The annexation effort is resulting from the closure of Monterey Elementary School this spring by the Culver Community School Corporation which has included Tippecanoe Township in Pulaski County since the late 1960s school consolidation movements in the state. However, over the years, many of the township’s families - particularly those who reside closer to Winamac than Culver - have elected to pay tuition for their students to attend EPCS.
The closure of Monterey Elementary, which has disappointed many school patrons, together with new state laws regarding school choice, has helped fuel the annexation movement. Culver Community School Superintendent Brad Schuldt has acknowledged that he and the school board have anticipated losing students because of the Monterey school closure. MES was closed by the Culver board, after long, agonizing discussions, due to financial considerations which are plaguing public schools across the state.
Earlier this summer the EPCS made provisions for school bus pickup locations in Tippecanoe Township in anticipation of accommodating students, now numbering over 40, who wish to attend Eastern Pulaski schools.
In other business, the board accepted the resignation of athletic director/assistant principal J.D. Dubes, who has accepted an assistant principal’s position in Logansport. Superintendent Dr. Robert Klitzman said administrators are seeking to fill the position again as a dual athletic director/assistant principal or as athletic director/dean of students.
In his report to the board, Klitzman gave an update on summer projects. Workers are awaiting the arrival of lights to continue with the retrofit of lighting in the elementary school gym. The summer portion of the changeover project from pneumatic controls to digital controls in the middle/high school is 75 percent complete.
Klitzman shared back-to-school information. Registration will be Aug. 9-10 with one common location in the middle/high school cafeteria for all students (k-12) to be registered. Freshmen Orientation will be Wednesday, Aug. 10. Registration for new students will be Thursday and Friday, Aug. 11-12. The first day of school for teachers and staff will be Aug. 16 which includes Meet the Teacher Night. The first day for students (a full day) will be Wednesday, Aug. 17.
Also in other business, the board tabled its annual board organization until January to coincide with new state legislation.
The board approved a recommendation from Klitzman to extend its waiver the transfer tuition fee for the 2011-12 school year until such time as state legislation changes. The superintendent explained that two years ago was the first time transfer tuition was calculated with property taxes taken out of the formula.
The board reviewed and approved the math textbook adoption recommendations as presented.
Indiana statute allows school boards to select certain curriculum materials locally and count them as part of the school’s textbook offering. The materials must be developmentally appropriate. Board approval was given to use locally selected materials (curriculum) for classroom use.
The corporation bus drivers were re-employed for the 2011-12 school year.
Approval was given to modify school board policy regarding the qualifications and election of board members, and also organization and pay. These changes were presented at the last board meeting.
Klitzman noted that for the past several years, one corporation student has been placed in a highly specialized facility in Lafayette to accommodate his unique special needs. The state departement of education pays for 94 percent of the placement and EPCS pays for 6 percent. 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 annual conflict of interest forms were approved as presented.
The board's next meeting will be at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Aut. 8, in the Distance Learning Lab at the school.
