MARTINSVILLE
The Metropolitan School District of Martinsville school board met for its final meeting of the 2016-2017 school year Thursday at John R. Wooden Middle School.
The first order of business was a required by law public hearing on a bond issue for two construction projects, on at Wooden and another at Martinsville High School.
MSD of Martinsville Superintendent Dr. Michele Moore said whenever a school corporation proposes to construct or renovate a school building that costs in excess of $1,000,000, they must first hold a project hearing. She said the projects would be discussed and then there would be time for taxpayers to ask questions and respond.
“The existing facilities have been reviewed and we have determined that science classrooms at the middle school are desperately in need of student workspace,” Moore said.
Six science classrooms at Wooden and nine classrooms at MHS will be updated to better meet the needs of students. Classrooms will be improved with the addition of workstations with sinks and other features relevant to STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — education.
Moore said the classrooms at the high school were built in the 1970s and were in need of an update. The auditorium will also see improvements in the way of a sound system, the A/V system, acoustical ceiling and the orchestra pit.
Tyler Loeffelholz of Umbaugh and Associates gave a brief presentation on financing for the project, saying the district’s outstanding debt is gradually getting smaller all the time and will be paid off by 2025. Costs for the improvements, he said, would be paid back by January 2023.
Loeffelholz said this was structured on conservative interest rates, a half percent higher than current rates. Taxpayers would see a minor increase to their taxes.
No one commented on the bond issue.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $2 million for improvements to the middle school and $2 million for the high school.
The board voted to adopt resolutions 396, 397, 398 and 399, all of which dealt with the improvements. Resolutions 396 and 397 deal with the Wooden and MHS projects while resolution 398 is the preliminary bond resolution and resolution 399 will provide for reimbursement of expenditures.
Moore said the latter will allow the district to begin working on the project before receiving proceeds from the sale of the general allocation fund.
Teacher of the Year
The board recognized its three Teacher of the Year finalists: Amber Rawlins, who teaches third grade at Brooklyn Elementary School; Jennifer Oakley, who teaches STEM and social studies at Bell Intermediate Academy; and Eric Lund, who teaches statistics at Martinsville High School. Lund was the overall district winner.
Student presentations
Wooden principal Eric Bowlen introduced three middle school students to showcase some of the extracurricular accomplishments of the school.
Evah McMillan spoke about Piece Day, which was held May 13 and stemmed from an idea she had had for over two years. Students at Wooden spent an hour walking around several city blocks picking up trash.
Kennedy Casey performed the song “Burn” from the musical “Hamilton” and Alexandra Clark performed the sign language version of “American Solider” by Toby Keith which won her first place in the variety category and first overall at the Wooden talent show. The performance has also garnered more than 10 million views on Facebook.
Reports
Assistant superintendent Dr. Terry Terhune gave an update on professional learning communities. Terhune said on days designated for PLC, students would arrive a half hour later and teachers would come in a little earlier to meet with their fellow educators.
Julie Presley gave a presentation on the Gold Star Counseling initiative.
According to the Indiana Counselor website, “Schools that have obtained the Indiana Gold Star status have demonstrated that they have a comprehensive and accountable school counseling and guidance program, aligned to Indiana School Counselor and Student Standards, as well as national standards. Participating schools and school counseling programs will implement a plan that includes the establishment of a program vision and mission, data-based accountability, standards-driven student guidance activities, counseling and advocacy, program management, the alignment of resources and an annual improvement plan.”
Other business
Prior to voting on the consent agenda, four members of the public — former school board candidate Julia Reeves, Earl Haniford, Eric Haenline and former school board member Stephanie Fraker — had comments regarding part of the agenda regarding the administrative leave of Bell Intermediate Academy Principal Susan Lipps.
The speakers all received standing ovations for their comments regarding Lipps. The board voted 4-0-1 to approve the consent agenda, with board member Debbie Lipps abstaining from the vote.
The consent agenda included: minutes of the April 20 regular and executive sessions; minutes of the April 27 work and executive sessions; payroll claims; personnel claims; certified resignations of Michael Daiga, Michaela Chybowski, Hunter Rogowski, Megan Taylor and Stephanie Northern; certified transfers of Josh Bain, Chris Sturgeon, Emily Irvin, Sarah Taylor, Mary Rice, Lois DeHoff, Amber Fuhrman and Jan Frields; administrative leave of Susan Lipps; summer school help of Amber Rawlins, Vicki Dailey, Rachel Tuttle, Jackie Champlin, Mary Rice, Beth Hodges, Leann Renn, Lisa Cameron, Molly Ferran, Crystal Neise, Stephanie MacDonald, Julie Botkin, Elizabeth Heck, Margaret Needham, Diana Wren, Julie Sullivan, Melanie Anderson, Amber McKinney, Julie LaFary, Kala Brittain, Amanda Crismore, Marcy Hankins, Brad Perry, Luke Moscrip, Jay Seib, Tammy Huff, Amy Caffey, Lita Marion, Adrian Hartsough, Daniel Dorsett, Jordan Korth, Jane Lewis, Melody Bentley, Michele Mathews, Melissa Dragonette, Vicky Dailey, Jeremy Belcher, Katie Gilpin, Sonna Schafer and Duke Energy reading grant teachers Melissa Dragonette, Jennifer Holloway, Kim Inabnit, Tiffany Belcher, Jenny Blankenship, Leah Ferrand, Beth Johnson and Jacqueline Clark; non-certified hires of Gabby Sanders and James Brummett; non-certified resignations/ retirements/ terminations of Gabe Renfro, Larry Scott and Kelsie Deaton; non-certified transfer of Dana Ramey, Aleta Whittaker, Stephanie Anderson, Rebecca Schubert, Sherri Smiley, Suzanne Hill, Veronica Jimenez, Leeann Renn, Jason Carter, Sandy Cook and Carly Canova; substitute hires of Carol Retz, Nicole Andrew, Peggy Woods and Amy Phelps; ECA hires of Amanda Bales, Dave Dorsett, Dave Nuckles and Daniel Davis; ECA resignations of Sharon Most, Gary Robinson, Dave Dorsett, Tiffany Grant, Luke Moscrip, Matt Hankins, Catherine Murray, Keith Buetow and Davin Testerman.
The board also approved the acceptance of a $500 donation from Networking Business Women of Morgan County to Business Professions of America at MHS; a $2,700 stipend for kindergarten teachers for assessments of new kindergarten students on July 24 to 25; an extended contract for school psychologist Ben Bullock’s contract from 194 to 204 days; a contract for a law enforcement education program at MHS beginning with the 2017-2018 school year; the 2017-2018 student handbooks for district schools; the purchase of six conventional Bluebird 72 passenger buses and one 54 International lift bus for a total of $659,388.56; the appointment of Thierry Liberge as the school representative on the library board; the sale or disposal of old science books; the agreement with South Central Indiana School Trust for custodial services for the Wellness Clinic; and the employee classification and rate changes for food service workers.