Carrollton recognizes students for accomplishments
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By Carmen Ensinger
Carrollton School Board began their March meeting by recognizing several students for their recent accomplishments. Ella Stumpf was one of more than 20 West Central Illinois students to receive the Jacksonville Rotary Club Scholar Athlete Award.
This award recognizes one senior from each high school for demonstrating outstanding leadership, athletic achievement and academic excellence during his or her high school career. Students were selected based on the recommendations of school administrators and coaches.
Also recognized were this year’s Silver Medallion winners who were Tyler Singleton, Morgan Blasa and Caleb Gourley.
This award recognizes the top eight percent of each participating school’s graduating class. The program began way back in 1988 with only seven schools participating and 106 students recognized. Last year, there were 223 students recognized, representing 21 high schools in the area.
Carrollton Superintendent Mark Halwachs said the board gave final approval for the solar project with Veregy.
“If everything goes as plans and there are no delays, they should be ready to start on the project this summer,” Halwachs said. “They are looking at a start date right after school lets out, possibly in June.”
The multi-million dollar project will not only install solar panels on both the high school and grade school roofs, but it will also incorporate new roofs on both buildings. The district will pay for the project through the sale of bonds.
Tom Crabtree with Stifel, Nicholas of Jacksonville was on hand last month to explain how the process was going to work
“We have been working behind the scenes and looking at what Veregy has provided for the revenue essentially that you are going to receive from your solar project,” Crabtree said. “As you well know, part of that too is taking care of your roof needs so the project is really a two-fold activity that is going on.”
Crabtree said with that in mind, they have looked at the revenue and matched that up with the specific repayment scheduled for the district’s bond borrowing capability.
“We have matched up your revenue and found a repayment schedule that fits your needs,” he said. “So that way you will pay off both the solar project and the roof project together from those revenues. Some of those revenues come from the operating budget.”
Those dollars, however, will come from the savings from electricity costs achieved by the use of solar energy. It is expected that the district will save approximately $1.5 million dollars by doing this solar project.
The board approved setting the fee schedule for next year for the school lunch program. The district takes part in the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) so every student receives a free lunch, regardless of the income of the parents or guardians.
The fee schedule is for any additional lunches a student might wish to purchase.
“Lunches are going to be going up a nickel over the price we charged last year,” Halwachs said. “At the elementary level, the price will be $3.15 for lunch in grades K-6 and for 7-12 the price will go up to $3.40.”
The board also approved the school calendar for next year. Teachers will be in attendance two days before students will be in the classroom. Teachers will start on Aug. 15 and the first day for students will be Aug. 17.
The board accepted the resignation of school bus driver Andrea Roach. Halwachs said Roach resigned to take another job.
