Residents urge school board to investigate student illnesses, absenteeism at Jefferson Elementary

Three residents told the Jefferson County School Board they are worried about illness and chronic absenteeism at Jefferson Elementary and urged the board to gather data and act.

David Seal, who said he has documents going back several years, criticized prior school leadership for failing to provide accurate renovation and condition numbers for Jefferson Elementary and said the district had asked contractors for ‘‘rough numbers’’ without a proper scope. "It is shenanigans like this that have cost us 5 years on Jefferson Elementary," Seal said.

Michelle White congratulated the new board majority and said constituents want action on Jefferson Elementary. "The citizens of this fine county have entrusted you to make important decisions," she said, and thanked the board for beginning to provide county commissioners the information they requested.

Jody Newman said her child missed 22 days of school last year and described widespread illness and high chronic absenteeism that she wants the board to investigate. "Please get the data. Please look at your data," Newman said, urging the board not to wait and to determine why children and teachers have been sick.

Those comments preceded the board’s vote to hire a firm to produce a detailed renovation estimate; speakers tied the need for fresh, accurate numbers to requests from county commissioners and to decisions about whether to renovate or pursue other options for the school.

The board voted later in the meeting to approve selecting a firm to prepare a detailed estimate and authorized up to $75,000 from the general fund balance to pay for that work.