The Perry County School District #32 School Board of Education tackled numerous topics during its latest regularly scheduled meeting August 10.
The first of which should help one area expand.
The board approved the ability for the Perryville Area Career and Technology Center to apply for a grant. The Missouri Area Career Center Opportunity Grant will allow the Career Center to receive up to $400,000 with a 25 percent district match for a final building on campus.
“The state has about $20 million available for constructions of career center buildings or renovations of existing buildings,” Career Center Director Craig Hayden said. “The deadline is the end of October so this will give us time to include such things as design and infrastructure of the building and what the building will house.”
The proposed grant can be used over a three-year period, through December 2026. Hayden expects to get an answer whether the district was accepted for the grant by mid-November.
“The career center is a hub for this community, and I think it’s important for us to stay ahead and be proactive and look for new services that we can offer. It will help our kids,” Board president Nancy Voelker said.
The proposed building would house two programs and possibly a third. Hayden discussed the possibility of the Digital Media program moving to the addition as well as a Culinary Arts program. Hayden noted that the Digital Media program is currently housed in the Old Senior High Annex.
“That program is in need of some additional space,” Hayden said. “Culinary Arts is a growing field and one that our advisory board suggested.”
The board approved Julie Wibbenmeyer as the new board secretary. The district looked for replacements for the departed Dodi Thieret, who recently resigned from the position.
