At the Smyrna School District Board of Education meeting October 15, construction was one of the main topics of discussion. 
   

Clint Lasana, Supervisor of Building and Grounds, said work has begun for the additions and renovations at the high school. The entire process will take two or more years.
   

The first step, the storm water holding pond, actually behind neighboring Smyrna Middle School, is nearly finished.
   

Meanwhile, site work at the high school is underway.
    

“They are just leveling the ground right now,” Lasana said. “There were two greenhouses that were gone as of this afternoon.”
   

Lasana said the kitchen will be the first to be converted. The current kitchen space will be used for cafeteria seating. A new kitchen will be built. The boiler plant, kitchen, and cafeteria are expected to be up and running, ready before the start of next school year.
   

Other additions include a new gym and new classrooms.
   

At the middle school, there were “punch list” items that needed to be addressed.
   

“We had some conflict with the automated controls,” Lasana said. “The air handlers, heating and cooling for the building, weren’t functioning quite right. If the temperature is set for 75 degrees and there is extra heat from the roof the temperature may be at 77. You set it for 75 but because of the extra heat you may have to set it for 73 or 74 just to maintain 75 degrees.”
   

The new Sunnyside Elementary School has the same heating and cooling system as the middle school, so the contractors went to Sunnyside so they wouldn’t have the same problems the middle school did.
   

Lasana also announced that the grass was not taking well to the ground at Sunnyside. They have just finished putting sod around the playground areas. 
   

“It was so dry this past summer so the sod was not growing,” he said. “Sod was going to be put down earlier but it would have died and we would have to re-sod it anyway.”
   

Another addition in the school district’s future is a second intermediate school for fifth and sixth graders which will be located in Clayton. The district is waiting on state funding to start the planning and design process.
   

“John Bassett Moore Intermediate School holds about 700 to 725 students,” Lasana said. “The second intermediate school, when built, will be comparable in size.” 

Senior Class trip approved
   

At the beginning of the meeting two representatives from the senior class introduced their plan to have a senior class trip to Boston. The trip would be from April 24 to 26. The trip would cost approximately $400. Students will have to sign a code of conduct and make a non-refundable $50 deposit. The package includes two breakfasts, two dinners, hotel accommodations, transportation, a duck boat tour, and other activities.
   

The class members are talking about possibly having a fundraiser to help raise money.
   

At the end of the meeting, the board approved the trip.

New teacher absence policy
   

The board also approved a change in the teacher absence policy.
   

Assistant Superintendent Buddy Lloyd said the policy has been altered to be in compliance with the attendance system.
   

The typical school day is 7 1/2 hours.
   

Under the old rules, a 2-hour absence was considered a quarter of a day, 4 hours was a half-day, and 6 hours was three-quarters of a day.
   

Under the new policy, up to 2 hours is recognized as a quarter of a day, 3.75 hours is a half-day, and 5.75 hours three-quarters of a day.