The Clinton Prairie Junior-Senior High School is about to undergo a renovation project this summer which will focus mainly on three main projects to improve the school infrastructure.
“We will be updating some of the infrastructure in our school,” said Clinton Prairie Superintendent Amanda Whitlock. “The whole building will be getting a new roof, we will upgrading our lighting and our restrooms. Those are the three main projects we will be doing.”
Whitlock added the project will get started as soon as the school is over this year with the hope being these projects will be completed when school starts in the fall.
Johnson Controls presented updates to the school board at the March 20 meeting. The overall cost of the project is $4.4 million.
Whitlock also updated the timetable for replacing two principals at Clinton Prairie Elementary School.
“We are looking for somebody with strong leadership abilities, has a strong elementary background and is a really good fit for Clinton Prairie,” said Whitlock, who added the district has yet to take any applications.
Whitlock added they hope to have the new principal in place in the next couple of months and that person will aid in the search for an assistant principal Current principal Joe Walker is retiring after 16 years and the board elected not to renew the contract of current assistant principal Jonathan Shannon.
For the second straight meeting, parents of elementary school students voiced their concerns with the superintendent’s and the board’s decision not to renew the contract of Shannon, whose contract was not renewed by a 4-1 vote at the February meeting.
Jennifer Schilling, who said she was speaking on behalf of the parents opposed to that decision, said petitions have been signed by 200 parents, 60 teachers and 100 students asking the board to reconsider their decision.
“You guys should be wanting what’s best for them (the petitioners),” said Schilling. “Letting Mr. Shannon go was next in the best interest of our children.”
Schilling added there are a number of parents who are concerned that Clinton Prairie is beginning to follow the same path that led to some of the same problems which was experienced by the Clinton Central School District.
Parents vow they will be keeping a vigilant eye on the proceedings at Prairie and will continue to make their voices heard at meetings.