SIDNEY — Several improvement projects are in the works for Sidney City Schools (SCS), Business Manager Jerry Harmon revealed at Tuesday evening’s Sidney City Schools Board of Education meeting.

“Everything I do should have the goal of making SCS look the best they can look and be the best they can be, and so when working and making suggestions for various projects, that is what my motivation is,” Harmon told the board.

During the improvement projects’ update, Harmon expressed his desire to clean up the school buildings’ “junk,” apply fresh paint to areas of the Sidney High School (SHS) gym, improve parking lot lighting in some locations, and change the elementary gyms’ lights to LED bulbs.

Some other larger projects he discussed were to have a a new clock/bell system installed, the replacement of two catch basins and drain pipes, roof repairs and preventative maintenance of roofs, the installation of a new key system at the high school, and for the replacement of the control systems for the boilers/heaters at the elementary schools and high school.

Harmon said it was unfortunate the “very much needed” school levy failed for a second time because it “would be wonderful to have” for the schools.

“I know a couple of letters to the editor said, ‘You’ve got a big balance, spend some of it.’ So, I am going to take that very literally in the time I’m in this position, because there are things glaring that need some fixes,” Harmon said. “But one of the good things right now, is that SCS is in a position to be able to get some of these things done, because we do have a nice carryover balance.”

Three of the larger items on Harmon’s list — the clock system, basin replacements and roof repairs — were on Tuesday’s agenda and were approved by the board.

Harmon praised and thanked the custodians, maintenance workers and schools’ principals for correcting health and fire inspection issues from the last inspection.

He hopes to make lighting improvements to the Board of Education parking lot and the parking lot between Emerson Elementary and SHS once all bids are in. Also, Harmon said the lights being changed to LED bulbs in all elementary gyms (except Northwood, due to recent updates there) will be free of cost after DP&L’s rebate process for SCS.

Harmon said a “relatively big ticket item” they are seeking quotes on is for a new key system, which came to his attention after recognizing too many people have a key to one of the 36 (minimum) doors at SHS. He reported hearing about four people who had let themselves into the school on a Sunday afternoon to walk. Harmon said it is time to limit access and secure the building.

He said it should be a goal for the next school year to have SCS’s control systems replaced (except for at the middle school) because replacement parts can barely be found even on eBay.

Finally, Harmon said they are going to have “a clean up” to get rid of the “junk” within the SCS not needed or used, and suggested possibly having an auction.

In other business, another presentation was given to the board by Curriculum Director Brooke Gessler on a new student testing diagnostic tool called MAP. Gessler and several SCS teachers, who piloted the tool by testing 30 students, explained their experience to the board.

This adaptive diagnostic test identifies exactly where the student is within the subjects of math and reading. It is not a pass or fail type of test; it simply determines what the student knows. To identify growth, the test should be given three times a year, and could take 25 minutes up to an hour and a half to complete, based on the student’s rate.

The teachers praised MAP. They said it pin-points students’ exact strengths and weaknesses, opposed to guessing — as in the past, and it helped to identify holes in their teaching.

Gessler said MAP’s annual subscription cost is approximately $36,000/year, but it would replace the AIMS test and eliminate the need for the Iowa test, so part of the cost would be offset. She said it will up for a for a vote in March, and if approved by the board, anticipates bringing it to instructors in August.