Prepping for fall

It’s February, but Jay Schools is already intensely focused on next fall.

That’s when the latest round of consolidation takes effect.

Jay County High School becomes a junior-senior high facility, the East Jay Middle School building becomes an elementary school and work will be underway to transform the West Jay Middle School building into an elementary as well.

“My goal is that when kids leave for the summer everyone knows the deal,” superintendent Jeremy Gulley told Jay School Board on Monday night.

To that end, the school corporation is working with a software company to help redesign its bus routes, is revising traffic patterns at the junior-senior high school building and will launch a new app intended to improve communication with students and parents.

Gulley said he expects to present a first draft of new bus routes, reflecting the changes necessary because of consolidation, at the board’s March meeting. A company called Transfinder, Schenectady, New York, is currently at work on that challenge.

“I want to make sure we’re getting the most efficient routes possible,” said Gulley, noting that for decades the school system has used pencil, paper, a large map, push pins and colored string to keep track of all the different routes.

Once the first draft is received, Gulley said, he’ll meet with bus drivers to let them review it and offer feedback for any tweaks that may be necessary.

Meanwhile, Jay Schools is working with Apptegy, Little Rock, Arkansas, on improving its electronic communication, updating its website and providing an app for mobile devices.

“I think it’s going to be a big improvement for us,” school technology specialist Katie Clark told the board.

The current system is workable but cumbersome.

With the new app, school principals and administrators will be able to publish photos, stories and advisories via Facebook, Twitter and live-streaming in addition to the school corporation’s website.

“I think it’s a great way to market our schools,” said board member Donna Geesaman.

The cost of Apptegy will be about $12,000 to $13,000 a year, but that will be partially offset by dropping other less effective services.

“At some point you need to get to the next level,” said Gulley. His hope is that the new app will go live May 26.

Gulley also hopes to be able to revise traffic patterns at the current high school to make it more efficient for a junior-senior high.

His proposal would create a bus parking lot on the east side of the building, separating it from the current staff and visitor parking. Parent drop-off and pick-up of students — a particular concern for junior high students — would be on the south side of the building. The parking lot at the north side would be for high school students and the general public.

“I think people will like this,” he said.

Gulley said the estimated cost of the changes is $715,355, which is within the amount budgeted by the board for consolidation-related construction expenses.

He also estimated it would cost $144,452 to convert space suitable for the new Junior ROTC program in the building.

“These estimates are still within our budget,” he said.

In other business, board members Ron Laux, Mike Shannon, Jason Phillips, Chris Snow, Krista Muhlenkamp and Geesaman:

•Heard a presentation on the new visual arts pathway to graduation that has been approved by Indiana Department of Education and commended art teacher Kathy Ayers for her recognition as the Indiana Arts Educator of the Year.

•Approved an amended school safety plan that had been discussed in executive session. Approval came on a 6-0 vote, with board president Phil Ford absent. Ford, who attended an executive session on school safety prior to the regular meeting, has been dealing with health issues for the past several weeks.

•Heard a report on the high school and middle school robotics program.

•Learned that Jay Schools will host a school safety seminar March 4 that is expected to draw educators and law enforcement officials from throughout the state.

•Were told that the projected cash balance in the education fund at the end of 2020 is $2,702,183.

•Hired Shannon Meinerding as a technology instructional assistant, Christine Addington as a driver education instructor, Trisha Pierce as a part-time school bus aide and Alisha Foudray as an instructional assistant.

•Accepted the resignations of custodian Teresa Herman and instructional assistants Shelby Caylor and Abigail Chapman.

•Approved leaves of absences for instructional assistant Brittany Hemmelgarn and bus drivers Mary Botts, Yvonne Thomas, Rick Current and Theresa Jones.

•Transferred Janel Jarrett to General Shanks Elementary School as an instructional assistant.

•Approved extracurricular assignments for Amber Houck as JCHS assistant track coach, Lindsey Willoughby as track coach at West Jay, Shannon Current as track coach at West Jay, Violet Current as track coach at West Jay, Megan Downham as Honor Society sponsor at West Jay, Jessica Lloyd as team leader at West Jay, Kaitlin Sunderland as academic coach at West Jay, Richard Raines as sixth grade boys’ basketball coach at West Jay, Logan Lockhart as sixth grade girls basketball coach at West Jay, Olivia Cash as assistant gymnastics coach at JCHS, Brad Aker as assistant softball coach at JCHS, Aaron Daniels as freshman boys basketball coach, Pazia Williams as assistant girls basketball coach at JCHS, Adam Homan as assistant baseball coach at JCHS, Marc Bogenschutz as assistant girls basketball coach at JCHS and Jill Ranly as JCHS gymnastics coach.

•Accepted the extracurricular resignation of Lisa Morgan as academic coach, team leader, Honor Society and Just Say No sponsor at West Jay.

•Approved field trips by JCHS German students, JCHS business club students, East Jay seventh graders and the JCHS pre-vocational education club.

•Approved a bus request by the Jay County 4-H Dog Club.