July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
I.B. presentation stills up emotions (09/26/06)
Jay School Board
By By MIKE SNYDER-
A simple presentation on an advanced-degree program sparked friction between the president of the school board and the high school principal.
Jay School Board president Bryan Alexander, who suggested earlier this year that the board research the International Baccalaureate program, didn't like what he heard in a report at Monday's board meeting by Jay County High School principal Dr. Wood Barwick and JCHS teacher Dolphus Stephens.
Barwick and Stephens, who were part of a committee which looked into the program, each said that the program, which requires rigorous academic work, was valuable.
But each also said that current staffing levels presented challenges to implementing the I.B. program.
"I'm speechless," Alexander said before airing his frustration. "I'm not interested in being part of a school corporation that settles for the lowest common denominator ... I don't accept this (negativity). I really think that we should explore it ... wouldn't that be something if we were one of nine school corporations in the state that offer this? I'm frankly disappointed with the tone of what has come back here."
"If you think I'm against this program, you're wrong," said Stephens, who was originally slated to devote part of his time this year to investigating the I.B. program but was needed to teach an English class.
Barwick, who along with other committee members met with an I.B. program representative, said that he believed that current staffing levels at the high school are "somewhat detrimental to the goals of ... education. I believe there are more important issues at Jay County High School. The International Baccalaureate is a good program ... but there are other issues more important," said Barwick, who noted that a half-time program director would need to be hired.
The estimated annual cost for the program, said Barwick, could be as much as $50,000. Alexander said that the cost wasn't a barrier in a budget of more than $31 million.
Alexander noted that Pike High School in Indianapolis is one of eight schools in the state which offer the I.B. degree, and said that Jay County should be able to do the same. Alexander said that he agreed that staffing levels in the school system are "a problem," but said it had nothing to do with the I.B. discussion.
"We didn't say we didn't want to do the program ... I don't think we should do the International Baccalaureate program because you met someone from Pike High School and thought we should do it," Barwick said a short time later.
Board member Greg Wellman asked about the Advanced Placement program currently in place at the high school, and how it would overlap with the I.B. He said he would not be in favor of keeping both programs in place if the I.B. is implemented.
But board member Frank Vormohr chimed in with support for Alexander's position.
"How much do we do ... for those (academically) upper-echelon students? I think this would be an unbelievable opportunity for some of these kids," Vormohr said.
Board members agreed by consensus to continue investigating the program - including scheduling possible visits to other school corporations which offer the I.B.
Board members Jay Halstead, Mike Shannon, Mike Masters, Doug Inman, Wellman, Alexander and Vormohr had a much calmer reaction to a presentation on Project Lead the Way, a not-for-profit designed to jump-start students interested in pursuing careers in engineering and technology.
The program, which pending board approval could be offered to incoming freshmen in the fall of 2007, introduces students to a variety of subjects - including principles of engineering, engineering design, computer integrated manufacturing and biotechnical, architectural and aerospace engineering.
Craig Campbell, chair of the vocational department at JCHS, led a Power Point presentation Monday and answered questions along with Barwick.
Superintendent Barbara Downing said that start-up costs for the program would be minimal because Vocational Area 18, a cooperative comprised of several districts in Northeast Indiana, would pay some of those costs and that a planning grant could also be available.
The board is likely to discuss the program again at its October meeting.
Also sparking some emotion Monday was an update on the ongoing renovation project at JCHS from Kirby Harkless of Barton Coe Villama, the engineering firm overseeing the project.
Vormohr, saying he would receive "pressure when I get home tonight," asked Harkless if the high school pool would be ready when swim practice begins in mid-October.
Harkless said that a problem with mortar not sticking to the concrete pool walls and floor will mean that the Oct. 1 deadline will not be met. He said that the mortar was not adhering to the concrete properly and was removed with a jackhammer on two different occasions.
Harkless said that the new deadline for beginning to fill the pool is Oct. 12, with the goal of having it ready for swimming seven days later.
"I'm going to get beat up (by constituents) over this," Shannon said. "This is a very infuriating problem. We sold this pool project on the basis that it wouldn't affect (sports). I've just been made a liar, and I don't like that."
On a brighter note, Harkless said that work in other areas of the school is on schedule, and that the new heating system should be ready for activation at the end of this week.
In other business Monday, board members:
•Agreed to re-finance about $23 million in bonds issued for major projects in 2001 - including the demolition and rebuilding of older portion of East Jay Middle School. The action will save more than $275,000 in interest.
•Heard Bill Ford, chairman of the Jay County Elk's Hoop Shoot free throw competition, request permission to contact elementary and middle school principals to discuss running the competition as part of the physical education curriculum. That permission was given by consensus.
