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MARGATE On Wednesday, Sept. 11, students of the eighth-grade class at the Eugene A. Tighe Middle School attended the city's 9-11 Memorial Service held at Firehouse No. 1. Because there are 40 students in eighth grade, they arrived in several smaller groups aboard the district's 14-passenger van, which is nearing the end of its years of service in the district.
Later that evening, the Board of Education agreed to lease-purchase a new full-sized school bus to transport students for field trips and other school related outings.
The 2020, 54-passenger bus will replace the aging mini-bus that was used to transport small groups of children.
According to Business Administrator Jennifer Germanna, a cost analysis determined that the five-year lease purchase agreement at 4.39% interest, would be a cost-effective way to eliminate the cost of contracting transportation for larger groups of students going on field trips and athletic events. The extra seats will allow the district to transport athletic teams with greater membership, such as the cross-country team, Germana said.
The cost of the bus is $99,468 and it will be obtained on a five-year leas-purchase through Municipal Leasing Consultants, a statewide educational cooperative. Wolfington Bus will customize the vehicle and deliver it within the next month, Germana said.
The smaller bus will be sold when the new bus arrives, Germana said.
In other business, the William H. Ross School will be holding a Make and Bake fundrisaser Wednesday, Sept. 18 during Back-to-School Night and after school Thursday, Sept. 19 to raise money for victims of Hurricane Dorian, Principal Audrey Becker announced. Funds raised will be sent to Chef Jose Andres' non-profit group World Central Kitchen, which feeds victims of natural disasters around the world.
The district will also be holding a Band Night to give students the opportunity to try different musical instruments before they commit to instrumental instruction.
At the Tighe School, Principal Ryan Gaskill said this year's PRIDE program will have a Harry Potter theme, with students participating in a sorting experience placing them into one of the four Hogwarts Wizarding School houses, such as the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Ravenclaw houses made famous in the J.K Rowling book series.
