Arcanum News: Kindness – pass it on!

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Kindness challenge- Help out a neighbor, friend, or family member who needs help getting the snow off their driveway, sidewalk, or car!

Update on the work at our local school — workers will be back on site in the spring of 2016 with the anticipated completion of the work in the summer of 2016. The district will work with the contractors so that it is scheduled in a manner to minimize disruptions to school activities.

Arcanum School District has continued to partner with the OSFC, the State agency responsible for administering State-sponsored school building projects. Because the District’s K-12 Building was initially constructed as part of the OSFC’s Classroom Facilities Assistance Program (CFAP), the remedial work will be performed as part of, and funded through, that same program. The cost to repair the masonry work is $1,985,125 with an additional cost of $197,500 for a brick upgrade rather than using CMU block similar to the block used on for the original construction. On behalf of the district and the OSFC, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office has filed suit in an effort to recover costs associated with the masonry repair.

The district and the OSFC have reached an agreement with the original contractor who installed the standing seam metal roof to address the leaks associated with the standing seam metal roof. The remedial work on the roof will also commence on June 1. The remedial work will consist of removing and replacing the existing standing seam metal roof. Arcanum-Butler Local Schools will pay $315,000 or about 11 percent of the total project cost, which pays for a vapor barrier and ice & water shield layer of protection that would be considered above and beyond the original scope of work that the district and OSFC believes is necessary for proper protection.

The problems with the masonry walls arose because members of the construction team failed to provide quality work for our building, and the District and the OSFC are committed to correcting the problem and holding the responsible parties accountable. The goal of the board of education with this repair work is to make sure that our building and grounds continue to be a source of pride for our community and function properly. While the district is disappointed in the extent of the necessary repairs, it is our commitment to continue to work proactively to correct this problem and will work with the State Attorney General’s office to pursue the responsible parties for reimbursement of the masonry repair costs.

“Blizzard Bags” will be sent home with students at Arcanum Schools in envelopes near the end of the first semester, or soon after. These will only be used in the event that days are needed. Notice will be given through the One Call messaging system at the time of the cancellation. Students who do not complete the necessary assignments are subject to regular classroom discipline for unfinished work and will be marked “unexcused” for that particular day. For the 2015-16 school year, the Arcanum-Butler Local School District will continue to use calamity days in the event of school cancellations. If the district uses all five (5) calamity days, blizzard bags will again be used. Once all three blizzard bag days are used, the district will utilize make-up days as noted on the district calendar.

The 2015-16 Darke County Upward Sports season has officially began at the Pleasant View Missionary Church and the former Gettysburg Elementary School building on Saturdays this month. Nearly 400 children are actively registered for the new season of basketball and cheerleading. The program runs for 12 weeks starting with team practices in December and is open to kids in kindergarten through eighth-grade. In addition to playing basketball and cheer, at halftime of every game a testimony is shared and each team holds a star ceremony following every game which recognizes each child by presenting a star for offense, defense, effort and Christ-like sportsmanship that the kids proudly display on their uniform. The kids are only required to give up two hours a week to participate, one hour for practice and one for games that are held each Saturday. The Upward Sports program was founded nationally in 1995. It is the world’s largest Christian youth sports provider with over 2,000 churches in 47 states. The program’s goal is to help develop each child mentally, athletically, spiritually and socially.

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

“If you expect the blessings of God, be kind to his people.” ~Abu Bakr

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By Vickie Rhodehamel

Vickie Rhodehamel is a volunteer citizen columnist, who serves The Daily Advocate readers weekly with her Arcanum community column. She can be reached by calling 937-692-6188, by e-mail at [email protected]. Viewpoints expressed in the article are the work of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.

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