Schools planning for 2020-21

The new school year is in its early weeks, but plans are already taking shape for a reconfigured Jay Schools for 2020-21.

Superintendent Jeremy Gulley on Monday summarized early planning for a six-school corporation.

“Now we start the conversation in detail,” Gulley told Jay School Board. “We need good thinking. … There’s plenty of opportunity for communication.”

This latest round of consolidation in the face of declining enrollment will not only affect staffing levels but will also lead to changes in the school day, tweaks to curriculum and revision of the transportation system.

Gulley’s early estimates are that the six-school configuration will result in the loss of 15 teaching positions and two custodian jobs, one less secretary and one less nurse.

“Attrition is what we’ll use,” said Gulley. “But it’s also probable there will be layoffs.”

He noted that currently Jay County elementary students are not receiving as many classroom hours as those in neighboring districts and is proposing extending the elementary school day by 20 minutes.

Start times and dismissal times are subject to a transportation study that is due back in January. A major focus of that study is to not increase bus ride times for students.

Few curriculum changes are foreseen at the elementary level, but Jay County High School, which will become a junior-senior high facility, will be dealing with a new schedule system.

“We are moving from a block schedule to a traditional schedule,” Gulley said.

That transition could be a challenge

“I intend to bring back (guidance counselor) Vickie Reitz post-retirement to consult on this project,” said Gulley. “Vickie brought us from traditional schedule to block schedule. We would be wise to have her help us bring block back to traditional.”

While declining enrollment has led to consolidation and the closing of Pennville and Judge Haynes elementary schools, Gulley said this year’s numbers have been a bright spot.

Enrollment this fall is 3,153.

“That’s up 17 over last year,” Gulley said, noting it is the first non-decline year since 2014. “That’s a pretty good number for us. … One year is not a trend, but we’ll take it when we can.”

Board members heard no public comment at a hearing on the proposed 2020 budget of $39,002,170, which includes $21.8 million in the education fund, $10.4 million in the operations fund, $5.4 million in the debt service fund, $895,468 in the pension debt service fund and $500,000 in the rainy day fund.

In other business, board members:

•Welcomed new school resource officer Cody Jessee. “I was very happy to see someone in your capacity in the (high school) building,” said board president Phil Ford. “We need you out there and appreciate you.”

•Authorized increasing pay for high-need aides for special education to $14.65 per hour because it has not been attracting suitable applicants.

•Approved the school corporation’s Title 1 grant of $916,719.97.

•Heard assistant superintendent Trent Paxson review recent ILEARN test results, that showed Jay Schools students performing above the state average and most of the surrounding school districts. “All I know is our kids are performing well,” said Paxson.

•Reviewed policies on how to handle delinquent accounts for school lunches. “What we’re not going to do is deny a kid a meal,” said Gulley. “What we’re not going to do is create an alternative meal.” However, under a policy change being considered, students with delinquent accounts would not be able to charge for a la carte items.

•Approved an amendment to the corporation’s food service contract with Chartwells to allow for a significant investment in new kitchen equipment. Chartwells had originally projected that at $350,000 but now believes the number will come in closer to $425,000. Chartwells will make the up-front investment to be paid back by Jay Schools over five years. “The equipment was in worse shape than they thought it was,” said Gulley.

•Selected Rex Collins Electric to replace the fire alarm system at the high school at a cost of $305,602. While six firms had expressed interest, Collins was the sole bidder. Architect’s estimates had projected the cost at $419,000.

•Accepted a donation from The Portland Foundation in the amount of $1,853 to purchase equipment for the robotics program.

•Hired Jennifer Wolfe as an instructional assistant, Tracey VanSkyock as a full-time bus driver, Jill Alig as an instructional assistant, Vickie Reitz as transition coordinator and Joella Rinker as a part-time instructional assistant.

•Accepted the resignations of guidance secretary Leslie Davis and instructional assistants Rod Wolford and Caitlin Gilbert.

•Terminated Lisa Swink as a part-time custodian.

•Approved a leave of absence for instructional assistant Virginia Cline.

•Extended a contract for preschool coordinator Anita Clott.

•Designated Cheryl Ruiz as a half-day preschool instructor and half-day preschool instructional assistant.

•Approved a lease agreement for use of West Jay Middle School’s gym by West Jay Community Center.

•Approved extracurricular assignments for Betty Harris as Just Say No sponsor at Redkey Elementary School, Whitney Gray as assistant girls’ golf coach at JCHS, Butch Gray as girls’ golf coach at JCHS, Zach Pryor as freshman boys’ basketball coach, Abigail Theurer as assistant girls’ soccer coach at JCHS, Braulio Ruiz as assistant boys’ soccer coach at JCHS, Lori Reece as yearbook sponsor and half-time assistant drama/musical director at JCHS, Brittany Martyne as half-time assistant drama/musical director at JCHS, Dustin Guggenbiller as assistant football coach at JCHS, Elizabeth Holdcroft as assistant volleyball coach at JCHS, Nick Leonhard as assistant wrestling coach at JCHS, Chelsea Grady as assistant volleyball coach at JCHS, Andrew Davidson as elementary intramural soccer coach at Westlawn Elementary School, Abigail Jutte as elementary intramural track coach at Westlawn and Amanda Rion as elementary intramural basketball coach at Westlawn.

•Approved outside consulting by Gulley as specified under the terms of his contract.

•Accepted the extracurricular resignation of Whitney Freeman as JCHS yearbook adviser.

•Authorized field trips by JCHS students traveling to Europe next March and the robotics club to state competition in Portage in December

•Approved a bus request by the West Jay Fellowship of Christian Athletes.