Superintendent Joe told the board that multiple summer construction projects are underway across the district, including a classroom remodel at Lincoln, a related-services office conversion at Grundy, East Gym renovations and bleacher installation at Morton High School and roof work at the junior high. He said the East Gym additions — bleachers, scoreboard and basketball standards — are on a shipping timetable that points to a September arrival.

On Jefferson, Joe shared photos that showed the crew discovered older 2x4 stringers mortared into concrete beneath an old wooden gym floor; he described the labor required to remove and replace that substructure and said the new finishers are scheduled next. He said some minor asbestos abatement is taking place as part of roof work.

On the larger Grundy project, the superintendent said the district pivoted away from a multi-phase plan that once anticipated a Phase 1 cost "over $7,000,000" and is now looking at a much-reduced single-phase project to add four or five classrooms dedicated to early childhood education and preschool expansion. "We're looking at a significant change in that," he said, and reported a meeting with the architect is scheduled to refine bid scope and timelines before any board decision.

Joe said Morton Academy leaders and administration are meeting this week with Center for Child and Family Solutions to explore leasing adjacent administrative space; he said lease adjustments will be needed if the district expands into the adjacent building.

He also reported donations and foundation support: district donations totaled $666,000 in the past year and the Morton Community Foundation returned about $85,000 to students through community grants and scholarships. He noted a PFA grant of roughly $80,000 used for playground equipment and said administration expects a similar amount in a subsequent cycle. "A lot of times there was a heartache that are attached to some of these scholarships," he said, and he thanked community partners.