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Board hires GHS assistant principal; Morris announces retirement
The personnel portion of the Wednesday meeting of the Greencastle School Board came with mixed emotions. The excitement of a new assistant principal at the high school was tempered by the retirement announcement of a longtime administrator and educator.
Jennifer Latham Simon was hired as the new assistant principal at GHS, while the board accepted the retirement of Deer Meadow Primary Principal Gwen Morris.
The assistant principal position had been open since Russ Hesler was promoted to principal in December.
Simon is a 1994 graduate of Northview High School who went on to earn a bachelor's degree and Masters of Education from Valparaiso University.
She has previously served as assistant principal at Merrillville High School and Valparaiso High School.
"I really wanted to get back to where I grew up and back to my roots," Simons said, "and work in a community that helped make me a success."
Although she does not start work until April 1, Simon already had some positive reflections on the school she will help lead.
"It's a very strong school system with a great history and a great foundation," she said. "I feel confident working as a positive team with Principal Hesler. I think it's going to be a great end of the school year and an exciting fall."
Hesler introduced the new assistant principal with great excitement, telling the board and public of her background, before turning to Simon with a big smile.
"Jennifer, remember it is always a great day to be a Tiger Cub," Hesler said.
The principal also thanked Dorothy Crawley, who has served as interim assistant principal since his promotion.
"Between December and now, I had a great helper and friend in Mrs. Crawley," Hesler said. "I couldn't have made it without her. We owe her a big round of applause."
The board also grudgingly accepted the retirement of Morris, effective at the end of the school year, with board members praising the passion and care she has put into the job.
"Gwen will be missed," board president Mike Dean said. "Those are big shoes to fill. In my time on the board, I've rarely seen an educator with the kind of compassion that Mrs. Morris has."
Dean went on to talk about how if a child would not show up to school for two or three days, Morris would go to the home herself to see what was the matter.
Morris has been the principal of Deer Meadow since it opened in 2001. She has spent 42 years in education.
In other business:
* Superintendent Dawn Puckett reported that roofing contracts were let to bid, but all bids came in far over budget.
Moisture Management, which is overseeing the project for the school, is regrouping and will be calling for individual bids for the sloped and flat parts of roofs in hopes that the total price will come down.
Brennan Baker of Moisture Management will be at the April board meeting to report on progress.
Puckett said the delay in accepting bids should not delay the work, provided that it gets done at the April meeting.
* Puckett reported on a recent seminar on the consequences of the Affordable Care Act for schools.
The school could have some serious costs beginning in 2014 in either providing health insurance to more employees or facing steep fines from the federal government.
The new standard set in the federal law is that insurance must be offered to anyone who work an average of 30 or more hours per week.
"We face some serious challenges in how we're going to address this," Puckett said to an exasperated school board.
Putnam County and the City of Greencastle have addressed the same issue in recent meetings.
* School will be in session for a snow make-up day on Friday, March 22, the last day of class before spring break.
* The board approved 13 additional personnel items.
Previously-retired music teacher Geoffrey Price, who has served as part-time choral director at the high school, will resign effective June 30.
GHS science teacher Ryan Keller also resigned, effective March 22.
A leave of absence was approved for Don McCammack, effective March 11-May 13. Assistant athletic director Zachary Remsburg was placed on administrative leave.
Coach hires included: Landon Smith, volunteer eighth grade girls' basketball coach; Matt Helmer, GMS football coach; Matt Plessinger, GMS assistant football coach; Braden Amis, GHS assistant track coach; and Kyle Uhlmann, GMS assistant track coach.
Four substitutes were hired: Robin Barber, Kyle Nobles and Tina Pitts as substitute teachers and Lindsey Fenwick as substitute bus driver.