Lawhon Construction Company of St. Joseph was awarded a $3,758,000 contract to build the South Harrison Middle School Thursday night at the school board meeting.
Jeremy Proctor of Ellison & Auxier, the district architects, told the school board that Lawhon had submitted the low bid from among five contractors that had submitted bids on the project. Lawhon also is building the new Cameron Middle School.
The contractor will move onto the site, north of the high school building, about June 1. The school has set ground-breaking ceremonies for 9 a.m. on Thursday morning, May 21.
Proctor said there will be opportunities for some local contractors to take part in the project.
“They (Lawhon) always like to try to get as much involvement by local contractors as they can,” he told the school board.
Lawhon submitted a base bid of $3.4 million for the project. That was well within the school district’s budget. The school board approved the addition of several alternative projects to the base bid. These include brick veneer on the south wall of the building to match the high school; food service equipment; mill work in the classrooms; built-in storage closets and bookshelves; upgraded finishes, painting and tile work, and bleachers and cross-court goals for the gymnasium.
In other business, the school board approved the construction of a 576-square-foot storage building at the elementary school. The building would replace a trailer at the site which has been considered unsafe because of mold and water damage. The district’s maintenance staff will construct the building.
The board also approved the replacement of another section of heating and air conditioning units at the high school. The units will be purchased from Lenox at a price of $48,587.
Middle school Principal Shane Jones reported that incoming fifth graders were recently given a tour of the high school-middle school building.
Elementary Principal Natalie Arnold said 198 students have been enrolled in summer school. It will be held on June 1-25.
Jason Slaughter, special services director, said some 82 students have been screened for pre-school next year.
Superintendent Dennis Eastin said finish work remains to be completed on the new driveway at the North Central Career Center. A new flag pole will be installed at the career center as soon as weather permits.
In other business, the school board:
l Approved a contract with Heather Giles for speech services.
l Offered a contract to Meyer Insight Mobility for vision services.
l Hired Mike Wilhelm of Onaga, Kan., as head football coach, athletic director and physical education instructor for the next year.
lHired Angela Wilhelm as an elementary teacher.
lEmployed Cameron Christenson as a middle school social studies instructor.
lHired Sara Lasher as a special education teacher at the middle school.
lHired Jodi Stephens as a teacher in the Parents as Teachers Program.,