July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Board may ask for project help (10/25/05)
Jay School Board
By By MIKE SNYDER-
A difference of opinion over whether to receive additional input on a planned renovation of vocational classroom space at Jay County High School may mean the Jay School Board will hold a special meeting.
The board, after a lengthy discussion Monday, asked Superintendent Barbara Downing to request a scope of work and fee estimate from a team of faculty at Ball State University. The request will be to review and make input to the structuring of the industrial vocational space, which is part of an $18 million renovation scheduled to begin next spring.
Board president Doug Inman, who attended a meeting last week with the BSU team along with member Bryan Alexander, initiated discussion on the issue at Monday night’s meeting.
Inman and Alexander each said they felt input from the BSU faculty, who helped write state curriculum standards for vocational classes, would help plan a space that could be adapted to future needs.
Several board members, including Dr. Frank Vormohr, Greg Wellman and Jay Halstead, expressed concerns about spending additional money on consultants and delaying construction on the project, which is tentatively set to start in April.
See Board page 6
Continued from page 1
After first proposing to spend up to $5,000 for the consulting work, the board agreed to ask Downing to request a proposal which would be considered at a special board meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
“I just think (the consulting fee) would be money well spent,” Inman said.
Alexander said he believed that it was important to structure the available space in a way that could be easily adapted to changing needs.
A timetable prepared by Downing calls for advertising for bids in late January, awarding of contracts in late February and construction beginning April 11, 2006.
A majority of the project’s cost will be to replace the heating, cooling and ventilation system in the school, which opened in 1975. Other work will include renovation of classrooms and the school’s pool. The project was originally proposed at a cost of approximately $26 million, but several items including an auxiliary gym, or program center, were eliminated to reduce the cost.
Also Monday, Downing reported that total enrollment in the corporation is 3,871, up five from last year’s figure of 3,866.
Enrollment this school year by school: Bloomfield Elementary 243; East Elementary 310 General Shanks Elementary 305; Judge Haynes Elementary 229; Pennville Elementary 99; Redkey Elementary 209; Westlawn Elementary 252; East Jay Middle School 600; West Jay Middle School 302; and Jay County High School 1,187.
Enrollment in Jay Schools has trended downward since 1987, but has leveled out over the past few years to between 3,866 and 3,888.
In other business, board members Mike Shannon, Greg Masters, Inman, Alexander, Wellman, Halstead and Vormohr:
•Approved an annual agreement to allow the American Red Cross to use any or all of the corporation’s 10 buildings as shelters during emergency situations.
•Received an update from transportation director Teresa Myers on biodiesel fuel, which has been used in the system’s buses since April. Myers said that there have been no maintenance problems since the switchover, and the cost of the soy-blend fuel is currently about two cents cheaper per gallon than conventional diesel.
Myers also said that several people have commented that the fumes generated by the biodiesel are not as offensive as the regular diesel.
•OK’d the resignation of Debi Abbott, as instructional assistant at East Elementary, effective Sept. 30.
•Approved the following medical leave requests: Steve Marsh (Sept.12 - release by physician); Tammy Ford (Sept. 27 - Nov. 14); Julie DiBattiste (Sept. 21 - Oct. 13); James Roberts (Oct. 10 - 31); Carissa Goldsworthy (Oct. 24, four weeks); Amy Dillon (Nov. 20, six weeks); Florine Golden (Nov. 12, 12 weeks); Chris Krieg, JCHS JV boys basketball coach (2005-06 season).
•Agreed with recommendations to hire the following: Janice Sackheim, adult education instructional assistant; Juanita Harshman, food service, JCHS; Lisa Holcomb, latchkey; and Judy Schoenlein, part-time food service, East Jay.
•Approved the following extra-curricular activity recommendations: Chandra Dawson, student council, Bloomfield; Sandy Shannon, Just Say No Club, Bloomfield; Carrie Fifer, cheer sponsor, Bloomfield; Ron Homan, fifth grade boys basketball, Bloomfield; Tracy Muhlenkamp, fifth grade girls basketball, Bloomfield; Jill Walter, parent volunteer, Bloomfield; Doug Jackson, fifth grade girls basketball, East Elementary; Jack Houck, fifth grade boys basketball, General Shanks; Bart Brandenburg, fifth grade boys basketball, Judge Haynes, Jennifer Hummel, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes; Ana Minnich, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes; Linda Shreve, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes, Angela Strouse, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes; and Karen Bishop, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes.
