. Phase VI includes four expansion and renovation projects, two regeneration projects, a historic renovation project, a solar project, two new K-5 schools, a baseball /softball field project, an infrastructure project, and several Roofing / HVAC projects for a total of 26 projects, according to the RCSS website.
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RCSS students must receive a meningococcal booster vaccine July 1, 2021. Students age 16 or older entering 11th grade must receive a second dose unless they received a first dose on or after their 16th birthdays. The school system sent several letters informing parents of the changes, according to the Student Services Committee who reported there have been some problems communicating with parents of online students.
The Finance Committee reported that as of Jan. 31, 2021, the school system’s total cash and investment accounts equaled $99.9 million. Revenues for the month of January totaled $19.8 million and expenditures totaled $23.5 million for an ending fund balance of $57.6 million. Phase V tax collections equaled $4,24 million, up $438,000 from this time last year. The revenue from ad valorem tax is $737.4 million, also up from this time last year.
The Student Services Committee introduced the Data Records Corporation Beacon to BOE officials. The DCRB, first introduced this year, is a state-funded assessment product provided by the Georgia Department of Education. RCSS did not participate in the program during the 2020-2021 school year. The school system will administer it next year to third through eighth graders for the subjects of language and math.
DCRB provides “immediate detailed results” within an hour after completion. If a student struggles with a question, the program offers the student an easier question, reducing test frustration. The test, administered three times a year, measures academic growth.
Richmond County School System Board member, Dr. Wayne Frazier, expressed some concern about the publics’ ability to comment during online school board meetings. The Board agreed to include details of how to get on the agenda in meeting notices.
Shellie Smitley is a staff writer at The Augusta Press. Reach her at shellie@theaugustapress.com.
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