School Board Considers $800,000 Renovation Plan for Birmingham Conference Center

A report on the achievement gap at Birmingham Public Schools as well as renovation plans for the Birmingham Conference Center are on the agenda for the Birmingham Board of Education Tuesday night.

The board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the district's administrative offices at 550 W. Merrill St.

On the agenda for Tuesday is:

Reports

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Joseph Hoffman and Jason Clinkscale, principal at Berkshire Middle School, will provide board members with an update of the district's achievement gap committee.

Also on Tuesday, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Debbie Piesz will update board members on the district's financial statements for the month ending Nov. 30.

Resolutions

The Board of Education will consider several resolutions Tuesday, including:

• Routine personnel action, including approval of new hires, resignations and retirements. Highlighting this week's personnel file is the retirement of Derby Middle School teacher Maria Ret-Ponczocha, who's been with the the district for 35 years. 
• Award a contract to Great Lakes Construction Service to renovate the Birmingham Conference Center, for a total cost of $585,000. The district will moving its administrative offices to the Conference Center on Evergreen pending the sale of the current offices.
• Award a contract to Advanced Lighting and Sound to install audio/video systems at the Birmingham Conference Center in anticipation of administrators moving there later this year. The total cost of the project is $208,530.
• Award a contract to Digital Age Technologies to install new structured cabling systems at the Birmingham Conference Center. The total cost of this project is $50,519.
• Authorize the refunding of all or a portion of the school district's outstanding 2004 School Building and Site Bonds, in an amount not to exceed $135 million.
• Change the name of the school district from "School District of the City of Birmingham" to "Birmingham Public Schools," effective immediately.

Residents, parents and teachers wishing to make a statement or public comment can do so before the Reports section of the agenda, but after the Superintendent's Report and Board Comments.

For a detailed look at Tuesday's agenda, visit the Birmingham Public Schools website.

Correction: The district is looking to refund all or a portion of the school district's outstanding building and site bonds in an amount not to exceed $135 million, not $135,000.