The View from the Seaman Board of Education President
Mr. Mark Boyd, President, Board of Education
May 01, 2008
To begin, I want to catch you up on the status of the district’s construction projects and what projects are on the horizon. The addition to the high school is nearly completed, but as with all projects there is a punch list of items that need to be resolved before we can call it complete. The bid letting for the junior high addition came in under estimate and was awarded to Senne Construction Company located in North Topeka. Work should begin almost immediately with the planned remodel and enlargement of the existing kitchen area. Site work should follow in preparation for the new addition. Design plans are now being considered for the new Logan Elementary and Early Childhood Center. Bid letting is expected later this summer.
A scheduled replacement of the existing track at Seaman Stadium has led us to an unscheduled, but timely replacement of the turf grass (or lack thereof) for an installation of an artificial surface. This is a big undertaking, as the field needs to be flattened and an extensive storm water drainage system installed prior to turf being laid. Arguably surface water drainage, or the lack thereof, is the reason that our current natural turf grass is in such need of replacement. This new artificial surface is about more than just varsity football. It will open up many opportunities for the other users such as underclassman football, marching band, dance, physical education classes, and intramurals, to name a few. None of these are currently allowed because of the intense stress that natural grass must endure. Again, we feel there is a compelling argument to go artificial, as the potential uses continue to grow.
I would now like to move on to another topic. Here I sit fresh off a National School Board convention. Some of my colleagues and I spent a few days at the convention surrounded by 25,000 other school board members, administrators, and teachers from around the country, we were all there for one common cause: to insure that public education and our local system continues to be the best available, and that our society will continue to thrive as a benefit from it.
There are many presenters at these conferences, some quite popular and some just everyday folks, but all with a powerful message that they deliver. There are those that look back at their amazing lives and share their experiences, such as retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor or distinguished actor Sydney Poitier, both entrenched in deep roots of determination and high moral value. Yet, the most profound speakers are not those that most of us would recognize by name, but those such as National Teacher of the Year award winner Andrea Peterson, whose passion for delivering lessons is what we would like to see in all our teachers.
I can proudly say our district boasts teachers of the same caliber as this inspiring teacher. A treat worth mentioning are the special performances by students during the general sessions, that by any measure are nothing short of astonishing. It is what we as school professionals are about and what we are here for.
In closing, thank you for the pride that you all take in our community and the desire to make it a better place for our children, families, and friends.
