Carthage votes to resurface track

The school districts forming the new Illini West High School are almost completely software compatible.

Carthage technology coordinator Diane Pepple delivered this news at the Carthage Unit #338 board meeting last week.

Carthage, Dallas City and LaHarpe elementary districts and Illini West now have PowerSchool software for students and teachers. Everyone except Dallas City has Versitran transportation software, too. Dallas City hasn't voted on it yet.

The software is one step in helping all the districts to unify curriculum and bussing procedures.

The #338 board agreed to spend up to $35,000 for Track Surfaces to resurface the track at the high school. The company offered a lower bid of $33,900 if Warsaw also agrees to resurface its track this summer. Line striping is included in the prices.

The expansion project at the high school/primary school is progressing. The contractor was released to begin work as the weather allows. The project includes a new kitchen, cafeteria, multipurpose room, and other needed space.

A meeting covering the transition of the high school to Illini West and the lease agreement between Illini West and Carthage Elementary focused on how to split utility costs. Utility costs are being split on a percentage basis between the Illini West and Carthage Elementary districts. The group proposed the districts meet more often than once a year since utility costs will fluctuate.

They meet again March 6.

Carl Sandburg College president Tom Schmidt told the board that 600 students in its district are taking dual credit courses. They reached an agreement with Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio, that allows CSC graduates to finish a four-year degree 100 percent online.

The college started a new engineering curriculum called Project Lead the Way that is designed to prepare high school students for careers in engineering and high technology fields.

A Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district meeting was held earlier this month to answer questions for those located in the district. The school board's concern centered around not having a written document for review. The attorneys for both sides are working on writing one. They agreed that district numbers for Illini West and Carthage Elementary should appear on the document.

Patsy Lloyd resigned as the morning supervisor. Tyler Walker was hired as the new morning supervisor.