MECHANICSBURG – The Mechanicsburg School Board of Education met on Monday at Mechanicsburg Schools.

Rebecca Wilden, the director of the Mechanicsburg Library, was present to discuss with the board new offerings at the library. She informed the board that there is now a “story walk” at Goshen Park, which they hope will encourage children and their families to both read and exercise.

The library also now has handwriting kits for both print and cursive writing. The library now has Rokus that can be checked out. Each Roku has access to a streaming service such as Disney+ or Hulu, and hooks up to most televisions. The Rokus do require wifi to work. Wilden also mentioned that the library now has more wifi hot spots that can be checked out by library patrons.

Paul McMahill reported to the board for Ohio Hi-Point. He stated that Ohio Hi-Point’s priority registration deadline has passed. Any student who submitted an application during the priority registration window will receive an admission decision the week of Feb. 15.

Board member Scott DeLong informed the board that the building and grounds committee met earlier in the week to discuss LED lighting retrofitting, the stadium bleacher project, and the stadium scoreboard project. He said that the committee discussed fundraising and sponsorship options for the scoreboard project as well as the LED lighting.

Superintendent Danielle Prohaska shared with the board that she recently began a new effort for community outreach, calling it Cup of Conversation. She stated that last week she held her first Cup of Conversation at the Simple Coffee Co. in downtown Mechanicsburg. She stated that while she only had three people come to speak with her while she was there, she had many others later ask about it and express their interest. Prohaska is planning on holding another Cup of Conversation at downtown drink shop Burg Nutrition on April 13.

Next, the board discussed an ongoing issue that the school has been dealing with in regards to traffic on school grounds and surrounding streets. Prohaska stated that the Mechanicsburg Police Department has been working with the school to make decisions and plans for safer traffic situations in and around the school, specifically during pick-up times.

Starting next week, new protocols will be enforced in regards to how early parents/caregivers can arrive on school grounds for student pick-up. The hope is to make the traffic situation on grounds and on surrounding streets safer for students and caregivers, as well as provide safe and quick first responder access in the event of an emergency. Information on these new guidelines has begun to go out to students and their families this week.

Treasurer Scott Maruniak provided the board with several recommendations, including:

– A motion to “approve the low bid of Cardinal Bus Sales and Service and to approve the purchase of one conventional vision gasoline 78 passenger school bus in the amount of $108,960.”

– A motion to approve the low proposal by Levan’s Excavating Inc. for stadium visitor bleacher replacement in the amount of $408,420”

– A motion to approve the “LED lighting retrofit proposal’ from Energy Optimizers, USA in the amount of $71,250. All motions were passed.

The next Board of Education meeting will be held on March 13 at 6 p.m.