Most of Thursday night's North Callaway School Board meeting was devoted to one topic: options for building the new all-weather track included in the district's recently-passed $6 million bond issue.
Fischer Tracks owner Sam Fischer spent more than a half an hour walking board members through the various design and construction considerations as the district moves forward with the project.
Fischer started off by recommending the district stick with the same "quadrant track" layout as it has with its current track. He explained that a "quadrant track" has the traditional 100 meter straightaways and a 100 meter radius.
According to Fischer, the current trend is to go with a shorter straight and broader radius - mostly to accommodate soccer fields. He recommended sticking with the quadrant layout in North Callaway because of the footprint of where the track will be constructed.
Fischer also addressed considerations such as cross-slope, putting in underground conduits and building a concrete versus an asphalt base as well as the space needed for field elements - triple jump/long jump pits, high jump and pole vault pits and throwing areas.
He also talked about track surface. Fischer said most facilities use a polyurethane material that can range in price from $18 to $111 per square yard.
"The more money you spend on a track surface the least it lasts," Fischer said. "The longest lasting (track surfaces) are the permeable systems."
He explained that the more-expensive surfacing options generally are less permeable and are designed to have the same amount of give in August as they do in January - which he pointed out was not necessary for a high school track that would primarily be used March through June.
Fischer said most track surfaces last 18-25 years. He said one of the biggest factors that determines a track's lifespan is drainage.
Fischer said he would develop an RFP (Request For Proposals) for the district, which he said should be available for review by the board at its January meeting.
Also during Thursday night's meeting:
•Williamsburg Elementary Principal Tiffani Shuman got approval from the board to start a Fellowship of Christian Athletes group for seventh- and eighth-grade students. Shuman said starting an FCA chapter was something she had been approached about by students and staff.
•District librarian Justin Hamm reported that circulation has been up throughout the district - particularly at the elementary schools, which he attributed to the teachers.
•The board also heard annual reports from the guidance department, the preschool and Parents As Teachers.