Superintendent Witty gives update on recent board meeting
By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Tuesday, April 20th, 2021 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories
BAKER CITY – Two students were highlighted as “Promise Student of the Month” at a recent Baker School Board Meeting. Hazel Crowell with Brooklyn Primary and Jaxon Logsdon with Baker Middle School were both recognized.
Other notable topics during the meeting was an update from Gino Bates regarding safety for students at South Baker. This involves update to the parking for staff and rerouting parent pick up and drop off on 3rd Street, on the west side of South Baker. According to Baker School District Superintendent Mark Witty, the plan includes adding parking on the Northwest corner of the South Baker property for staff parking. The bus drop-off and pick up would remain the same. Parent pick-up and drop-off would move to 3rd Street. The school district is working with the city to determine the safest and best way to make those improvements.
Superintendent Witty also had this to say, “the consensus of the board was that this plan would definitely improve safety for our children at South Baker, during those times at the beginning of school and the end of school.”
Additional topics during the board meeting was an update on where the district is at regarding the seismic upgrades at Baker Middle School. Witty says they had received a $2.3 million grant from the state. Witty says the state does these types of upgrades and invests quite a bit of money to make these upgrades. This will focus on the Baker Middle School Gymnasium. Witty notes that the hope is that they will be able to make the improvements so that the facility will be able to withstand an earthquake. This will be challenging project, according to Witty, due to the use of unreinforced masonry to build the middle school back in 1934.
Full in-person school was also discussed. Beginning last Monday, April 12th, the district was able to bring 7th – 12thgraders back into the classroom. Witty says students and staff are working hard to follow all protocols.
