Cloverdale School Corporation working toward school improvements

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale School Board had much to discuss during its monthly meeting on Monday evening.

The board received several updates from ongoing projects, including the drainage project, which is currently on track to begin bidding in March.

"We're right on schedule with the design on the drainage project," project manager Dan Sulkoske said.

The project itself has been broken into five different components, including the base bid of the retention pond; alternate one being the sewer pipe extending from the pond along the east side of the building; alternate two, tying in the roof drain; alternate three providing the asphalt around the north, east and south ends of the building; and alternate four being liquidated damage.

The corporation will begin advertising for bids on March 3 and will receive bids until April 8 with construction beginning in May or June.

Jeff Underwood also updated the board on several ongoing projects, including upgrading the Continuum software, which controls the HVAC system along with the card access system.

"It would be the first upgrade we've had since we got the Continuum software," Underwood said. "That would include all software upgrades to the systems and that would put us at 1.99 and that also puts us in line for the 2.0 upgrade, which is a major upgrade that we would get for nothing."

By receiving the 2.0 upgrade, the corporation will have access to the systems from anywhere through its iPads.

Underwood also informed the board that the corporation is already seeing some savings from the new system.

"I don't have any solid dollar values attached to that," Underwood said. "I know through our Co-Alliance agreement that, even though we've had one the worst winter we've had in 30 years, we are still on target to our purchased amount of fuel. I know there will be some really good energy savings because of the winter we had."

Underwood also advised the board that Co-Alliance had previously sent out a notice to many customers, asking them to cut back on usage.

"We purchased a certain amount of gas in the beginning of the year, and if you go over that you pay EPA market value, which right now is through the roof," Underwood explained. "If you don't (go over) hen you sell your gas at market value to other people. It's a really good deal."

Following a discussion with Superintendent Carrie Milner, Underwood also came before the board to discuss the water meters at the softball area and the concession stand at the football field.

Like many in the town of Cloverdale, the corporation has been affected by the recent increase rate for sewage. Therefore, in an effort to seek some savings, the corporation will be moving the two water lines.

"We're going to go out here and pick it up (the line at the softball field) and supply the field off of this building (Arthur L. Johnson Administration Center) and this meter," Underwood explained. "We're (also) going to go from the concession stand under the football field to the dugout, where we had the water lines put in for the dugout, and pick the water for the concession stand up."

The meter that currently aids the concession stand will then be turned into a watering only meter and there will no longer be a sewer charge on that meter. It is by eliminating both of these meters that the cost will substantially go down.

"All we have are the two restrooms at the concession stand so we are going to put that on the bus barn, where we are already paying," Underwood said. "I'm taking steps to make sure this gets done."

Principal Sonny Stoltz updated the board on the recent active shooter training conducted two weeks ago at Cloverdale Middle School.

Along with school personnel, more than 50 officers from different agencies showed up as well as several school corporations.

"It turned out really well," Stoltz said. "They got to see what it'd be like if we had a situation. The purpose wasn't because we wanted to highlight school shootings, we wanted to talk about getting people to think outside the box and think a bit more proactive."

Throughout the afternoon, staff was able to not only see what it would be like if there was an active shooter situation -- with many of the staff actually responding as if it were real -- but also participated in three different scenarios.

"We're doing our best to try and stay proactive," Stoltz said. "I'm not saying we're prepared and I'm not saying we're good at this, but we are trying to be somewhat proactive."

In other business:

* The corporation is looking into replacing both the elementary and middle school intercom systems.

* The corporation is also currently receiving quotes to upgrade the camera systems at the high school. Currently, the school has an older black and white camera system, the new one will likely be high resolution and in color. With the new camera system, Underwood noted that he is looking to purchase a 32-terabit memory system, which would allow the corporation to keep footage much longer.

* Parents will soon be able to sign up for a call list regarding pesticide use. Due to new regulations the corporation will be setting up a record keeping system and will inform parents of what kind of pesticides may be applied and what the side effects may be.

* The school corporation recently applied for the Western Knoy 21st Century Learning Community Grant. The corporation will find out if it has been awarded the $1,095,000 grant in March.

* Milner also advised the board that the corporation as a whole has had 13 delays and seven snow days. As of now, Cloverdale has received approval from the Department of Education to waive two of its snow days, resulting in only one day having to be made up on May 30.

* The following students were honored as February students of the month: Abbi Yartz, Maci Jones and Christa Asbury.