Principals Don Street and Dan Zylstra went over the school improvement plans with the school board members for the three buildings. The board voted to approve the school improvement plans as presented.
American Fidelity, the school corporation’s 125 plan (an employee benefits plan) administrator, has a plan which allows a $500 carry-over to next year’s plan if participants have not spent out their medical expenses. The board voted to approve this plan.
School superintendent Charles Mellon presented to board members a cost comparison of a high efficiency boiler and one with 85% efficiency.
He also reviewed with the board the 1792 budget notice for the 2014 budget year, and gave a rational for budget cuts, with the main reason being a reduction in revenue.
A resolution was passed to approve of the necessary transfers so that all accounts have a zero or positive balance for the year of 2013. It was further resolved that funds are to be encumbered from the 2013 accounts for use in 2014.
Elementary school principal Dan Zylstra reported on the following:
- Donuts with Dad was set for Dec. 6.
- Bailey’s Discount Center donated 200 pair of socks for our theme of “Sock it to Reading!”
- The 3rd-5th graders are currently taking the second round of Acuity tests in math, language arts, science and social studies.
- The elementary will also conduct its mid-year benchmark testing for all grades K-5. Data from these tests will be used to drive instruction for the coming months.
- The Christmas program featuring grades 1, 3 and 5 will begin at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 17.
- Thursday morning in-services in November have been used for collaboration regarding student behavior, student learning styles, and the School Improvement Plan.
Middle/high school principal Don Street reported on the following:
- The middle and high school music program will begin at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 16, in the main gym. The program will feature the choirs and bands.
- On Monday, Dec. 2, a group of seven educators from South Dearborn Middle School visited to look at the 1:1 program. They were impressed with the school, students, staff and program.
- During the Thursday morning in-services, the middle school staff has been focusing on data with Acuity. The high school staff has been focusing on reading strategies.
The board accepted the retirement request from Laura (Betsy) Bossaer from the Cooperative School Services, effective at the end of the school.
Approval was given to the personal leave request from Kim Shidler, as presented.
The board approved approve the following conference requests, as presented:
- Becky Snyder – IAAE Winter In-Service in Trafalgar
- Brian Pilarski, Mike Lattimore and Jennifer Owens – National Sports Clinic in Chicago with expenses to be paid by the athletic department.
The board voted to employ Regina Baran as a bus driver, as presented.
The board recognized the "students of the month" as follows: Nathan Davis at the elementary level, and Jenna Bolen at the middle school level. Travis Hartmann, at the high school level, was unable to attend the meeting.
The school board met in executive session before the regular meeting, in accordance to state open door laws “to discuss a job performance evaluation of individual employees.”
