RCS BOE approves bids for new high school sign, RES playground equipment

Russellville High School will soon be identified by brand new signage.

In its meeting Feb. 24, the Russellville City Schools Board of Education approved a bid for RHS’ new digital school sign.” Bid opening was Feb. 14; one bid was received from Reliable Sign Service in the amount of $51,678.

“The lighted part of the current sign still works, but the digital part has not worked in about two years,” explained RHS maintenance supervisor Alan Wilson.

He said the new sign will be 4 feet by 8 feet and double-sided. The larger sign will be a welcome addition to campus.

Wilson said technology has come a long way since the current sign was installed “probably somewhere around 2004 or 2005.” He estimated the size of the non-working digital portion of the current sign is 2 feet by 4 inches, capable of using “just very rudimentary graphics.”

Wilson said the system has been waiting to replace the sign until the new building was completed. Now, final drawings are in progress and are expected to be completed within a couple of weeks.

Wilson said it will probably take about three months to receive the sign after placing the order – “probably sometime this summer.” He said the new sign will be a full screen providing “much improved quality and vision for people driving by.”

“We’re really excited about the new sign,” he added. “We think it will provide a much better look than what we currently have.”

Wilson said the sign will initially be installed on a single pole with a metal surround. Eventually the plan is to construct a brick base and redo the flower bed to center it around the single pole, versus the current double pole.

“It’ll be an all-summer project and hopefully ready for school to start back in the fall,” he said.

RES HANDICAP PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT

The board also approved a bid for “RES Handicap Playground Equipment” – $31,521.13 from Game Time c/o Struthers Recreation.

“We had an anonymous community member donate funds to purchase playground equipment for our students with special needs,” explained Russellville Elementary Principal Tiffany Warhurst. “It would take us years to raise enough money to purchase any new playground equipment, so we are very excited to be adding a few smaller pieces of handicap-accessible equipment to our larger playground area.”

Warhurst said RES already has a swing and a few other pieces of playground equipment suitable for those with special needs, but the new equipment will provide students in wheelchairs with even more playtime opportunities.

“We are very excited about these additions to our campus, and we appreciate the donor thinking of our students when deciding how they could give back to our community,” she added.

OTHER BUSINESS

The school board also approved:

• Trip request: RES fifth-grade students, May 4-8, to Washington, D.C.
  
• The 2022-2023 athletic schedule for golf. Students will travel to the away games by bus or approved vehicle.
• Facility use requests: RHS Auditorium, Franklin County Watermelon Pageant, July 14-15; RCS Board Room, Regional ILP Meeting and Leadership Training, Sept. 7 and 16; RHS Fine Arts Building, “Let’s Make Music Together” night for children with special needs, March 1; and RMS gymnasium and stadium, Chucky Mullins Memorial Scholarship activities, March 25.
• Personnel matters, including 21st Century Learning Center hires.

The next regular meeting will be March 23 at 8 a.m. The work session will be March 20 at 3:30 p.m.