•OK'd overnight field trip requests for JCHS French classes (Nov. 1, Clayton, Ohio); JCHS choir department (New York City, March/April 2007); and JCHS band (band camp at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, July 30-Aug. 3, 2007).
•Hired Joella Rinker, an instructional assistant at Westlawn Elementary School, and E. Grant Fager, a part-time custodian at West Jay Middle School.
•Approved a transfer for Rebecca Billington to job coach bus driver for Jay County High School from instructional assistant.
•Accepted the resignation of Larry Wilson as elementary boys basketball coach at Pennville Elementary School.
•Agreed to a new seven-year contract allowing Coca-Cola to serve as the exclusive supplier of soft drinks and other beverages for the Jay School Corporation.
Jay Schools will be paid on a rebate/commission basis, and will also receive 400 cases of free product each school year. Jay Schools business manager Brad DeRome estimated that based on current volumes, the school corporation can expect to receive almost $200,000 in revenue over the seven-year period.
The current contract with Coca-Cola expires Sept. 30.
•Approved a lengthy list of extra-curricular activity leadership positions, including: Ruth Zicht, cheer sponsor, East Elementary; Justin Lowe, girls basketball, East; Tony Overton, boys basketball, East; Karen Bishop, volunteer, Judge Haynes Elementary; Donnie Friddle, boys basketball, Redkey Elementary; Kendra Stouder, girls basketball, Redkey; Shawna Davis, cheer sponsor and yearbook sponsor, Redkey; Julie Barlow, Just Say No sponsor, Redkey; Cathy Franks, student council sponsor, Redkey; Kristen Spahr, volunteer, Redkey; Latisha Blankenship, volunteer, Westlawn; Paula Edwards, volunteer, Westlawn; Deb Masters, volunteer, Westlawn; Lorinda Buckner, volunteer, Westlawn; Terrence Cheek, athletic director, West Jay; Cory Mock, volunteer, West Jay; Irene Taylor, half-time honor society sponsor, West Jay; Nicole Liter, student council sponsor, West Jay; Melissa Muhlenkamp, one-third FFA sponsor, JCHS; Matthew Swartz, one-third FFA sponsor, JCHS; Jared Nussbaum, one-third FFA sponsor, JCHS; Brian McEvoy, freshman boys basketball coach, JCHS; Andrew Isch, assistant varsity boys basketball coach, JCHS; and Kyle Osting, volunteer choreographer and choir, JCHS.
Board members also approved driver's education positions for Dennis Dwiggins and Ted Habegger and 2006-07 volunteers for the Kids Hope program.[[In-content Ad]]
Jay School Board president Bryan Alexander, who suggested earlier this year that the board research the International Baccalaureate program, didn't like what he heard in a report at Monday's board meeting by Jay County High School principal Dr. Wood Barwick and JCHS teacher Dolphus Stephens.
Barwick and Stephens, who were part of a committee which looked into the program, each said that the program, which requires rigorous academic work, was valuable.
But each also said that current staffing levels presented challenges to implementing the I.B. program.
"I'm speechless," Alexander said before airing his frustration. "I'm not interested in being part of a school corporation that settles for the lowest common denominator ... I don't accept this (negativity). I really think that we should explore it ... wouldn't that be something if we were one of nine school corporations in the state that offer this? I'm frankly disappointed with the tone of what has come back here."
"If you think I'm against this program, you're wrong," said Stephens, who was originally slated to devote part of his time this year to investigating the I.B. program but was needed to teach an English class.
Barwick, who along with other committee members met with an I.B. program representative, said that he believed that current staffing levels at the high school are "somewhat detrimental to the goals of ... education. I believe there are more important issues at Jay County High School. The International Baccalaureate is a good program ... but there are other issues more important," said Barwick, who noted that a half-time program director would need to be hired.
The estimated annual cost for the program, said Barwick, could be as much as $50,000. Alexander said that the cost wasn't a barrier in a budget of more than $31 million.
Alexander noted that Pike High School in Indianapolis is one of eight schools in the state which offer the I.B. degree, and said that Jay County should be able to do the same. Alexander said that he agreed that staffing levels in the school system are "a problem," but said it had nothing to do with the I.B. discussion.
"We didn't say we didn't want to do the program ... I don't think we should do the International Baccalaureate program because you met someone from Pike High School and thought we should do it," Barwick said a short time later.
Board member Greg Wellman asked about the Advanced Placement program currently in place at the high school, and how it would overlap with the I.B. He said he would not be in favor of keeping both programs in place if the I.B. is implemented.
But board member Frank Vormohr chimed in with support for Alexander's position.
"How much do we do ... for those (academically) upper-echelon students? I think this would be an unbelievable opportunity for some of these kids," Vormohr said.
Board members agreed by consensus to continue investigating the program - including scheduling possible visits to other school corporations which offer the I.B.
