Site plan discussed (12/26/2008)

Jay Schools officials are in the early stages of developing a master plan for the high school's outdoor athletic facilities.

"We've developed this very preliminary plan," Indianapolis architect John Rigsby told the Jay School Board Monday night. "This is just the first pass on this."

Athletic director Ted Habegger said the plans have involved discussions with coaches and administrators but is still very much a work in progress.

As sketched out for the board, the plan calls for a new softball field, renovations to the football grandstand, a plaza that would provide a central entry point to athletic fields, and new buildings for concessions and equipment storage.

"I think this gives us a pretty comprehensive look at what should be done or what could be done in that area," said superintendent Tim Long. "It's a long-term look."

Long said similar planning processes are under way in other areas of the school corporation, including the food service.

"We're not making decisions tonight," said Long. "It's an informational thing. ... We want to be as transparent and open as we can be."

Long reported that work is going well on the new multi-purpose facility/auxiliary gym at the high school. He said he expects sanding on the floor to begin early next week, followed by striping and finishing.

"They're doing a nice job," said buildings director Ron Krieg. "We're going to have a nice product when they're done."

Long said he expects the building to be in use in January.

Board members heard an enthusiastic report on recent ISTEP scores from assisztant superintendent Wood Barwick.

"I'm always excited when ISTEP scores are good," said Barwick. "Our scores are showing progress."

He noted that all of the board's stated goals for progress had been met this year.

"We're going to establish goals for the coming year to improve these," he added.

On Long's recommendation, the board unanimously approved a school calendar for 2009-2010 that's in line with the current calendar. The first day of school for students will be Aug. 17. Christmas vacation in 2009 will be from Dec. 21 to Jan. 2. Spring break will be March 22 to 26. The last day for students will be May 27. And graduation in 2010 will be June 6.

The board also unanimously approved switching from Plato software at the elementary level to Successmakers software. Long said he believed Successmakers will be a better fit at that level and noted that the change would save the school corporation about $20,000 a year.

Monday marked the final Jay School Board meeting for Dr. Frank Vormohr, who won praise from his colleagues for his leadership.

Board president Bryan Alexander noted that Vormohr was the first graduate of Jay County High School to serve on the school board. "I think Frank represented that change in era," said Alexander. "He was often the voice who carried the most weight."

"There's one reason you do it," said Vormohr, "and that's for those kids out there."

In other business, the board:

•Hired Brenda Barcus as a technical instructor assistant at Judge Haynes and General Shanks elementaries, Dennis Dwiggins and Ted Habegger as driver education teachers at JCHS, Mary K. Jutte as a bus driver, and Kristi Pryor as registrar at JCHS.

•Approved extracurricular assignments for Mark Myers as assistant wrestling coach at JCHS, Chelsea Rains as assistant girls' track coach at JCHS, and William Robert Spahr as volunteer wrestling coach at JCHS.

•Accepted the resignation of Pete Vogler as guard director for the Marching Patriots effective the end of the school year.

•Approved a bus use request by youth groups at Holy Trinity and Immaculate Conception Catholic churches.

•Appointed Alexander and John Nill to the common construction wage committee for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning project at East Elementary. Other committee members will be appointed by the county commissioners, the Indiana Department of Labor, and the AFL-CIO.

•Authorized business manager Brad DeRome to make year-end fund transfers as needed.

•Learned that the school corporation had exceeded its goal for United Way of Jay County.

•Learned that DeRome is investigating the concept of having an in-house medical clinic for the school system as a way of control health insurance costs.[[In-content Ad]]Property tax revenues are flowing to the Jay School Corporation, but the weak economy has already had an impact on tax collections.

"We did receive our check today from the county treasurer," business manager Brad DeRome told the Jay School Board Monday. But the amount received was only 96 or 97 percent of what had been expected.

"We have generally received 100 percent to 102 percent in the past," DeRome said, noting that the 102 percent collection includes penalties and late fees.

"That is just less collection," he added. "That's impacting the general fund to the tune of about $150,000."

"That's where we are," said superintendent Tim Long. "That's what the economy is."

The drop in revenue will likely require some cuts in spending.

"We'll be as judicious as we can be," said Long.

DeRome was complimentary to county government for its handling of reassessment and property taxes during a complicated period that has some counties struggling.

"We take (the competence of county government) for granted," said board president Bryan Alexander.