ELLINWOOD — USD 355 Ellinwood School Board approved in a special meeting, a new track, bleachers and fencing at the high school football field. Construction is projected to start the last day of track season and last all summer with a finish date of Sept. 1 in time for football season.
“We’ve gotten the useful life out of the track,” said Superintendent Ben Jacobs. The existing track was built in 1986 and has cracks in the surface and sub-surface. In addition, the rubberized surface is separating from the asphalt underlayment.
The new track will be blue. The contract calls for complete replacement with a new asphalt surface and polyurethane coating.
“It should look neat,” said Jacobs. “We’re excited for our community and kids.”
New aluminum bleachers will replace the existing wood bleachers on the east side of the field. Jacobs said the wood bleachers are too large for the district’s needs and the paint is peeling and cracking.
The new elevated bleachers will be ADA accessible and seat approximately 225 people.
The new chain link fence with black vinyl coating will surround the perimeter of the football field and separate all bleachers from the football field.
The district has been planning for this project for a couple of years. At a cost of $488,347.66, the contract went to Venture Corp. of Great Bend. The funds will come out of capital outlay.
Supplemental contracts were also approved. They were:
High School: Cross Country, Lyles Lashley; Asst. Cross Country, Lisa Phillips; Tennis Boys,  Lesli Taylor; Tennis Girls, Lyle Stickney; Asst. Tennis – Girls,  Leroy Thill; Head Cheer/Dance, Shelby Ringering;Head Football, Dusty Beam; Asst. Football, James Caspers; Asst. Football, Kyle Kriegh; Asst. Football, Andy Wesner; Head Volleyball, Laurie Feist; Asst. Volleyball, Sharon Gatton; Asst. Volleyball, Amanda Proffitt; Girls Head Basketball, Kyle Kriegh; Asst. Girls Basketball, Tyson Revell; Asst. Girls Basketball, Andrea Everhart;
Head Boys Basketball, Dustin Klassen; Asst. Boys Basketball, Sean O’Neill; Asst. Boys Basketball, Trevor Bieberle; Head Track, Lyle Lashley; Asst. Track, Troy Prosser;
Asst. Track, Monte Doll; Asst. Track, Shelly Ramsey; Asst. Track, Dusty Beam; Head Golf, Greg Maxwell; Asst. Golf, Andy Wesner; Softball, Rob Fisher; Asst. Coach, Kyle Kriegh; and Summer Weightlifting, Dusty Beam and Dustin Klassen;
Middle School: Head Football, Trevor Bieberle; Asst. Football, Steve Oelke; Asst. Football, Kip Wilson; Head Volleyball, Shelly Ramsey; Asst. Volleyball, Jessica Elsen; Head Boys Basketball, Derek Joiner; Asst. Boys Basketball, Josh Pierce; Asst. Boys Basketball, Troy Prosser; Head Girls Basketball, Greg Maxwell; Asst. Girls Basketball, Monte Doll; Scholar’s Bowl – MS, Connie Mitchum;
Tennis –Boys and Girls MS, Leroy Thill; Asst. Tennis, Lyle Stickney/Brad Birzer; MS Track -MS Head Coach, Sharon Gatton;
Stipends: EGS Title I Stipend, Evelyn Stegman; HS Debate/Forensic Asst., Angela Peterson;
Supplementals: Video Production-Technology, Ryan Koetter; Video Production-Content, Lesli Taylor; Scholar’s Bowl - HS, Connie Mitchum; National Honor Society,  Sheri Holmes; Student Council, Steve Oelke; FBLA, Lorie Betts;
Co-Junior Class Sponsors, Connie Mitchum and Dusty Beam; Stage Production Manager, Leon Sobba; Kay Club Sponsor, Julie Blakeslee and Kelsie Harmon; Musical Staging Director, Sharon Sturgis;  Musical Director, Meredith Duling; GS NCA/QPA Co-Chair, Laurie Feist;
MS/HS NCA/QPA Co-Chair (MS/HS) 5/13/2013 Kent Blakeslee
Curriculum Extension: Kent Blakeslee FFA; Lesli Taylor Yearbook; Don Regehr Instrumental music; Meredith Duling Vocal music HS;  Shelly Ramsey Vocal music-GS; Meredith Duling Vocal music – GS; Vance Stegman Debate/Forensics;