SALEM — Progress remains on pace for the district’s new $57 million K-8 school building project to break ground as planned.

“I’m getting a lot of questions, ‘when are we starting the actual building on the school?’ We are getting to that point and it’s exciting,” said Superintendent Sean Kirkland.

Kirkland said that the project’s official groundbreaking is still set for August and on schedule to meet that date. He also said that he doesn’t “foresee anything really getting in the way of [the district] remaining on schedule” and said that “it won’t be long” until the district can begin sharing actual renderings with the board and community.

“My hope is that we have a bunch of our elementary students out there with shovels in their hands ready to break ground,” joked Kirkland.

Kirkland also said that the project had experienced a “turn the page moment” in its second design phase last Thursday. He explained that this is a step in the process where a district checks to ensure the project is still on budget and makes any necessary adjustments to realign costs with the budget if it is over.

“We didn’t come in exactly on budget, but we were able to do some things that enabled us to move into the next phase of design,” said Kirkland.

The board also approved several personnel and administrative items.

Personnel matters approved included: continuing contracts for the 2025-2026 school year for Alec Ring and Halley Fast; limited contracts for the 2025-2026 school year; maternity leave and family medical leave of absence for second grade teacher Susan Getz-Slopek for the period of March 24 through June 2; the non-renewal of art teacher Mindy Hiltbrand’s effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year; the hire of John McKee and Jill Maenz as summer help at an hourly rate of $14.87; contracting Mollie Newman as an athletic trainer for track meets during the 2025 Spring season; the retirement of Bonita Newton effective May 23; the hire of payroll clerk Blake Stitch effective April 14; the resignation of English Second Language teacher Tyler Blake effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year; workers for the Kennywood field trip on May 28; maternity leave for fifth grade teacher Lindsay Gates through Oct. 31; athletic supplementals for the 2025-2026 school year; and non-athletic supplementals for the 2025-2026 school year.

Administrative matters approved included: The adoption of a weightlifting class as a wellness elective; first reading of board policy updates; an audiology consortium services contract with the Summit Educational Service Center for the 2025-2026 school year; appointment of Mills-Holloway Insurance Agency for the Student Accident Insurance Program for the 2025-2026 school year; and an agreement with LLA Therapy effective July 1, through June 30,2026

The board of education will meet next at 7 p.m. May 19.