It appears that Beecher School District 200-U is winning the war on mildew.
As school was being prepared to open, mildew was discovered in the elementary school in some classrooms and hallways.
Supt. Jack Gaham is hoping the mildew mess is behind him but, during the first week in August, there were concerns when it came to the 100-year-old building.
“It happens when you have moisture in an area that has a lack of ventilation,” Gaham said at the August 13 school board meeting. “That occurred because our elementary school was the first one done, in terms of the waxing.
“The problem is – and I will take full responsibility because it’s my responsibility that my staff does what it’s supposed to do – the doors should have been left open so you would have full circulation through that hallway and through all of those rooms.”
But merely opening the doors didn’t solve the problem, as the halls and classrooms were wiped down with bleach and water and two dehumidifiers were installed.
But there were still remnants of the mildew present.
That caused deep cleans for the rest of the week.
An environmentalist examined the rooms and hallways and the official report wasn’t available at the meeting, but Gaham said if there was a problem, the environmentalist would have told him.
For now, nightly cleaning still will take place.
“I have done a lot to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Gaham said. “If it happens again, I don’t have an answer, but I can assure you it’s not because I don’t care.”
Budget in black
Gaham gave the board some financial good news regarding the budget.
“At the end of the day, you are in the black next year,” he said. “It’s only $3,600, but it’s in the black.
“If you remember last year, you started at negative $600,000 but at the end of the year, with the amended budget and the levy payment, you guys were in the black last year.”
Coming and going
The board acknowledged the retirement of full time bus driver Jocelyn Davis-Beck and the intent-to-retire status of elementary teacher Sheila Oppenhuis.
It also recognized the resignation of junior high teacher aide Melissa Proskurniak.
The board approved the hiring of junior high teacher aide Jodi Cook and high school physical education teacher Ken Keinsner.
Also going…
Board member Stacy Mazurek resigned from the board effective August 13. She was elected in 2023, and her term expires in 2027.
Mazurek was also a four-year member of the Beecher Village Board, from 2017-to-2021.Résumés for her spot may be sent to school board president Ashley Belt at ashleybelt@beecher200u.org