Board members Jay Halstead, Mike Shannon, Mike Masters, Doug Inman, Wellman, Alexander and Vormohr had a much calmer reaction to a presentation on Project Lead the Way, a not-for-profit designed to jump-start students interested in pursuing careers in engineering and technology.
The program, which pending board approval could be offered to incoming freshmen in the fall of 2007, introduces students to a variety of subjects - including principles of engineering, engineering design, computer integrated manufacturing and biotechnical, architectural and aerospace engineering.
Craig Campbell, chair of the vocational department at JCHS, led a Power Point presentation Monday and answered questions along with Barwick.
Superintendent Barbara Downing said that start-up costs for the program would be minimal because Vocational Area 18, a cooperative comprised of several districts in Northeast Indiana, would pay some of those costs and that a planning grant could also be available.
The board is likely to discuss the program again at its October meeting.
Also sparking some emotion Monday was an update on the ongoing renovation project at JCHS from Kirby Harkless of Barton Coe Villama, the engineering firm overseeing the project.
Vormohr, saying he would receive "pressure when I get home tonight," asked Harkless if the high school pool would be ready when swim practice begins in mid-October.
Harkless said that a problem with mortar not sticking to the concrete pool walls and floor will mean that the Oct. 1 deadline will not be met. He said that the mortar was not adhering to the concrete properly and was removed with a jackhammer on two different occasions.
Harkless said that the new deadline for beginning to fill the pool is Oct. 12, with the goal of having it ready for swimming seven days later.
"I'm going to get beat up (by constituents) over this," Shannon said. "This is a very infuriating problem. We sold this pool project on the basis that it wouldn't affect (sports). I've just been made a liar, and I don't like that."
On a brighter note, Harkless said that work in other areas of the school is on schedule, and that the new heating system should be ready for activation at the end of this week.
In other business Monday, board members:
•Agreed to re-finance about $23 million in bonds issued for major projects in 2001 - including the demolition and rebuilding of older portion of East Jay Middle School. The action will save more than $275,000 in interest.
•Heard Bill Ford, chairman of the Jay County Elk's Hoop Shoot free throw competition, request permission to contact elementary and middle school principals to discuss running the competition as part of the physical education curriculum. That permission was given by consensus.
•OK'd overnight field trip requests for JCHS French classes (Nov. 1, Clayton, Ohio); JCHS choir department (New York City, March/April 2007); and JCHS band (band camp at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, July 30-Aug. 3, 2007).
•Hired Joella Rinker, an instructional assistant at Westlawn Elementary School, and E. Grant Fager, a part-time custodian at West Jay Middle School.
•Approved a transfer for Rebecca Billington to job coach bus driver for Jay County High School from instructional assistant.
•Accepted the resignation of Larry Wilson as elementary boys basketball coach at Pennville Elementary School.
•Agreed to a new seven-year contract allowing Coca-Cola to serve as the exclusive supplier of soft drinks and other beverages for the Jay School Corporation.
Jay Schools will be paid on a rebate/commission basis, and will also receive 400 cases of free product each school year. Jay Schools business manager Brad DeRome estimated that based on current volumes, the school corporation can expect to receive almost $200,000 in revenue over the seven-year period.
The current contract with Coca-Cola expires Sept. 30.
•Approved a lengthy list of extra-curricular activity leadership positions, including: Ruth Zicht, cheer sponsor, East Elementary; Justin Lowe, girls basketball, East; Tony Overton, boys basketball, East; Karen Bishop, volunteer, Judge Haynes Elementary; Donnie Friddle, boys basketball, Redkey Elementary; Kendra Stouder, girls basketball, Redkey; Shawna Davis, cheer sponsor and yearbook sponsor, Redkey; Julie Barlow, Just Say No sponsor, Redkey; Cathy Franks, student council sponsor, Redkey; Kristen Spahr, volunteer, Redkey; Latisha Blankenship, volunteer, Westlawn; Paula Edwards, volunteer, Westlawn; Deb Masters, volunteer, Westlawn; Lorinda Buckner, volunteer, Westlawn; Terrence Cheek, athletic director, West Jay; Cory Mock, volunteer, West Jay; Irene Taylor, half-time honor society sponsor, West Jay; Nicole Liter, student council sponsor, West Jay; Melissa Muhlenkamp, one-third FFA sponsor, JCHS; Matthew Swartz, one-third FFA sponsor, JCHS; Jared Nussbaum, one-third FFA sponsor, JCHS; Brian McEvoy, freshman boys basketball coach, JCHS; Andrew Isch, assistant varsity boys basketball coach, JCHS; and Kyle Osting, volunteer choreographer and choir, JCHS.
Board members also approved driver's education positions for Dennis Dwiggins and Ted Habegger and 2006-07 volunteers for the Kids Hope program.[[In-content Ad]]
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