Projects repairing O-M storm damage finished

About 13 months later, Orient-Macksburg officials say they’ve successfully ridden the storm out.

Superintendent Shawn Holloway reports that at last Tuesday, April 18′s board meeting, the group signed off on completion of repairs that began with $2 million worth of insurance claims that resulted from a destructive hail storm that Orient took a direct hit from March 5, 2022.

“There’s really been continual work, from that point until now,” Holloway said. The last item to be fixed was a panel on the school’s greenhouse.

There wasn’t much the hail didn’t damage in that storm. You name it, it was probably damaged.

“It was pretty all-encompassing. It’s nice to be moving on there,” Holloway said.

The board approved the caledar for the 2023-24 school year, which mirrors Nodaway Valley’s. This will help in whatever sharing agreements are in place between the two districts each year. The certified budget was also ratified.

Signed contracts have been returned by staff. Holloway said that right now, there’s only one new opening. That is K-12 physical education/health. O-M has an internal plan to fill it, if needed, but they would like to hire someone from the outside. There are other positions like high school special education and high school science that are vacant from before.

Holloway credited NV Superintendent Paul Croghan for the flexibility and welcoming spirit NV has shown O-M in sharing agreements already in place.

“The board talked earlier in the year that we need to have a pretty early deadline for when we’re going to stop looking for that [physical education and health] position,” Holloway said. He acknowledged that one or two changes on O-M’s end can mean an increased workload for school counselors and other staff. That is why he believes setting deadlines for things like these is crucial and fair to all involved.

A successful negotiations and contracts season is a sign of strong collaboration between the district’s administration and employees, the superintendent said. All contracts extended represent a 3% increase.

The board approved softball infield improvements. Volunteers have been secured to do the work. Fifty tons of material for the project is projected to cost $4,612.50. It will include removal of old material and installation of the new.

Sharing agreements were approved with Lenox for a human resources employee and an elementary counselor. A new sharing agreement with Nodaway Valley was also approved, this one for librarian services. It gives O-M 15 days of librarian services from Nodaway Valley starting next school year.