Bob Jones expansion continues

By Staff
Tracy L. Brady
Record reporter
The property that surrounds the largest school in Madison is about to get bigger.
The Madison City Schools Board of Education recently approved the $336,225 purchase of 15.46 acres of land immediately adjacent to the north side of Bob Jones High School. The land, which has access to Hughes Road, will be used for practice/play athletic fields and additional parking.
"This is an excellent expansion of Bob Jones High School," Superintendent Dr. Henry Clark said.
Clark credited BJHS Principal Sam Rombokas for playing a vital role in the land negotiation.
"We all know Bob Jones was built on too little land" board President Don Spencer said. "And we've been trying to get more land ever since we became a system."
According to Spencer, some funds have already been budgeted for the land development and environmental tests have been conducted.
Student recognition at BJHS is continuing to expand as well.
BJHS art teacher Melissa Hughey announced that graduating visual arts students have received upwards of $250,000 in art scholarships to date. Clark said the 2002 BJHS graduating class has collectively received $6.2 million in scholarships to date.
In other business, the board:
* Unanimously re-elected Don Spencer as board president and elected Sue Helms as board vice president for the 2002-03 school year. The late Col. Ed Zompa previously held the vice president position. Election of board officers is held each May and becomes effective in June. Board member Jim Sturdivant was absent for the vote.
* Approved a state mandated three percent pay raise and step increases for Madison City Schools employees for the 2002-03 school year. The system will receive funding for the action from the state in October and place in effect at the beginning of each employee's respective contract. Clark said the pay raise would cost the system approximately $50,000 to $60,000 for the year. The state mandated pay raise has been approved by the system each year since the board's conception.
* Accepted a $11,000 donation from Boeing for science education.
* Accepted a $9793 donation from The Schools Foundation for distance learning lab furnishings.