May 11—LEWISBURG — Members of the Lewisburg Area School District Board approved a payment of $485,000 for a new Corkeen playground surface at Kelly Elementary School during their meeting on Thursday night.
Corkeen is a surfacing system for playgrounds made from natural cork. Made from a 100% organic material, Corkeen combines sustainability credentials, safety and accessibility.
"I want everyone to know that we have just approved a playground that everyone can play on," said board member Kristin Kraus.
The board considered other options, but Corkeen has a proven record of safety.
The board also approved a $190,000 low bid by Martin Construction, of Mifflinburg, for installation of a campus greenhouse.
Choosing bus company
A decision about which school bus company to hire for the next 4 or more years was tabled, due to concerns expressed by several directors.
The two companies in question are Rohrer, a company that has been a longtime carrier for the district, and Adam Transportation, a subsidiary company of Weikel bus, which has a record with other Valley school districts, such as Selinsgrove.
The big concern was finding drivers, and Rohrer has been transparent in saying they have been having difficulty hiring more drivers.
The vote to approve was tabled so that directors could get more information about the two companies.
GOLD program
Early in the meeting there was a presentation by GOLD staff. GOLD is a program for freshmen girls.
Hillary Cree, Clare Gault, Katlyn Beyer, and Lauren Beck spoke for GOLD. The program addressed teen mental wellness and health. The focus was on instilling confidence and self-esteem. Coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety were also discussed.