“I am very proud of our students, parents and especially our teachers and those who support instruction,” Klitzman said. “We have very nice supplemental materials and great infusion of technology into instruction, but all that pales in comparison to the teacher in the classroom.”

Eastern Pulaski Elementary School, which performed well last year, scored in the mid- to upper-90s percent, passing in every grade level tested - and improving on some areas from the previous year. The middle school also performed well and showed good growth in some areas, Klitzman reported.

In other business, Klitzman shared with the board the start-of-school information. Registration will be Aug. 7-8 with one common location, the middle/high school cafeteria, for all students K-12. This set-up will help streamline the registration process, be more accommodating to parents with children in more than one building, and have less duplication of services.

Computers will be set up to verify/enter information in the dining area of the cafeteria. There will be a private location for Free/Reduced Lunch applications. There will also be an area for transportation questions, textbook fee payments, lunch account payments/questions and athletics. School counselors will also be available.

Also available this year is the option to pay fees with a credit card. Parents will be able to pay at the time of registration with a credit card, and will have the ability to pay online throughout the school year; however fees will be assessed to the payor at 2.59% + 12 cents for each transaction.

Registration for new students will be Thursday and Friday, Aug. 9-10, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Please call for an appointment.

The first day for teachers/staff will be Monday, Aug. 13, which includes Meet-the-Teacher Night (elementary school 5 to 6 p.m.; middle/high school 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.). The first day of school for students is Wednesday, Aug. 15.

Also in other business, the board approved the corporation’s bus drivers for re-employment for the 2012-13 school year. Bus driver Janet Haschel was re-hired, as recommended.

Recently retired high school math teacher Jan Moore was employed as a part-time math teacher in the high school.

Klitzman reported that three years ago was the first year “transfer tuition” was calculated with property taxes taken out of the formula. Due to the change, he recommended, and the board approved, that the transfer tuition fees be waived for the 2012-13 school year if the student is in school by the official state count day, until such time as legislation changes.

Klitzman also reported to the board that all schools in Indiana will be required to change teacher evaluation instruments to an instrument which must be approved by the state department of education. He explained that the new instrument is quite extensive and will take much time. iPads have been purchased for all administrators to help with the task and software has been looked into. Elementary principal Jill Collins and Klitzman took part in a demonstration of “Own It,” a system that helps record information, combine/sort information, produce the required reports and share the data with the evaluated teacher.

Other systems were also considered, but the board was told that Own It will do the best job and is offered for a good price compared to the others. The system comes with four licenses for three years for a total cost of $4,194 - just under $350 per year, per license. Area schools have, or will purchase the software as well. The board approved the purchase of Own It from the capital projects technology fund.

The board was given a report on student attendance for the 2011-12 school year: elementary school 96.72 percent, middle school 96.74 percent and high school 95.58 percent - for a corporation total of 96.3 percent.

Klitzman explained that the state department of education pays for 94 percent of the placement cost if a student is placed in a specialized facility, and the school pays for 6 percent - if an agreement with the state is entered into. Klitzman said that if the need should arise, to maintain this arrangement, an agreement with the state needs to be signed every six months. The board gave approval for Klitzman to sign the agreement.

The condition of funds statement indicated that all accounts have positive balances. The general fund comparison statement indicated that the school corporation ended the year with 1.98 percent of the appropriation remaining. The superintendent noted that while the year ended on this positive note, the cash balance is not at a comfortable level due to so many cuts (which continue) from the state - and continued frugal spending decisions are still needed.

The annual conflict of interest forms were approved by the board, as presented.

Klitzman reported the annual state bus inspection went “very well” with all buses passing.

The superintendent also shared information about state funding being tied to student enrollment - the more students a school has, the more state funding the school receives. The reverse is also true. Klitzman noted that schools are starting to become competitive in terms of trying to entice parents to send their children to their school.

“Some schools have put up billboards, some set up booths at county fairs, and some even put on TV ads,” he said. “With very tight funding, I look for more and more of this competitive attitude to develop which I have a hard time believing is good for public schools or communities, especially those who are neighbors.”

The next school board meeting will be at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 13, in the distance learning lab.