BY KENYA SMITH/INTERN
kenya.smith@tidewaternews.com

FRANKLIN
The Franklin City School Board on Thursday approved two purchase orders to Windsor Homes & Remodeling. The first order, No. 19-427, is a $40,000 roof repair at S.P. Morton Elementary School. Repairs are to be made at the main entrance, computer lab and library.

The process will consist of removing gravel, installing 1/2” of insulation, installing new edge metal and installing a Modified Bitumen roofing.

The second order, No. 19-428, will allow Windsor Homes to build a new block wall to create a security vestibule at Franklin High School.

The $20,000 procedure will include building and painting new block walls to create a larger vestibule area, replacing the existing entrance doors with new store front doors, installing new pass-through windows and new lock release mechanisms, repairing the floor at the area of existing doors and removing all debris and cleaning work area.

Earlier, the board recognized two employees who were selected for the Excellence Award.

The school district had an Employee Recognition Program in which employees are nominated each month to receive the honor. The district then selects a professional staff member and a support staff member from the nominations received.

Gail Wade, the school district’s human resource and administrative service director presented the Excellence Award for Professional staff to Travis Felts, the principal at Franklin High School.

Felts’ nominators, as referenced by Wade, described the principal as “one of the hardest-working persons to encounter. Mr. Felts is a well-loved individual who is strict but fair at the same time.

“He makes sure that the students and staff are well informed about the events and happenings regarding Franklin High and even attends most of the events. He constantly makes a valuable point to his staff and students to support Franklin High School and thanks them when they do.”

Selena Smith, who has worked in the cafeteria at SP Morton Elementary School for many years, was this month’s selected Support staff to receive the Excellence Award at Thursday night’s meeting. Smith was described by her colleagues as a “soft-spoken individual who is always dependable and very dedicated to her work.”

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In other school news, the school board approved to move forward with the Hayden project marker.

The school board also approved two overnight field trip requests from the Franklin High School Wrestling Team.

The first trip is from Feb. 8-9 to the VHSL Wrestling Regional Tournament, which will be at Matthews High School. The second field trip is from Feb. 14-16 at the Salem Civic Center for the VHSL Wrestling State Tournament.