Mobile, virtual

Mobile units will be used to replace 10 classrooms lost in last month’s tornado.

The school corporation is also looking at a pilot program for a virtual option with a target of launching it next year.

During its meeting Monday, Jay School Board heard an update on plans for utilizing mobile classrooms for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year and learned about an initial concept of creating Jay Virtual Academy.

The board also received an update on the proposed contract with Jay Classroom Teachers Association ahead of a special meeting next week to vote on the agreement.

Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley updated the board on progress following the Sept. 22 tornado that caused severe damage to the junior high/IMC (library) wing of Jay County Junior-Senior High School.

Mobile classrooms have been delivered to the junior-senior high and as of Monday were staged in the “driving range” parking lot between the softball and baseball fields. They were scheduled to begin being moved to the location where they will be used — stretching from the sidewalk into the north parking lot in the area adjacent near the pool and gym.

Gulley noted that the location was selected because of the ability to connect to sewer, water and electricity. He added that there will be security fences and concrete barriers around the mobile facility.

He said after the meeting that he expects the mobile units to be in use by Dec. 1, but that timeline may change.

“We’re gonna learn something,” said Gulley. “We’ve got a plan. We’ve got to see how it works. I’m sure there will be adjustments.”

    Mobile classrooms have been staged in the “driving range” parking lot at Jay County Junior-Senior High School. They were expected to begin being moved into place Tuesday on the north side of the building near the gym and pool. Jay School Corporation superintendent Jeremy Gulley said he expects they will be put into use Dec. 1. (The Commercial Review/Ray Cooney)
  

Also related to the tornado, Gulley and business manager Shannon Current pointed out that expenses requested for insurance coverage so far have been approved. (Some items have been submitted and are still awaiting approval.) Thus far, the total amount approved totals $1.09 million, with the mobile classrooms accounting for about 59% of that total and related work adding more than $200,000.

Board members Ron Laux, Phil Ford, Jason Phillips, Marcie Vormohr and Chip Phillips, absent Donna Geesaman and Vickie Reitz, approved the expenditures that have been made thus far as part of the tornado recovery effort.

After talking about the mobile classrooms, the board heard a presentation from director of e-learning Katie Clark regarding the possibility of piloting Jay Virtual Academy beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

Clark shared data with the board showing that after losing just nine seventh through 12th grade students to online schools in 2020-21 when it offered an online option, Jay School Corporation saw 37 students leave for virtual schools during the 2023-24 school year. The number is at 33 so far this year.

In all, Jay School Corporation currently has 90 potential students (2.8%) who have chosen to instead utilize a virtual option.

“This is not unique to Jay Schools,” said Clark, sharing data that shows nearby corporations losing percentages ranging from 1.9% for Southern Wells to 5.9% for Monroe Central.

She brought forth a proposal that calls for a Jay Virtual Academy pilot program of up to 100 students in seventh through 12th grades in collaboration with outside organizations such as John Jay Center for Learning. It would involve implementing graduation pathways, work-based learning experiences and new diploma requirements that are being finalized by Indiana Department of Education.

Such a program could help the school corporation stem the tide of enrollment loss. Since 2015, the Jay Schools student count has dropped by 485 to 2,820. (The state provides 85% of in-person student funding for virtual students.)

Board members raised a few questions about the proposal, including the educational format and the impact on extra-curricular activities. Clark said details are still being explored, including options for reporting to a building, working at home or a mix. She added that existing virtual academies take various approaches to extra-curriculars, ranging from offering none to offering only those not sanctioned by an outside organization (such as the IHSAA) to offering everything.

Gulley said those types of questions are currently being thought through and will be the subject of discussions moving forward.

“We’re not reinventing the wheel here,” said Gulley. “These models exist. We’re looking at them.

“But I do think there’s potential value that John Jay can be that career mentor, that financial literacy. Can we do this better than what’s happening for these students right now?”

Gulley told the board that administrators have reached an agreement with Jay Classroom Teachers Association on a new contract.

It calls for a 7% increase in the pay scale for teachers. It takes the starting salary for teachers to $46,003 from the current $43,003 and pushes each step of the scale up accordingly.

The contract, which has already been approved by the teachers’ association, will be up for a vote during a special school board meeting at 4 p.m. Monday. The board is also expected to take action on raises for other employees, with Gulley proposing 5% increases for support staff and administrators.

In other business, the board:

•During the Patriot Pride moment, honored Bloomfield Elementary School’s student council.

•Heard from special education coordinator Annie Van Horn regarding a proposal for supplemental payment for special education teachers. The proposal calls for giving the superintendent discretion to offer up to $5,000 for new special education teachers who are fully certified and sign a contract to work for the corporation for at least two years and for current general education teachers who hold an Alternate Special Education Permit and complete requirements for full licensure within three years. The board is expected to take action on the proposal during its November meeting.

•During discussion of the consent agenda, which includes hirings, contracts and other items, heard again from Vormohr regarding the hiring of teachers who do not have a traditional license. She said she has a problem with paying such employees at the same level as licensed teachers, with Chip Phillips saying he agreed with her assessment. School board attorney Josh Atkinson explained that state law requires that such employees must be paid at the same level as other teachers.

•Got its first look at proposed calendars for the 2025-26 school year. One option is essentially the same as the 2024-25 calendar while the other pushed fall break back a week to coincide with South Adams. (The schools partner to offer some career and technical education courses.) A vote on the calendar is planned for next month.

•Approved the following: The hiring of high school English teacher David Brewer; a contract with Rehabilitative Services for physical therapy services; setting adult meal prices at $4.70 for lunch and $2.85 for breakfast; and renaming a course to “computing foundation for a digital age” to match state standards.

•Heard the financial report from Current showing that both the education and operations funds are expected to break even this year.

•Accepted donations of $1,000 from Asbury United Methodist Church to East Jay Elementary School and $500 from Tom and Crystal Laux for Bloomfield Elementary School.