Also, Anne Byers, Just Say No Club, Redkey; Julie Barlow, Just Say No Club and fifth grade girls basketball, Redkey; Julie Grayson, fifth grade girls basketball and cheer sponsor, Westlawn; Aaron Smith, fifth grade boys basketball, Westlawn; Jennifer Johnson, student council, Westlawn; Kim Bye, honor society, East Jay; Christopher Snow, eighth grade boys basketball, East Jay; James Aich, sixth grade boys basketball, East Jay; Rick Wellman, eighth grade girls basketball, East Jay; Rebecca Wellman, seventh grade girls basketball, East Jay; Beth Stephen, sixth grade girls basketball, East Jay; Greg Garringer, wrestling, East Jay; and Jeannie Habegger, volunteer, East Jay.
Also, Crystal Laux, academic assistant, JCHS; Sarah Rasso, girls basketball volunteer, JCHS; Ted Habegger, assistant boys basketball, JCHS; Randy Mann, assistant wrestling, JCHS; Jack Wood, varsity softball, JCHS; Doug Arbuckle, assistant softball, JCHS; Amy Hawbaker, assistant softball, JCHS; Greg Garringer, boys track, JCHS; and Roy Adams, girls tennis, JCHS.
•Agreed to allow the corporation to offer 457(b) individual investment plans that would allow all corporation employees to defer compensation.
•Accepted several grants, including $12,906 (Title III); $21,097 (Title IV) and $2,305.20 (a SafeHaven grant for Redkey Elementary).[[In-content Ad]]An effort by the administration and staff at a Portland elementary school to boost funding that will be used to improve a wide variety of programs has paid off to the tune of $300,000
Judge Haynes Elementary was awarded that amount in a Comprehensive School Reform grant last month.
School principal Trent Paxson accepted a commendation on behalf of his staff from Jay School Superintendent Barbara Downing at Monday night’s meeting of the Jay School Board.
The grant, awarded by the Indiana Department of Education, will be used for training, special speakers, supplies and technology among other items, Paxson said Monday.
“We’re hoping to jump from where we are now to the front,” said Paxson,
See Haynes page 6
who pointed out that the faculty at the school spent long hours over the summer preparing the grant request.
Only six schools in the state received the CSR grants. Judge Haynes was originally awarded $160,000, but that grant was amended to the $300,000 amount one day later, Paxson said.
A letter from Dr. Suellen Reed, superintendent of public instruction for Indiana, said, “You can look back with pride on your hard work over the last few years ... and you can look forward with anticipation to the accomplishments you will achieve ...”
Target areas for the funding include language arts, reading, mathematics and behavior/character education.
The board, after a lengthy discussion Monday, asked Superintendent Barbara Downing to request a scope of work and fee estimate from a team of faculty at Ball State University. The request will be to review and make input to the structuring of the industrial vocational space, which is part of an $18 million renovation scheduled to begin next spring.
Board president Doug Inman, who attended a meeting last week with the BSU team along with member Bryan Alexander, initiated discussion on the issue at Monday night’s meeting.
Inman and Alexander each said they felt input from the BSU faculty, who helped write state curriculum standards for vocational classes, would help plan a space that could be adapted to future needs.
Several board members, including Dr. Frank Vormohr, Greg Wellman and Jay Halstead, expressed concerns about spending additional money on consultants and delaying construction on the project, which is tentatively set to start in April.
See Board page 6
Continued from page 1
After first proposing to spend up to $5,000 for the consulting work, the board agreed to ask Downing to request a proposal which would be considered at a special board meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
“I just think (the consulting fee) would be money well spent,” Inman said.
Alexander said he believed that it was important to structure the available space in a way that could be easily adapted to changing needs.
A timetable prepared by Downing calls for advertising for bids in late January, awarding of contracts in late February and construction beginning April 11, 2006.
A majority of the project’s cost will be to replace the heating, cooling and ventilation system in the school, which opened in 1975. Other work will include renovation of classrooms and the school’s pool. The project was originally proposed at a cost of approximately $26 million, but several items including an auxiliary gym, or program center, were eliminated to reduce the cost.
Also Monday, Downing reported that total enrollment in the corporation is 3,871, up five from last year’s figure of 3,866.
Enrollment this school year by school: Bloomfield Elementary 243; East Elementary 310 General Shanks Elementary 305; Judge Haynes Elementary 229; Pennville Elementary 99; Redkey Elementary 209; Westlawn Elementary 252; East Jay Middle School 600; West Jay Middle School 302; and Jay County High School 1,187.
Enrollment in Jay Schools has trended downward since 1987, but has leveled out over the past few years to between 3,866 and 3,888.
In other business, board members Mike Shannon, Greg Masters, Inman, Alexander, Wellman, Halstead and Vormohr:
•Approved an annual agreement to allow the American Red Cross to use any or all of the corporation’s 10 buildings as shelters during emergency situations.
