S. Putnam board members depart

Tuesday, June 19, 2007
South Putnam Community School Corporation board members (from left) Dale Mendenhall and Howard Bowen both received plaques Monday for their time of service. Mendenhall and Bowen both ended their terms Monday at the board's June meeting.

The South Putnam Community School Corporation lost two members Monday.

Board members Howard Bowen and Dale Mendenhall voted with fellow members Nancy Wells and Steve Cash for the last time Monday. Board member Mike Rissler was not at the meeting.

Bowen, the board's current president, did not seek re-election in November. He will be replaced by David Bombei.

Bowen served just one term on the board.

Mendenhall has been with the board since 1999. However, while seeking re-election in November, he was defeated by Darwyn Nelson.

Both board members received plaques from SPCSC Supt. Bruce Bernhardt Monday for their time of service.

"Both of these gentlemen have dedicated their time and efforts," Bernhardt said. "I wish them the best in their future endeavors."

Mendenhall said he enjoyed serving on the board.

"It's been an interesting eight years," he said. "It's been rewarding to serve the community. There are good people here doing good things."

Bowen echoed Mendenhall's sentiments.

"I think that it's been an honor to serve the South Putnam corporation," he said. "I think we have a really great education team. I wish them well."

Bernhardt said he would miss both Mendenhall and Bowen, but looked forward to start working with Bombei and Nelson in July.

"(Bowen and Mendenhall) have been dedicated, hard working board members that have served the community well," Bernhardt said. "They've been excellent people to work with. I will miss them, but we've got two good people coming in."

Both Rissler and Wells have served on the board on two different occasions. Cash has been with the board since 1993.

Meanwhile, the board renewed the contract of former sixth grade Reelsville Elementary teacher Marc Hendrickson.

Hendrickson had been placed on non-renewal status through the Reduction in Force (RIF) process in April.

Hendrickson has been with the corporation for four years and went through the same process last year. He was also recalled last year.

In April, Bernhardt informed the board there were two reasons behind placing Hendrickson in non-renewal status, including enrollment and the corporation's current financial situation.

Bernhardt told the board in April that the corporation's current enrollment projections for the 2007-08 year compared to the total number of teachers left the corporation with one too many teachers.

However, Bernhardt said Hendrickson could be recalled if other teachers left or retired in addition to the state's pending status on full-day kindergarten.

In April, the board voted 4-1 in favor of placing Hendrickson in non-renewal status through RIF. Cash voted against the measure.

In other business, the board:

* Approved the resignation of high school science/math teacher Chris Burghardt.

* Approved the resignation of high school junior class prom co-sponsor Tiffany Dickson.

* Approved the resignation of Central Elementary M.A.T.H. team coach Amy Cassida.

* Approved the hiring of elementary art teacher Jim Padgett.

* Approved the hiring of high school junior/senior English teacher April Knipstine.

* Approved the hiring of special needs bus driver Vicki Hacker.

* Approved the hiring of bus garage summer help Nancy Knapp and Cory Puckett.

* Approved the hiring of Thomas Crafton and Jo Miller for summer mowing help.

* Approved the hiring of Susanne Sullivan for high school office summer help.

* Approved a bid from Prairie Farms for milk and dairy products for the 2007-08 calendar year.

* Approved a bid from Clausterman for bread products for the 2007-08 calendar year.

* Approved a measure to reject all petroleum bids for the 2007-08 calendar year and purchase at the lowest price.

* Approved a measure to raise the student lunch price by 5 cents to $2.30 and adult lunch prices by 10 cents to $3.10.

* Approved the elementary student handbook by a 4-0 vote. The only changes made, according to Bernhardt, were dates and wording regarding the dress code.

* Approved a measure for the corporation to apply for several grants for the upcoming school year.

* Approved a field trip for the girls' basketball team to Clarksville June 22-23. The team will compete in tournaments while in Clarksville and there is no expense for the corporation.

* Approved a measure to change the date the corporation had planned to enter an agreement with an Education Service Centers Risk Funding Trust. In May, the board agreed to enter the insurance trust, effective July 1. However, several other corporations that are entering the agreement would not be ready to enter the agreement by that date. The new date to enter the agreement is Jan. 1, 2008.

* Approved a measure to allow Bernhardt to sign student-teacher agreement forms with several colleges and universities when he receives them by a 4-0 vote.

* Unanimously ap-proved a measure to set up a closed sealed bid system for four pieces of equipment that have been sitting in a shed behind the football field by July 1. If the pieces of equipment are not bid on, the corporation will remove them.

The board meets regularly on the third Monday of each month at Central Elementary.

Its next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., July 16.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: