Allendale Elementary School will be getting some grant funding to purchase new technology, the Allendale Community Consolidated School District 17 Board of Education learned during a meeting Wednesday night.

District 17 Superintendent Dennis Kimmel told the Register Thursday that Allendale Elementary School will receive new computers from a $5,000 grant from the Mary Heath Foundation.

The district applied for the grant last spring, said Kimmel.

The foundation, Kimmel explained, originated more than 10 years ago in the Robinson, Ill., area by the Heath® toffee bar company. The bar is a product of Hershey's®.

Since its existence, the foundation has distributed more than $2 million in grants to community and civic organizations, Kimmel explained.

In other business...

€ Grace Copes of Allendale was approved to as drama director at Allendale Elementary School, Kimmel said Thursday. Copes works as a part-time teacher and Pre-K aid at the school.

€ Board members accepted a $43,832 bid from Midwest Transit Equipment of Kankakee, Ill., to purchase a new school bus. Kimmel said the board approved the lowest bidder.

The bus, a 65-passenger diesel vehicle, is set for delivery after Aug. 1 but prior to Aug. 15.

€ With no one from the public present during a tax levy hearing for 2005, the board approved the total levy at $293,155, said Kimmel.

€ The board approved the audit of financial records for fiscal year 2005. Terry Harper, certified public accountant out of Albion, conducted the audit.

€ Approval was made for District 17 to be a part of the Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association. Sports from Allendale Elementary School entered into the association will be volleyball, boys and girls' track, boys and girls' cross country and boys' basketball.

€ Superintendent and principal evaluations were handed out to board members to complete.

Kimmel said the board will compile and discuss evaluations at the next meeting beginning at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 at Allendale Elementary School.