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Grand Island Board of Education: Volunteers sought for facility committee

by jmaloni
Fri, Dec 17th 2010 02:00 pm

by Larry Austin

The Grand Island Central School District is making the last call for volunteers on its ad hoc 2011 facility committee.

At its regular meeting on Monday, the Board of Education elaborated the need for members of a committee that will review building needs and make recommendations to the Board of Education in contemplation of a capital project. A 2010 capital project proposal from the board, at a cost of $47 million, was shot down by district voters in a referendum.

The district has bought print advertisements to let people know "we'd love to have you volunteer to serve on the facility committee," said School Superintendent Robert Christmann. "But because we're going to kick it off in January, we'd like to have the volunteers by the end of next week so that we can organize it during the recess and then get started with it early in January. It's difficult to add people once the committee has had its first meeting."

Christmann told board members he has a list of some volunteers already.

The district has conducted a building conditions survey that is 95 percent set, Christmann said.

The district has repeatedly stated that the needs still exist that would have been addressed with passage of the 2010 capital project. Christmann said each meeting the board would highlight something of need "that could be met in the capital project." Monday, the board learned that electrical infrastructure deficiencies prevented making additions of computers to an in-school suspension room. Board President Richard Little said the issue is another example of how the electrical system is not "large enough to handle the capacity."

Those people interested in volunteering for the facility committee should write to: Janet Schuster, Board Clerk, Grand Island Central Schools, 1100 Ransom Road, Grand Island, NY 14072. The deadline is Wednesday, Dec. 22.

Good News

In the Good News portion of the meeting, the board recognized several teams, coaches and players for accomplishments in the fall sports season.

"We did a really great job in the fall season, and we will see if we can do as well in the winter, but they set a really high standard both in sportsmanship and achievement," Christmann said.

Among the citations:

•A Sportsmanship Award was given to boys varsity volleyball coach Bill Schultz, who was selected by the volleyball coaches of Western New York.

•Kallie Banker passed the 1,000-point plateau for her girls basketball career in the first game of the season against Sacred Heart Academy. Christmann said she has the potential to be the highest-scoring player in girls basketball history. "The team is doing extremely well," Christmann said.

•All 10 Viking varsity teams in the fall season achieved the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's Scholar Athlete Team Award. Christmann called it "a very prestigious award, to have every one of your teams to be designated Scholar Athlete." Christmann noted only those teams with academic averages above 90 earn the designation.

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