Budget moves forward

BERNE — The South Adams Schools budget will go forward as planned.
South Adams School Board made no changes to the budget it discussed during a work session last week before granting permission Tuesday to advertise it at a total of $15.7 million.
The board also discussed the scheduling of graduation for 2017 and got an update on IREAD test scores.
Board members Arlene Amstutz, John Mann, Julie Mansfield, John Buckingham, Amy Orr, Landon Patterson and Mitch Sprunger didn’t need any further discussion Tuesday about the budget after it took up the bulk of a three-hour work session last week. About 60 percent of the spending is in the general fund, which came in at $9.17 million. Other fund totals were $1.92 million in debt service, $1.86 million in capital projects, $1.51 million in transportation, $1.1 million in rainy day and $114,000 in bus replacement.
The budget is up more than $550,000 from 2016, with that increase almost entirely in the rainy day fund. Superintendent Scott Litwiller explained last week that the increase doesn’t mean he will recommend spending all of the $1.1 million from the fund that is allocated in the budget, but rather that it allows the board flexibility for large expenditures such as high school construction or iPads if needed.
A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 13, and the board will vote on adoption at its Oct. 11 meeting.
Board members also tabled a decision on the 2017 graduation date after a discussion about a variety of options.
High school principal Trent Lehman and Litwiller had recommended the ceremony be at 2 p.m. May 28, which is the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. The school had the event on the same weekend this year, and Litwiller noted that he only received negative feedback from one resident.
Sprunger still expressed concern about holding the event on a holiday weekend. Others said they preferred not to have it on the following Sunday — June 4 — because Adams Central and Bellmont both have their commencement ceremonies set for that day, leading to potential scheduling conflicts for extended family members of graduates.
Several also noted that they’d like to have graduation closer to the last day of school, which is currently set for May 19.
Board members brought up the possibility of having graduation on a Saturday (June 3), which would conflict with IHSAA tournament events, or a weeknight.
“It doesn’t matter which time you choose, it’s not going to make everybody happy,” said Amstutz.
The board asked school administrators to research conflicts with athletics and then survey seniors and their families about possible graduation days.
Elementary school principal Shelly Miller informed that board that 81 out of 86 third graders passed the IREAD test on their first attempt in March. Of the other five, four were exempt and the fifth re-took the test this summer and also passed.
In other business, board members:
•Honored 2016 Lilly Endowment Scholarship winner Cole Myers, who plans to attend Ball State University, and Dots in Blue Water members for this year’s June service trip to Haiti.
•Accepted the resignation of Monica Smith. She had been transferred to become a part-time life skills aide at the board’s Aug. 2 meeting. She chose to resign rather than take the position.
•Hired Mindy Lindsey as a part-time special education aide assigned to the Life Skills classroom. South Adams has one part-time special education aide position remaining to fill.
•Approved overnight field trips for all athletic teams for state finals competitions, if necessary, during the 2016-17 school year.
•Heard from Litwiller that there has been no recent interest in purchasing the school property at the northwest corner of U.S. 27 and Indiana 218.
•Set its breakfast price for adults at $1.55. It had been set earlier this summer at $1.50, but South Adams was informed that the price must be at least $1.54 in order to continue participation in the National School Lunch Program.
•Received an update on its pass-through fund via the Adams County Community Foundation. More than $141,000 was donated over the last year, with $14,157 spent on projects including the cross country finish line and softball dugouts. New dugouts at the baseball field are planned for this year at a cost of $48,652.
•Approved continued participation in RISQ, an out-of-school suspension alternative run through Adams County Community Corrections. The cost, which is shared by community corrections, Adams Central and Bellmont, was $9,452 for South Adams last year.
•Reviewed and approved textbook rental and fees for vocational classes South Adams students attend at other schools.
•Designated the school’s 1978 GMC pickup truck as surplus equipment. The school purchased a 1998 GMC pickup truck at a cost of $1,400 as a replacement.
•Appointed Tina Miller and Litwiller as representatives to the School Employees Benefit Trust.
•Made the following extra-curricular assignments: Nathan Houser (auditorium director), Jennifer Thomson (vocal music), Miryah Boxell (auxiliary), Karen Moser (elementary music), Brenda Beitler (middle school yearbook), Lana Shoaf (high school yearbook), Sheila Graber (high school student government advisor), Steve Tatman (National Honor Society) and Kathy Turner (fourth and fifth grade chess club). Also appointed middle school student government advisors Gwen Habegger, Jeannine Wurster and Cindy Sprunger, high school class sponsors Jeff Lehman (freshman), Morgan Mitchell (sophomore), Ashley Buckingham (junior) and Luke McClung (senior), department heads Steve Tatman (English), Ashley Buckingham (physical education/health), Kevin McClung (Math), Curt Amstutz (music/art), Michael Baer (science), Jessie O’Dell (social studies), Gary McMillan (auto/machine) and Josh Hendrixson (special education), and middle school team leaders Jeff Bradtmiller, Cindy Sprunger, Brad Buckingham and Sheila Graber.