Board president Mike Tetzloff explained that, per statute, the advertisement phase, revealing the monetary impact of the new contract on the corporation, is complete. There was no public comment at the hearing.

The new superintendent’s contract term will be from Aug. 13, 2013 to June 30, 2016, according to a legal notice posted by the school corporation. The base annual salary for the incoming superintendent will be $100,000 with a work year of 260 days with 15 allowable vacation days, three personal days and 10 sick days during the 2013-2014 school year. The superintendent will receive a proposed seven sick days during the 2015-2016 school year.

The school corporation will also pay all reasonable expenses for the superintendent to attend state and national conferences with prior board approval. The school corporation will reimburse the superintendent for the annual cost of a cell phone under this proposed contract.

The superintendent will also be reviewed annually. If the superintendent is evaluated as either highly effective or effective the school board may grant the superintendent a base salary increase. The superintendent is also required to direct his/her full time and attention to the business of the school corporation and not to outside activities unless specifically approved by the school board.

The complete proposed contract, which outlines additional benefits, is available on the corporation’s website.

In other business before the board, interim/retiring Superintendent Dr. Robert Klitzman reported that 30 students are transferring in to the school system, according to preliminary figures, with four to six families transferring out. More complete numbers will be known after the first week of school.

He added that if the numbers hold, the school corporation is very close to needing an additional kindergarten teacher. “It is very important to have the best teacher-student ratio at the kindergarten level,” Klitzman said.

Klitzman also reported on the Secured School Safety Grant which passed into law this spring, giving each county the authority to establish a County School Safety Commission. This statue also states the School Safety Specialist of the school corporation with the largest ADM in the county shall convene the initial meeting of the commission. That meeting has taken place.

Within this law is the provision for the County School Safety Commissions to secure matching grant funds over a two-year period. 

At the first county-wide school safety commission meeting, participants learned the funding amount available this year is up to $50,000. EPCS has set funds aside to match a portion of the grant for the coming school year to purchase designated school safety equipment. West Central Schools is also in the process of putting together a list of safety equipment to purchase. 

Klitzman noted that Eastern Pulaski started the process of adding safety features to its schools years ago with other areas being identified for additional options. He recommended the following: 

• Keyless system at the elementary school ($12,000)
• Upgrade our security camera system moving to digital cameras ($11,000)
• Installing a main line connection to emergency services (a cost figure is not available at this time). 

 Other items to be considered, either this year or next, are wall mounted classroom emergency directions/procedures, automatic locking doors for the entry to kindergarten sections and the cafeteria, and other safety features recommended by the Safety Commission.  After discussion, the recommendation was unanimously approved by the school board and will be presented by the commission for approval. The deadline to submit the grant is Sept. 30. 

The members of the Pulaski County School Safety Commission are: school superintendents Dr. Robert Klitzman (EPCS) and Charles Mellon (West Central), Chuck Evans of West Central Schools; Judge Mike Shurn; Sheriff Mike Gayer; Winamac Police Chief Mike Buchanan; Holly Schultz of Pulaski County Probation, Pulaski County prosecuting attorney Stacy Mrak, Barney Rausch of the state police, and Sherry Fagner of the Pulaski County Emergency Response Agency.

Under personnel items, the board was informed that Loree Fisher, corporation secretary, has submitted her resignation effective the end of September. Mrs. Fisher has been with Eastern Pulaski Schools for 25 years, first as an instructional assistant at the elementary school and most recently as the corporation secretary. Mrs. Fisher thanked many for all they do to help students. 

The resignation of teacher Dan Bailey was approved as presented. Mr. Bailey has taken a position at Rochester Schools, after being with Eastern Pulaski for 14 years at the elementary and the middle school. Teacher Tammy Blankenship was approved to transfer to his position – sixth-grade social studies.  Josh Burgess was recommended and approved for Mrs. Blankenship’s eighth-grade language arts position. Mr. Burgess is a graduate of Eastern Pulaski Schools and has taught language arts at Frontier for 11 years. 

Klitzman reviewed summer projects at the schools, in addition to the usual deep cleaning. They were: 

• The HVAC “Drive” for one quadrant at the elementary school was repaired.
• Repairs were made to the hot water system at the middle school/high school.
• Switchover from pneumatic controls to digital controls targeted for this summer should be complete by the end of August/first of September.
• The corporation is within one classroom of having the white board application complete at the elementary school.
• The high school study hall room was moved upstairs and the former study hall was transformed to a Project Based Learning Center.
• The copier room at the elementary school was renovated to become the corporation clinic room.

The school board was informed the Condition of Funds Statement indicated that all accounts had positive balances. The General Fund Comparison Statement indicated that 97.35% of the yearly appropriation remained.  All claims were approved as presented. 

The principals reported that their buildings were ready for the start of the school year Aug.. The custodians, at both buildings, were commended for how good the buildings look. 

Each school level was scheduled to hold professional development on Aug. 13, covering the Data Warehouse and Harmony training in the afternoon.  Elementary school principal Jill Collins stated that Professional Development at the elementary school would focus on their new reading series. Middle school principal Ryan Dickinson stated that Professional Development at the middle school would focus on Literacy. High school principal Rick DeFries reported that Professional Development in the afternoon would welcome motivational speaker John Becker from Indiana University, Gary. Becker shared techniques to motivate the less motivated students. 

During the school board comment period, Mrs. Fisher and Mr. Bailey were thanked for their years of service. The following were commended: Mr. Roth, Dr. Klitzman, and all the custodians. Mr. Burgess was welcomed. There was discussion of furthering cleaning up the old State Highway Property.  

The next regular school board meeting will be on Monday, Sept. 9, in the Distance Learning Lab.