Funding sought for program

A classroom at John Jay Center for Learning will become an annex of Jay County High School under a federal stimulus funding proposal approved Monday by the Jay School Board.

Plans call for establishing a computer lab similar to the credit recovery lab at the high school - aimed at serving young adults no longer eligible for high school enrollment.

Assistant superintendent Wood Barwick said 205 such individuals have been identified in the county, and the program will be open to students from surrounding counties as well who want to complete their diploma work.

"We can provide opportunities," Barwick said.

Students will be able to work on their diploma requirements and complete credits with online courses under the supervision of a Jay Schools teacher.

The classes are sponsored by JCHS and credit upon successful completion will be granted by JCHS. Because of that, participating students would count toward the school system's average daily attendance and have an impact on state funding.

It's hoped that after the two-year pilot program funded by federal stimulus dollars that it would be self-sustaining. The classroom space will be rented from John Jay at a cost of $1,300 per month.

The board also approved seeking stimulus funds to support an expansion of the alternative education program. The in-school suspension program at the Jay Community Center would continue with no changes.

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Two additional classes would be established at Pennville, Barwick said.

One would be for a maximum of 12 at-risk students who have the possibilities of conduct rehabilitation and learning potential. The other would be for students who are autistic or have emotional development issues. It would be limited to 10 students.

The board was also unanimous in approving revised memoranda of understanding with school administrators. The revisions reflect the fact that when the school year began JCHS principal Phil Ford and athletic director Ted Habegger were serving on an interim basis. They are now serving on a permanent basis and their pay was adjusted accordingly.

For the 2009-20-10 school year, Ford will receive $85,512 and Habegger $66,560.

Other administrative pay for 2009-2010 is as follows: Superintendent Tim Long $116,530, assistant superintendent Wood Barwick $89,232, business manager Brad DeRome $86,636, special education director Dave Chastain $85,541, East Jay principal Lee Newman $78,658, technology director Dennis Green $64,092, Redkey principal Tom Jerles $73,549, Bloomfield principal Dan Hoffman $75,745, JCHS dean Chad Dodd $67,600, West Jay principal Mike Crull $68,953, East Jay administrative assistant Craig Campbell $59,595, East principal Andy Schemenaur $66,692, Pennville principal Larry Wilson $67,027, Westlawn principal Jeff Davis $69,980, Judge Haynes principal Trent Paxson $70,501, General Shanks principal Mike Eads $70,501, and food service director Bill Bussear $53,021.

Superintendent Long gave the board an enthusiastic report of his recent educational exchange visit to China.

"It was probably one of the greatest experiences I've ever had in my life," Long said. He met with hundreds of teachers and school administrators during his visit. "It was a very productive time."

At Long's urging, the board approved, in principle, partner-school agreements with Anshan Angang Senior School and Anshan 3 Middle School in Liaoning, China, in hopes of establishing future exchanges and further cooperation.

In other business, the board:

•Authorized DeRome to advertise for bids for a new freezer and cooler for the food service kitchen at JCHS. The current cooler dates from the school's construction in 1975.

•Adopted social studies textbooks in accordance with the teacher-parent textbook adoption committees' recommendations.

•Hired Shawna Davis as secretary at Redkey Elementary School.

•Approved the retirements later this spring of food service employees Janet Walker and Olive Watson and East first grade teacher Sharen Michael.

•Accepted the resignations of Linda Potter as a music teacher at East Jay, Elizabeth Becker as a speech and language services specialist, Katie Redwine as family and consumer science teacher at East Jay, Brenda Barcus as technology instructor at General Shanks and Judge Haynes, Ida Houston as English as a second language teacher at Judge Haynes, Katie Kosak as a life skills class instructional assistant at Westlawn, and Nicole Byers as a food service van driver.

•Approved leaves of absence for Bloomfield first grade teacher Judy Wellman, East kindergarten teacher Sarah Davidson, and East Jay sixth grade interventions teacher Amy Dillon.

•Approved extracurricular assignments for Butch Gray as head girls' golf coach at JCHS, Abby Champ as head girls' soccer coach at JCHS, Theresa Inman as an art volunteer at JCHS, Doug Arbuckle as varsity softball coach at JCHS, Christie Sommers as assistant softball coach at JCHS, Eric Myers as assistant softball coach at JCHS, and Josh Stultz as volunteer track coach at West Jay.

•Accepted extracurricular resignations from Rod Wolford as elementary girls' basketball coach at General Shanks, Amy Dillon as junior varsity volleyball coach at JCHS, Kirk Comer as girls' basketball coach at JCHS, Tom Ferguson as girls' golf coach at JCHS, and Jack Wood as head softball coach at JCHS.

•Approved field trips by the JCHS robotics team to competition in Dallas, Texas, advanced art and foreign language students at JCHS to Chicago, East Jay band and choir to Kings Island, and the West Jay archery team to competition in Louisville, Ky.

•Approve bus requests from Jay Community Center and Zion Early Learning Center.[[In-content Ad]]