South Putnam board signs agreement with EMA

The South Putnam School Board mainly attended to routine matters Monday, finishing its meeting in just 25 short minutes after discussing a memorandum from the Putnam County Emergency Management Agency.

The board agreed, as it has in previous years, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Putnam County Emergency Management Agency.

In the case of a natural disaster South Putnam will allow Putnam County and the Putnam County Hospital to use its facilities and buses.

"Last year we had a similar agreement to use buses and personnel in case of a disaster," Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt said. "We are signing one agreement with the county and one with the hospital."

The board also passed new corporation policy updates. During last month's meeting the board had its first reading of the updates and decided to pass them this month.

"These updates are typically due to legislative law updates," explained Bernhardt. "We will send these to NEOLA who will then print them in final form for us to use in our policy books."

The policy updates will be available for the public to view as soon as NEOLA, a company that specializes in board policy services, sends them back.

Technology Director Steve Ricketts updated the board on the status of the new classrooms and labs in the junior high. New computers have been added to the junior high computer lab.

"It looks really sharp," Ricketts said. "It's going to be really nice for that wing of the building to have a lab for their own use."

Along with the new computers the lab will also feature fewer cords and new chairs. Smart boards will soon be installed in the classrooms as well.

The board accepted the resignations of Nathan Mullis, effective Aug. 10, and Tona Gardner as the high school yearbook sponsor effective following the 2012-13 school year. Jill Bronebrake, Reelsville teacher, was also approved for retirement effective June 30 as well as Robert Cook, bus driver, effective May 23.

Nancy Knapp and Jacob Parker were hired as summer bus workers as well as Isis Earnest and Mark Carr as mowers.