By ADAM MORROW

Macomb Eagle Correspondent

The Bushnell Prairie City Board of Education convened for their monthly meeting Wednesday, Aug. 19. On the topic of last month’s consolidation discussions, Board President Steve Hess confirmed that the week prior he and Superintendent Dave Messersmith met with representatives from Avon and Abingdon. Hess said the talks were productive and a feasibility study for consolidation of the schools is progressing. Hess added, 

“All the representatives agreed on three main objectives...to enhance the student curriculum, to maintain rural school districts and to maintain elementary schools in each district.”

Messersmith addressed the tentative budget for the coming year with a sense of concern if not a little frustration, saying, “So much for me trying to predict what the state is going to do...the state said they were going to be allocating money to early childhood development and now they are taking money away from that program.” He added, “I have never seen a time of more uncertainty than the time we are living through now.” 

Messersmith also said that money provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would be used to purchase 24 laptops for the high school and 24 laptops for the junior high, along with software and possible sound systems for the classrooms.

In other business:

• The board agreed to pay for an honorary painting in the junior high gymnasium in recognition of Fred Thiele’s service to the school, which will read, “Home Court of Coach Fred Thiele 1975-2009.”

• Interstate Studios will take junior high and high school student portraits Aug. 26.