Southern Wayne to get new marquee
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on April 29, 2015 1:46 PM
Southern Wayne High School received the go-ahead from the school board's facilities committee this week to build a new sign and marquee board on the Dudley campus.
Dr. John Boldt, principal, made a presentation at the Monday committee meeting, explaining that the former school sign had been vandalized and was in poor condition.
The proposal to build a new sign with LED marquee board had already met with approval by the school's parent advisory council and staff, he said.
Boldt then described the new sign that would be perpendicular to the old Highway 117 and replicate the most recognizable feature of the school -- the curved roof line of the school's gym. Its design will also be in line with the same elements of the original school building.
It will have two brick columns with a white curtain wall between them, where the LED marquee boards will be, topped by the school name in large letters.
Boldt said the project will incur no cost to the district, except for electricity. A line will have to be extended about 100 feet to the location of the new sign, he said.
"The sign will be paid for entirely by the school," he said. "The school has already been promised a total of $15,000 from various groups such as Booster, FFA Alumni and Tri County. The school has the brick and block used for the construction of the sign already donated.
"The only cost left is to pay for the building of the sign and the marquee boards."
The school has already raised money to have three trees and one stump removed to improve visibility, Boldt said.
"We're talking about installing a brick patio around the base of the sign," he added. "We're celebrating our 50th anniversary next year."
Funding for that portion of the project will be generated from engraved bricks purchased in celebration of the golden anniversary, he said.
"Graduates, students and former and current staff can purchase an engraved brick with the name and graduation year to be installed in the patio," he said, explaining that there would be two sizes available -- 4x8 bricks, sold for $50, and 8x8 bricks sold for $100.
Proceeds for the "memory patio" will go toward the LED panels, with any extra used by the Student Government Association to pay for 50th anniversary events and other SGA projects, Boldt said.
The goal is to have the sign completed over the summer in time for the opening of school in August.
Board member Eddie Radford, a former teacher and principal at Southern Wayne, said he would "vote yes" in favor of the project. Board member and facilities committee chairman Arnold Flowers agreed, with full board approval expected to follow.
"We plan to have about an event a month for this next year," Boldt said of the school's 50th anniversary celebration. "We really want to have next year be a great year."