•Received an update from transportation director Teresa Myers on biodiesel fuel, which has been used in the system’s buses since April. Myers said that there have been no maintenance problems since the switchover, and the cost of the soy-blend fuel is currently about two cents cheaper per gallon than conventional diesel.
Myers also said that several people have commented that the fumes generated by the biodiesel are not as offensive as the regular diesel.
•OK’d the resignation of Debi Abbott, as instructional assistant at East Elementary, effective Sept. 30.
•Approved the following medical leave requests: Steve Marsh (Sept.12 - release by physician); Tammy Ford (Sept. 27 - Nov. 14); Julie DiBattiste (Sept. 21 - Oct. 13); James Roberts (Oct. 10 - 31); Carissa Goldsworthy (Oct. 24, four weeks); Amy Dillon (Nov. 20, six weeks); Florine Golden (Nov. 12, 12 weeks); Chris Krieg, JCHS JV boys basketball coach (2005-06 season).
•Agreed with recommendations to hire the following: Janice Sackheim, adult education instructional assistant; Juanita Harshman, food service, JCHS; Lisa Holcomb, latchkey; and Judy Schoenlein, part-time food service, East Jay.
•Approved the following extra-curricular activity recommendations: Chandra Dawson, student council, Bloomfield; Sandy Shannon, Just Say No Club, Bloomfield; Carrie Fifer, cheer sponsor, Bloomfield; Ron Homan, fifth grade boys basketball, Bloomfield; Tracy Muhlenkamp, fifth grade girls basketball, Bloomfield; Jill Walter, parent volunteer, Bloomfield; Doug Jackson, fifth grade girls basketball, East Elementary; Jack Houck, fifth grade boys basketball, General Shanks; Bart Brandenburg, fifth grade boys basketball, Judge Haynes, Jennifer Hummel, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes; Ana Minnich, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes; Linda Shreve, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes, Angela Strouse, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes; and Karen Bishop, parent volunteer, Judge Haynes.
Also, Anne Byers, Just Say No Club, Redkey; Julie Barlow, Just Say No Club and fifth grade girls basketball, Redkey; Julie Grayson, fifth grade girls basketball and cheer sponsor, Westlawn; Aaron Smith, fifth grade boys basketball, Westlawn; Jennifer Johnson, student council, Westlawn; Kim Bye, honor society, East Jay; Christopher Snow, eighth grade boys basketball, East Jay; James Aich, sixth grade boys basketball, East Jay; Rick Wellman, eighth grade girls basketball, East Jay; Rebecca Wellman, seventh grade girls basketball, East Jay; Beth Stephen, sixth grade girls basketball, East Jay; Greg Garringer, wrestling, East Jay; and Jeannie Habegger, volunteer, East Jay.
Also, Crystal Laux, academic assistant, JCHS; Sarah Rasso, girls basketball volunteer, JCHS; Ted Habegger, assistant boys basketball, JCHS; Randy Mann, assistant wrestling, JCHS; Jack Wood, varsity softball, JCHS; Doug Arbuckle, assistant softball, JCHS; Amy Hawbaker, assistant softball, JCHS; Greg Garringer, boys track, JCHS; and Roy Adams, girls tennis, JCHS.
•Agreed to allow the corporation to offer 457(b) individual investment plans that would allow all corporation employees to defer compensation.
•Accepted several grants, including $12,906 (Title III); $21,097 (Title IV) and $2,305.20 (a SafeHaven grant for Redkey Elementary).[[In-content Ad]]An effort by the administration and staff at a Portland elementary school to boost funding that will be used to improve a wide variety of programs has paid off to the tune of $300,000
Judge Haynes Elementary was awarded that amount in a Comprehensive School Reform grant last month.
School principal Trent Paxson accepted a commendation on behalf of his staff from Jay School Superintendent Barbara Downing at Monday night’s meeting of the Jay School Board.
The grant, awarded by the Indiana Department of Education, will be used for training, special speakers, supplies and technology among other items, Paxson said Monday.
“We’re hoping to jump from where we are now to the front,” said Paxson,
See Haynes page 6
who pointed out that the faculty at the school spent long hours over the summer preparing the grant request.
Only six schools in the state received the CSR grants. Judge Haynes was originally awarded $160,000, but that grant was amended to the $300,000 amount one day later, Paxson said.
A letter from Dr. Suellen Reed, superintendent of public instruction for Indiana, said, “You can look back with pride on your hard work over the last few years ... and you can look forward with anticipation to the accomplishments you will achieve ...”
Target areas for the funding include language arts, reading, mathematics and behavior/character education.
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