By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Centre school board voted Monday to accept a contribution of $94,000 a year for 10 years from the company establishing a new wind farm in northern and northwest Marion County.

Hillsboro-Lehigh school district also will receive a yearly contribution.

Centre Superintendent Susan Beeson said the agreement states that after 10 years of direct payments to the school districts, contributions will be given to the county to distribute among all five school districts.

The board approved purchase of 22 egress windows for classrooms at a cost of $29,050. An egress window is a window large enough for entry or exit in case of an emergency. They also purchased 15 tinted windows.

Cabinets purchased from Clark Lumber Company in Herington for $3,850 will be installed in the IT room, which will also be the office for Kansas Online Learning Program.

The board accepted the resignation of Jennifer Montgomery at the end of the school year. She has accepted a position as English instructor for Butler Community College.

Bruce Rhodes was hired to teach junior high and high school science, KOLP counselor Jill Jay’s contract was extended for another year, and 15 days were added to secretary Terri Bina’s contract.

The board ratified a contract with Alexander Maxwell Venable to serve as high school counselor.

Other actions included renewal of membership in Greenbush, renewal of a cooperative Career Technical Education training program, and approval of $2,500 to repair a 2007 Ford Freestar van.

The board approved purchase of classroom computers at a cost not to exceed $10,930. They also approved sale of computers no longer used.

Beeson announced that preschool would continue at five days a week. The teacher will have a planning hour every day.

Scholarships of $3,000 each, resulting from income from the district-owned Loren E. and Clara Mowrer Farm, were approved for seniors Kate Basore, Cole Srajer, Cody Svoboda, and Max Svoboda.

Beeson said $59,450 worth of scholarships have been awarded so far.