The Natrona County school board today will hear a recommendation to accept the guaranteed maximum bid price for the first building phase of the new CY Middle School.

The bid, made by Groathouse Construction, Inc., is for $7,901,132 and includes site earthwork, foundation and concrete work, mechanical, steel and general requirements.

Acceptance of the bid is contingent upon approval of funding from the Wyoming School Facilities Commission.

CY Middle School is expected to open in 2010. The school will be 118,000 square feet, with capacity for 750 students.

The board will hear also an activities report from Natrona County High School, which suggests eliminating the school's gymnastics team.

The report cites low interest from students, lack of suitable space and the availability of coaches as reasons for the recommendation.

In other business, the board will vote to accept a number of grants and donations, including:

* A Wyoming Arts Council grant to the school district's Champions Mentoring Program. The $1,500 grant will fund the program's Portrait of Success Creativity Workshop.

*A $1,000 gift from the Tate Family and the First United Methodist Church to the Wyoming First LEGO League.

*The Hach Scientific Foundation award to Kelly Walsh High School chemistry teacher Janeen Hill. The $1,500 grant is for purchasing materials for Kelly Walsh's chemistry lab.

A board work session is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Community members are allowed to attend work sessions but can not comment during them.

The regular session begins at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are held at the district's Central Services Office, located at 970 N. Glenn Road.

Reach education reporter Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at Jasa.Santos@trib.com.