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The Escambia County Board of Education approved a bid for renovations of the existing athletic field house at Escambia County High School during its regular meeting on June 29 in Brewton.

The bid was awarded to TripTek Construction LLC for $2,693,700, and includes the renovation of the field house, and an addition to the weight room where it is.

Deputy of Operations and Facilities Shaun Goolsby said the renovations will also bring the building up to (Americans with Disabilities Act) code.

Goolsby said the renovations include work being done on the inside, outside, plumbing and draining.

District 4 Boardmember and Board Vice President Cindy Jackson asked where the money is coming from to pay for the project.

“That’s coming from capital projects,” Goolsby said.

Superintendent Michele McClung added that no money is being taken out of the local account for the project as it was already reserved for the project.

In other business, the board:

• recognized Flomaton High School Student Addison Green during McClung’s remarks.

Green was awarded a superintendent’s certificate of recognition for fire safety application.

Flomaton Fire Chief Steve Stanton said his fire department holds fire safety classes for schools and other groups every year.

Stanton said Green’s house was on fire, and the FHS student knew from her class what to do in case there was a fire. She met her mother at their meeting place.

When Green’s mother wanted to go back in and get her phone, but her daughter wouldn’t let her.

“ ‘You’re not going back in there,’” Addison told her mother. “ ‘I don’t care. You can use my phone.’”

Assistant Superintendent George Brown said the district appreciates the FFD preparing kids in case a fire was to occur at their home.

• approved McClung to attend the Innovative Schools Summit, “Addressing Learning Loss. Cultural Responsiveness. Supportive Discipline.” on Nov. 30, 2023 to Dec. 3, 2023, to be paid for by Title II funds;
• approved to extend the CNP Beverage Bid #2020-5 awarded to Trident Beverage for one year from Aug. 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024;
• approved to extend CNP Milk Products Bid #2020-4 awarded to Borden Dairy for one year from Aug. 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024;
• approved a CNP Supplemental Bid with Osborn Brothers for procurement of supplemental food and supply items not currently available as part of the statewide purchasing bid list. This was originally approved July 22, 2021;
• approved the revised ECBOE Wellness Policy;
• approved a Schneider Electric agreement. The agreement the board approved is for a plan to be brought back to the board for upgrades to schools’ lighting, HVAC systems and utilities system wide.

Schneider Market Team Leader Kyle Keith said the plan will be given to the board to review, and the best time to perform the upgrades, if approved by the board, is during next summer while students are out of school.

Board President Danny Benjamin suggested the board hold a workshop once the plan is available, to which the other board members agreed; and,

• approved the purchase of three portable classrooms and one portable restroom unit from Fabricon Modular for $418,607.