The board held its annual elections. Jim Bergens was elected school board president. Dennis Gutwein was elected vice president and Kerry Miller was elected secretary.

The board approved a motion to transfer $80,000 from the Capital Projects to the Rainy Day Fund.

Superintendent Mellon presented an update on the boiler replacement in the high school. A new policy that will allow Epi-Pens to be used in case of an emergency will go into effect in February. If parents do not wish for this emergency treatment to take place, they may sign a waiver.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 directed USDA to establish nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold to students during the school day, including foods sold through fundraisers. This policy will take effect at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year. The Department of Education will be conducting training of the nutrition standards. Information was presented to the board concerning the proposed elimination of the state’s Business Personal Property Tax and the effect this would have on the school corporation. With the wind turbine output for December, the corporation paid only the $20 service fee to NIPSCO for the electrical power.

Under discussion items, elementary school principal Dan Zylstra reported that Smokey the Bear visited the school Dec. 12 and spoke to students about the many activities at Tippecanoe River State Park. Acuity results are in from the November/December testing window. Scores are at or above last year’s results of the same test. The school will to use these results to drive instruction during the critical January-March instructional time for students. Report cards for the second quarter will be sent home on Monday, Jan. 13. Thursdays in December were used for grade-level collaboration on the School Improvement Plan and data analysis with the Data Coach.

Middle/high school principal Don Street reported that the high school will have Snowcoming on Friday, Jan. 17 with a dance after the Westville boys’ basketball games. The Life Skills Chili Supper is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 24 starting at 5 p.m., before the Pioneer girls and boys basketball games. The WCEF Dinner is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 31, starting at 5 p.m., before the Winamac boys’ basketball games. During the month of January in-services will be provided from the high ability grant on differentiated instruction.

“Super Trojan plaques were presented to Rod Pardue, retiring bus driver, and to Evelyn Dunker, retiring custodian for their many years of service to the school corporation.

The board approved the personal leave for Mary Chesser, as requested.

The board approved the certified employees’ contracts for Cooperative School Services, as presented.

Approval was given to the conference request from Amber Leman and Bryce Kappes to attend the Inclusion Conference in Indianapolis, as presented.

“Student of the Month” certificates were presented to Crisney Shepperd at the elementary school level and Jacob Wireman at the middle school level. Brittany McMullen was honored at the high school level but was unable to attend the meeting.

Board of Finanace Meeting

The Board of Finance Committee of the West Central School Corporation also met Jan. 9,  after the regular school board meeting. The following members were present: Dennis Gutwein, Jim Bergens, Gary Gudeman, David Allen, Jeff Tanner, Jeff Lowry and Kerry Miller. Also in attendance were Amber Tomlinson, principals Don Street and Dan Zylstra, and Superintendent Charles Mellon.

The board elected Gary Gudeman as president and David Allen as secretary. The committee designated Pamela Ledford, treasurer, as the investing officer.

The committee designated Lake City Bank, Medaryville Branch, and Alliance Bank, Francesville Branch as depositories for the year.

The committee approved a motion to declare the listing of outstanding and unpaid checks from West Central School Corporation and Cooperative School Services, as presented be cancelled.