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Board accepts Jay Shidler PTO donation to renovate elementary courtyard, district covers $5,166 from bond
Summary
The board accepted a $31,373.79 donation from the Jay Shidler PTO to fund a courtyard renovation. Total project price $36,539.89; the board agreed the district will cover the remaining $5,166.10 from bond funds. Vote 7-0.
The USD Board of Education voted unanimously to accept a donation from the Jay Shidler Elementary PTO to renovate the school’s interior courtyard and to cover the remaining project cost from existing bond funds.
The board accepted a $31,373.79 donation and approved payment of a Valley Scapes Landscaping proposal for $36,539.89. The district will cover the $5,166.10 shortfall from bond funds allocated to the Jay Shidler bond project, the administration told the board. "That 5,000 can come right out of the bond for that building project and not be any cost increase to the district," a district staff member said during discussion.
Jay Shidler principal Sandra Cromwell and PTO treasurer Amber Smith presented the project, which district documents and the proposal describe as a paver patio at the center surrounded by artificial turf, buried downspouts and a reworked drain to address longstanding drainage and accessibility problems. The design replaces grass and rock that the custodial staff has had to mow and maintain inside the building footprint and aims to make the space accessible for students who use wheelchairs. The design also removes a former cistern and adds low-maintenance surfacing.
District staff described the procurement path: the PTO selected Valley Scapes after a process that involved nine designs from eight landscapers submitted between September 2024 and January 2025. Staff said operations and facilities personnel reviewed the drainage work and that changes to the bond contractor’s scope will generate a credit that covers the district’s contribution.
Board action: a motion to accept the Jay Shidler Elementary PTO donation of $31,373.79 and to approve the Valley Scapes proposal for $36,539.89, with the district covering $5,166.10 from Jay Shidler bond funds, passed 7-0.
