The Pleasant Valley School District Board on March 27 approved a planned purchase of new classroom and common-area furniture for its middle school paid largely with state Ready-to-Learn grant money.

The approval follows district presentations showing most middle-school furniture is more than 30 years old and that some pieces present safety concerns. Superintendent Dr. Conrad told the board the majority of the purchase will be paid for with Ready-to-Learn grant money, and that using the grant saves taxpayers $719,000 compared with using local capital funds.

Board members debated product quality, warranties and disposal of older furniture. Dr. Conrad said the district received a quote that included $800 logo chairs but that the district opted for esports chairs without a logo at a lower price; he also said the district expects to pay about $267 per esports chair under the revised quote. Dr. Conrad told the board the district has “a little over $400,000 that we need to spend by June 30” from the Ready-to-Learn allocation.

Board finance chair (Missus Serfus) added that using grant money reduces the amount the district must draw from its capital reserve, saying the grant purchase “is not coming from the taxpayers. We are reducing our expenses by that $719,000.”

Administrators described product warranties and selection. The vendor presentation referenced a 10-year limited warranty for some items and longer manufacturer warranties on selected lines; district staff said warranty length varies by product. The vendor will assess which existing furniture can be repurposed, sold or donated and indicated the district must run a required auction process before disposing of surplus assets.

The board also approved a technical amendment earlier in the meeting to change the agenda line-item for esports chairs: the original line showing $9,687.50 was amended to $3,207.60 to reflect chairs without a logo. That amendment passed before the furniture contract vote.

Board members asked staff to pursue teacher input, verify freight and warranty details and to document plans for repurposing or auctioning older furniture. Administrators said teachers were surveyed, several showrooms visited, and that teachers and building leaders had been involved over several months in selecting products intended to support collaborative, hands-on classrooms.

District leaders said the Ready-to-Learn grant totals approximately “a little over $3.5 million” for the district and that funds must be spent or received by June 30; unused funds will be redistributed by the state. The board approved the furniture purchase in the consent-vote portion of the meeting.

The board did not change tax rates as part of the action; members emphasized the purchase is funded from one-time grant dollars rather than ongoing local taxes.

Looking ahead, administrators said they will complete vendor warranty confirmations, finalize freight and delivery dates, and run the required surplus-auction process for furniture that will be removed from district buildings.