South Putnam board gearing up for school

With the final weeks of summer vacation upon us, the South Putnam School Board is gearing up for the start of school.

The board met Monday evening to discuss several routine issues that must be completed before the first day of school. Among the items discussed were the budget calendar, grant applications and petroleum bids.

The board approved the budget calendar as it does annually. This time around, however, all budget meetings fall on the dates of regularly scheduled board meetings.

It was unanimously approved by the board to also approve the submittal of grant applications for all federal and state programs, such as high ability, Title I and Title II.

As with previous years, the school board denied all petroleum bids and chose to take its chances on the open market.

"Neither were firm bids," South Putnam Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt said.

All bids received by the corporation depended on market-day price. Thus, the board chose not to approve them. However, the corporation already has three loads locked in for the start of school.

Bernhardt also presented elementary textbook rental. The board had already approved implementing new reading textbooks, but this time around members were approving rental fees as a whole.

The cost of book rental approved by the board will be: $81.04 for kindergarten, $104.99 for first grade, $92.31 for second grade, $72.33 for third grade, $73.37 for fourth grade and $67.42 for fifth.

"This year the major costs were that the reading was adopted for this year," Bernhardt said. "We eliminated actually a workbook in K-2, which lowered the price."

All textbook rental fees were approved by the board.

As with all schools in the state, South Putnam addressed the issue of student transfers.

"We are now required to first of all determine if we will accept students transferring into the school corporation or not. Our choice is to accept all or accept none," Bernhardt explained. "In my opinion we don't want to deny all transfers to the school."

In the past the corporation was able to choose based on grades and attendance. However, with the new legislation schools are now unable to set criteria for accepted students.

The board chose to accept student transfers through May 29 or essentially throughout the entire school year. Although, the corporation does not have any power to choose which students it accepts, it still has the power to not accept any students who previously have been expelled.

The following personnel were also approved: The resignations of Cheryl McKinney as a Central Elementary food service worker and Zach Love and Jeff Duvall as junior high school football coaches.

Several hirings were also approved: Joyce Smith as a Central Elementary food service worker; Matthew Steward as a ninth-grade football coach; Jeff Duvall as assistant high school football coach; Brady Rhodes as junior high football coach; Joe Migliana as junior high football coach; Brian Gardner as high school junior varsity coach; Deanna Long as high school varsity volleyball coach; and Johnny Briones as high school junior varsity volleyball coach.