The Loogootee School Board is moving forward on its building project with the transfer of a portion of the school’s real estate to the Loogootee School Building Corporation. A lease back to the school from the Loogootee School Building Corporation will be up for approval in an upcoming meeting. The middle school building’s real estate is being used as collateral for the upcoming project. The 2018 building project transferred the high school, and the 2015 project transferred the elementary. The board also approved a resolution to extend the building corporation, which is still active from the 2018 project and consists of board members Eric Ackerman, Jason Loughmiller, and Brian Williams. This will allow the new building project to move forward.
Loogootee Middle School was one of four schools that have been chosen to create a digital fabrication lab, or an up-lab. The grant, worth over 100 thousand dollars, is for equipment and professional development. Loogootee will be partnering with devX from Chattanooga to assist in the design and training of best practices for the use of the lab.
The board also received enrollment information, which showed an increase of 46 students over their projected enrollment. Parent surveys for student transfers revealed the desirability of Loogootee’s dual credit opportunities, stem opportunities, project-based learning, safe environment, and the city of Loogootee’s community inclusion and overall environment. Under personnel, the board accepted the resignation of Brad Christmas as health and careers teacher and hired Merlin Chase Wagler to replace him.
