Board looks at ideas for lighting, police

Jay School Board will have some decisions to make next month.

Jeremy Gulley, superintendent of Jay School Corporation, presented information to the board Monday about the possibility of installing lights at the Jay County Junior/Senior High School baseball and softball fields in 2024 and employing off-duty police officers as part-time employees.

Decisions on both are expected at the board’s Dec. 18 meeting.

Gulley explained that while previous plans had called for installing baseball lights in 2024 and softball lights later, it may make more sense to do both projects at the same time. He noted that Mid-States Construction of Redkey will already be on site working on the new locker room, restroom and concession facility for the football field and would be available to run the electrical service needed from that area to the baseball and softball fields.

The cost to install the lights at both fields is estimated at $500,000.

Mark Lusch of Musco Sports Lighting attended the meeting remotely and explained to the board that the lights would be designed based on Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) standards. He said his company has about 85% of the market share for such projects and has installed lighting at most of the other Allen County Athletic Conference schools. The lights would have a 25-year warranty.

Jay County Junior-Senior High School athletics director Steve Boozier noted that there could be some cost savings in bringing in the baseball outfield fence slightly — from the current 380 feet in center field to about 370 feet — that would reduce the number of poles needed from eight to six.

Gulley asked the board to review the proposal with plans to bring it to a vote next month. (If approved, the work would be completed following the 2024 baseball and softball seasons.)

The superintendent also noted that architectural and engineering firm Barton Coe Vilamaa, which has worked on various projects with the school corporation including the current football field work, has been asked to do an overall facilities study to make recommendations for future needs. A report is expected next month.

Gulley also presented a draft of a memorandum of understanding for hiring off-duty police officers as part-time employees. The intention is to expand the police presence in local schools without hiring an additional school resource officer.

Officers working part-time for the school corporation would be required to follow the regulations of both the schools and the police department for which they are employed. They would also have to maintain full-time status with their law enforcement agency, attend all required training, wear a police uniform and have a police vehicle. They would go through the same process of background checks through the hiring process as other part-time employees, such as substitute teachers.

The proposed pay rate is $27.87 per hour, with no additional benefits.

Gulley said he would also seek action on that proposal next month.

In other business, the board:

•Heard a presentation about adding more employability skills into the junior/senior high curriculum including implementation of the Xello college and career readiness program and FoolProofMe financial literacy program. The work-based learning program has also been revised to comply with changes made by Indiana Department of Education  

•Approved the following: the hiring of Spencer Tonner to continue as the junior/senior high athletics trainer and JROTC instructor Robert Moore; the transfer of 15% of the education fund to the operations fund for 2024; leaves of absence for teachers Ava Kahlig, Kayla Nietfeld and Heather Keller; the hiring of junior high archery coach William Bice; disposing of surplus tables and chairs to non-profit organizations in the community; year-end transfers to ensure that no accounts have a negative balance at the end of the year; continued participation in a fuel budgeting program through Indiana Bond Bank; bus driver contracts that conform with the pay rates the board approved last month; and new courses for 2024-25 including natural resources, personal finance and banking, and jazz ensemble.

•OK’d the 2024-25 school calendar, which has a start date of Aug. 8, fall break from Oct. 16 through 18, winter break Dec. 23 through Jan. 3, spring break March 24 through 28 and the last student day on May 23. Also decided to implement an E-learning day April 4, when there will be a total solar eclipse in the mid-afternoon.

•Accepted the retirement of bus driver Sidney Rene Denton.

•Terminated West Jay Elementary School instructional assistant Karen Rappley.