ESCANABA — The Escanaba School Board took one step closer to selling the Soo Hill School building to the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District (DSISD) Monday. The board agreed to sell the building for $175,000. The building was appraised at $216,500.

After Escanaba Superintendent Coby Fletcher and DSISD Superintendent Doug Leisenring negotiated, items came to light that dropped the sale price from $216,500 to $175,000.

“With our appraisal and their building inspection … we took into account a few factors,” said Fletcher. “There’s a need to replace a back-up boiler … there is a pipe in a classroom restroom that has to be fixed. To fix the pipe they are going to have to tear into the foundation. Rails that raise and lower the septic pumps need to be replaced … “

Fletcher said the building will be sold to the ISD as is, and he will begin working to create a contract of sale.

Fletcher also discussed conversations he has had with the team that is working toward a smooth consolidation/reconfiguration for the 2020-2021 school year. Start times and bus routes were of high concern.

“There’s a growing body of research on start times for kids,” said Fletcher. “Really what that research is showing is that the younger kids actually do better with the earlier start times.”

The group also looked at bus routes.

“We got a lot of feedback from parents who have kids in fourth and fifth grade, and one of the things we heard on a frequent basis was that earlier start time is advantageous because kids are so involved in after-school activities,” said Fletcher.

Both topics will continue to be discussed.

In other business:

– The board hired Jessica Garber as Escanaba Junior High/High School assistant principal.

– Escanaba High School Principal Darci Griebel announced this year’s scholarship fund is $450,000. 176 senior students must fill out paper work by 2:35 p.m. today to be included in the scholarship program.

– Amy Cseter, director of operations, reported 21 Escanaba school busses were inspected in four days, with only four items addressed after a 190 point inspection. Those four items were addressed immediately and the inspection rated as very good.

– Webster Kindergarten Center Principal Krista Johnson announced enrollment numbers of kindergarten students are planned to be the same number as this school year.

-The board reviewed a rollout plan of putting Chromebooks in every junior and senior high school student’s hands within the next two years. Currently students share Chromebooks.

– Upper Elementary students showed the board results of this year’s Native American Project, and others read books they wrote and published. Principal Craig LeClaire reported the Leader in Me program has taken hold in the school, and the actions of students are reflected in the lower number of reports given to LeClaire. He reported last year’s discipline referrals were 245, compared to 60 this year during the same time frame.

LeClaire said students are in class more and it reflects in their studies. Students are doing great academically and socially.

– The board voted to change policy service companies from NEOLA Board of Education Policies to Thrun Policy Service.

– The board accepted a bid of $58,100 from Heartland Business Systems, of Little Chute, Wis., to provide equipment for two upcoming network infrastructure projects. The district is planning to seek federal E-rate reimbursement.

– The board opened a sick leave bank for others to donate their sick leave days into a bank for a coworker diagnosed with cancer. A total of 111 days are needed to take the staff member through the end of the year.