Jay Schools expands program

A pilot program putting technology in the hands of ninth graders will be expanded to all class levels at Jay County High School next fall.
Jay School Board members voted unanimously Monday night to expand the 1-to-1, bring-your-own device program based upon its early success.
Under the pilot program, about 40 percent of ninth graders have brought an Internet-capable device of their own to school, while the other 60 percent rent Chromebooks from the school corporation in much the same way that textbooks have been rented in the past.
“It’s been great,” said JCHS principal Chad Dodd.
Jay Schools had looked at the possibility of purchasing laptop or tablet computers for students but shifted gears last year and adopted the bring-your-own device concept after surveying students about the availability of technology at home.
By classifying the Chromebook as a textbook, the school corporation was able to use book rental fees as a funding mechanism for those students who didn’t have access to an Internet-capable device already.
“We have the bandwidth,” said Jay Schools superintendent Tim Long. “It’s taken off the way we wanted it to.”
Dodd said about 90 minutes was spent briefing students about how the devices will be used, making use of software such as My Big Campus and Google applications.
“Some of the students had already been using Google apps,” said Dodd.
Business manager Brad DeRome said each Chromebook, equipped with cover and accessories, costs about $250. The rental fee is about $70 per year.
Expanding the program to include students in grades 10 through 12 will make it feasible for teachers in classes with students from different grade levels to make use of the available technology.
“We’re going to have some issues,” said Long. “But it looks like it’s going really well.”
While the board was unanimous in backing the expansion of 1-to-1, it split 5-2 when adopting the school calendar for 2015-2016.
Administrators have attempted to bring the Jay Schools calendar into synch with those of Adams County schools. About 40 Jay County students travel to South Adams to take machine trades vocational classes, and when the calendars don’t match those students lose classroom time.
At issue was whether to take a full week of fall break vacation in October, as Adams County schools are proposing. Jay County elementary school teachers expressed opposition to that approach during discussion sessions, preferring the current two-day fall break.
Board members Kristi Betts and Ron Laux proposed tabling the matter in an effort to iron out the differences, but board president Mike Masters expressed frustration with that approach.
“These are so close, I find it a little ridiculous,” Masters said of the two proposed calendars. “We’ve spent way too much time on this.”
The board opted to go with a two-day fall break as it is on the current calendar and included a day off during the heavy traffic Friday of the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Association show in August.
As approved by the board, the 2015-16 calendar calls for the first teacher day on Aug. 7, the first day for students Aug. 10, fall break Oct. 22 and 23, Christmas vacation from Dec. 21 until Jan. 4, spring break from March 23 to 27, the last student day May 18 and graduation June 5. There are two built-in snow days, and additional snow days would be added to the end of the school year if needed.
The board continued its ongoing discussion of school finances Monday, expressing concern that student enrollment is down 19 from the enrollment count in February. Because state funding for schools is directly linked to enrollment, each lost student costs the district about $6,000.
Numerous spending cuts have been put in place, but those are not likely to show an impact until the 2015-16 school year.
“We do have a plan and we are making progress,” said Long. “We’re definitely using a paring knife not a meat cleaver” when making cuts.
Masters cautioned board members to “be prepared when we get to the next school year to make more cuts.”
In matters related to spending, the board authorized DeRome to borrow $900,000 from the Indiana Bond Bank to cover cash flow needs in the capital projects fund in 2015 and held a public hearing on a proposed additional appropriation of $757,000 to pay year-end bills.
The Bond Bank loan, DeRome said, will be at an interest rate 0.0075. Action on the additional appropriation is expected at the next board meeting.
In other business, the board:
•Agreed with Long’s recommendation that any potential changes in the school dress code be examined next spring when student handbooks are being revised. Parent Melissa Denney had complained to the board about current policies on piercings and leggings. Board members responded that changing the rules after the start of the school year would be a mistake. “My concern is if we start changing every little thing, it’s going to be every little thing,” said board member Beth Krieg. “It’s going to be something all the time.” Long indicated that there would be an opportunity for parental input next spring.
•Approved a number of policy revisions on tobacco use, student fund-raising, parental organizations and the suspension or expulsion of students with disabilities.
•Deferred a proposal to contract with retired principal Lee Newman to do training in the area of crisis prevention and intervention until the board has more information on the costs and alternatives.
•Hired Daniel Tasson as an instructional assistant at JCHS, Vanessa Westlake as an instructional assistant at Judge Haynes Elementary School, Kim Shannon as a cook at JCHS and Brittany Hemmelgarn as an instructional assistant at Judge Haynes.
•Transferred pre-school instructional assistant Lexie Penrod to Redkey Elementary School.
•Accepted the resignation of Redkey pre-school instructional assistant Nancy Sulfridge and East Elementary School crossing guard Terry Hale.
•Terminated the employment of Lisa Fisher as an instructional assistant at JCHS.
•Approved leaves of absence for West Jay Middle School nurse Megan Downham, East Jay Middle School custodian Steve Cash and West Jay guidance counselor Laura McConnell.
•Approved extra-curricular assignments for Brianne Wellman as assistant girls’ track coach at JCHS, Bill Bice as archery coach at East Jay, Sheryl Buckmaster as drama sponsor at West Jay, Michelle Hart as seventh grade team leader at West Jay, Eric Myers as student council sponsor at East Jay, Thomas Leonhard as eighth grade assistant football coach at East Jay, Larry Stultz as eighth grade boys basketball coach at West Jay, Brittany Muhlenkamp as seventh grade girls basketball coach at West Jay, Rhea Walradth as sixth grade girls basketball coach at West Jay and Josh Selvey as eighth grade girls basketball coach at West Jay.
•Authorized field trips by the JCHS choir class and the JCHS FFA.
•Heard Masters urge local contractors interested in doing work for the school corporation to get their insurance paperwork in order so they can be certified as a vendor.
•Authorized DeRome to apply for a school safety matching grant from the Department of Homeland Security.