Bernhardt named interim superintendent at SPCSC

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

In what may have been his final meeting as Superintendent of the South Putnam Community School Corp., Dan Schroeder saw the school board fill his position on Monday.

At its regular monthly board meeting, the board unanimously approved Assistant Supt. Bruce Bernhardt to become acting Superintendent.

Board member Nancy Wells made the motion on an interim basis. The board voted 4-0 in favor of the motion. Board President Howard Bowen left following the board's executive session and was not present for Monday's meeting.

Bernhardt began his career in the corporation in 1977 as a choral/music teacher. He also served as elementary principal at Fillmore and Central. He has served as an administrative assistant to the superintendent for the last 12 years.

"I'm very proud to serve in this capacity," Bernhardt said.

Bernhardt said the corporation and board had been in discussion with him for a while in regard to taking the position.

"We've been discussing options," he said.

Wells said replacing Schroeder with Bernhardt was the logical decision.

"We needed to make sure we were covered," Wells said. "This helps eliminate an extra meeting.

"He's learned a lot this year and he's been with the corporation for a long time. He's been through three superintendents."

Bernhardt will become acting superintendent pending Schroeder's resignation.

Schroeder accepted the superintendent position with Clay Community Schools after only one year with South Putnam.

He agreed to a salary of $110,000 per year in his five-year contract, a $20,000 benefit package and a paid teacher's retirement plan.

Meanwhile, the board unanimously approved the hiring of Dan Bain as high school assistant principal and primary safety director.

The board approved a two-year contract for Bain. He will receive $65,000 as assistant principal and $3,000 as safety director.

In other business, the board:

-- Approved adding Becky Samsel as an authorized PERF agent, allowing her to represent the school in depositing money for its pension liability.

-- Approved Bernhardt to apply for Title I and various other grants when the time comes.

-- Accepted the resignation of Kyle Brewer as head boys' basketball coach, Audio Visual Director and Math teacher.

"We're appreciative of everything Kyle did for us," SPHS Principal Kieth Puckett said. "But this is an opportunity for Kyle to move back home."

-- Accepted the resignation of Matt Griswold as head baseball coach.

-- Accepted the resignation of boys' swimming coach and assistant girls' swimming coach Andy Dorsett.

"We will be sorry to lose these people," board member Mike Rissler said.

-- Accepted the resignation of bus driver Doris Ratcliffe.

-- Unanimously approved Griswold to become high school athletic director. The board motioned for Griswold to use one period a day as athletic director as an extracurricular activity position, beginning July 1.

Wells expressed concern that there would be enough time for Griswold to assume the athletic director duties while still teaching, but SPHS Principal Kieth Puckett told the board it was something they had already discussed.

"It's something we can work out," Puckett said.

-- Approved the hiring of Troy Burgess as head football coach, although Burgess is not a teacher in the school system yet.

-- Approved the hiring of Ryanne Chapman as high school chemistry teacher.

The board meets regularly on the third Monday of each month. Its next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., July 17.

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