Cloverdale starting the year off strong

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale School Board met for its monthly meeting Monday evening in which board members addressed several routine issues typical for the start of school.

Among the issues discussed was the West Central Educational Service Center Annual Plan, which the corporation is required to be a part of in order to be a member of its health insurance trust, The Wabash Valley West Central Insurance Trust or the ESCRIP, which includes the corporations workers comp insurance.

"They are just putting out an annual plan that they tell us about every year," explained Superintendent Carrie Milner. "It's a very positive group. It's a good strong program. It allows us to have a voice. It allows connection to the Department of Education."

The school corporation also uses the centers cooperative purchasing to help save money as well as professional development.

Along with the annual plan Milner also discussed the Wabash Valley/West Central Indiana Trust Agreement. Members of the board all agreed to not only approve participation in the trust, but it also approved Milner and Andrew Tyler to serve as the trustees on the trust.

"Again, because there are so many schools that are now with the Affordable Care Act moving to school trusts like ours, they made an effort to be a little more formal perhaps with the trust agreement. We've not had to do this before, but we have a lot of schools coming into the program." Milner said. "I've been involved for a long time. It's a good program."

The trust meets quarterly in Crawfordsville, which includes several schools such as North and South Putnam.

"Many of the schools in our region are part of that West Central Trust," Milner said. "It allows us to control our own programs."

Once again the board got an update from project manager Dan Sulkoske on the roofing and mechanical projects, which have now been completed.

"All the warranties on the roofs have been submitted," Sulkoske said. "The projects are all in the close-out phase."

As previously discussed, the board is looking into fixing drainage issues as well as redoing the track. Sulkoske is expected to make a presentation next month regarding the cost of the projects.

"We've just really struggled with the cost and where to start and where to stop," Milner said.

The school board also honored Cloverdale Elementary fourth-grader Issac Maldonado, Cloverdale Middle School seventh-grader Makenzie Allen and Cloverdale High School senior David Lovejoy as the students of the month.

Also approved was the following personnel issues:

* The hiring of Maria Skiles as a high school instructional assistant; Claire Graham as the high school academic coach; Daniel Varnes as a ninth grade sponsor; Regina Tate as a high school student council sponsor; Thayron Jenkinson as a subsitute bus driver; and Kristin Szczerbik as a volunteer speech/ debate and Model UN coach.

* The reassignment of Penny McPeak from part-time to full-time.

* The hiring of volunteer high school boys varsity basketball assistants Chad Crisman and Chase Haltom; volunteer high school girls varsity basketball assistant Sarah Varnes; volunteer middle school cheer assistant Holly Campbell; and volunteer high school cheer assistant Elizabeth Wright Evans.