An upgrade in electronic signage at each campus — along with the administration center— is being explored by the Newton school district’s maintenance department.
Maintenance Supervisor Jack Suttek discussed changes with the Newton Community School Board at its meeting on Monday.
Previously, the board discussed placing a digital scrolling sign at the EJH Beard Administration Center as the new display. Following the Sept. 26 board meeting, Suttek thought over proposals and brought a new idea to the board Monday for all of the schools.
“I left that meeting second guessing myself. We have scrolling signs at the high school and Aurora Heights and do we really need a scrolling sign here?” Suttek said. “Is there going to be anything going on here just like individual schools or do we want each school to have their own scrolling sign just like the other two do?”
Board members Ann Leonard and Robin Friedman agreed that the schools would have more events to promote individually, rather than the administration center promoting general district events, such as athletics.
“I think they would be more functional,” Friedman said.
Suttek suggested contacting the school’s parent-teacher associations about a possible partnership to fund the new signs. A similar partnership was used for the Aurora Heights when it was purchased and installed.
Board member Andrew Elbert was also in favor of the scrolling signs and their usefulness at the school.
“I don’t think they need to be anything big. Something like what Aurora Heights has, I think is plenty big for the elementary schools,” Elbert said.
With the change, the administration center will receive a fixed sign with lighting. The board agreed on an architectural design to be placed in front of the building.
Suttek is going to work to gather bids for signs and have them available to the board at its next meeting. He did say it would significantly cheaper than the previous sign proposed.
“The expensive part of the sign is the digital Daktronics display,” Suttek said.
Suttek also presented a new sign for Berg Middle School. The district will utilize the previous sign by re-skinning what is already on there with a two-sided display. The signs will coordinate with 5-6 grades and 7-8 grades areas and are projected to be completed in three to four weeks.
Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com