Published: April 29, 2008 01:30 am            

STARPOINT: Middle school could have Alumni Entrance

PENDLETON — There could be an “Alumni Entrance” to Starpoint Middle School at some point in the future.

Superintendent C. Douglas Whelan said at a previous Board of Education meeting, he was contacted by a representative of the graduating class of 1978. The district, along with graduates from the ’70s, will be working toward reconstructing the entrance to the middle school that is nearest to the high school.

Whelan said the district wanted to redo the entrance, since the pavement was in bad shape. But instead of just paving and fixing the cement in front of the doors of the entrance during the capital project in the summer, Starpoint can use the money to help the class of 1978 with a fundraising effort for the new entrance.

“We thought, instead, we could use the money in a different way,” Whelan said. “We could put in a sidewalk and would put in these paving blocks.”

Donors to the Starpoint Alumni would have their names put on the paving blocks, which could be a financial benefit to the district.

“People can donate to the alumni association, and they can in turn donate to the schools,” he said. “We can use the paving blocks to raise funds.”

The proposed design is being looked at by Starpoint’s architect, and if approved by the class of 1978, the design will go before the school board for consideration. But there is still work to be done before anything is considered.

“We still have to get the design and look at the old cost versus the new cost,” Whelan said.

He added there would be more information in the future about the possible entrance project.

In other board news, district clerk Ruth Pirinelli announced the candidates for the three open board seats at Monday’s meeting. Information about candidates Joseph Miller, Annmarie Reeb, Lisa Taylor and Clare Pryce will be sent to Starpoint district residents soon in an issue of the Spartana, the district newsletter.

“The Spartana will be going out in the next week or so, and that will have more information about the candidates,” Pirinelli said.

Contact reporter Joe Olenickat 439-9222, ext. 6241.

        

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