Cloverdale seeking new lights

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale School Board heard a LED lighting presentation from Patricio Daneri, Midwest region managing director for Energy Harness.

Daneri presented a two-phase project; the first phase concerning the areas in all four buildings with the highest rebates and the second concerning all other areas. In total, the project is expected to cost $146,000 with rebates. Daneri said it would take 21 months to recover the investment with total monthly savings at $6,860.

“An LED of high quality will far outlast an existing incandescent bulb,” Daneri said. “Once you install this properly, you don’t touch it for a very long time. Everything is custom-made for you. It’s substantially healthier light. We’ve performed two case studies; one with Purdue University and the other with the University of St. Francis.”

Quotes and presentations from other vendors are expected to come in this week.

In other developments:

-- Absences: Chris Mann, Bobbi Nees and Rob Schroer were absent.

-- Board policies: The board approved board policy Vol. 28, No. 2 and heard the first reading of board policies 0140-8500, which are set to be approved at the next meeting.

“The policies are a wide variety of current, and some new, policies that have been updated by NEOLA, a national company we have hired to keep our policies compliant with Indiana Code,” Superintendent Greg Linton said. “The board reviews NEOLA’s recommendations, makes local adjustments and approves them.”

-- Budget: The board approved adoption of the proposed 2017 budget, the 2017 Budget Transfer Resolution, capital projects plan, school bus replacement plan and the Rainy Day Transfer Resolution. The board also approved the school improvement plans, which are on file in each school building.

-- Claims: The board approved the claims at a total of $918,505.57, an increase from last month of $340,343.43 and of $199,047.93 from the April-August average. Linton explained the increase with the purchase of custodial supplies, paying a circulation associate for math textbooks and a repair from a lighting strike at the elementary school (for which the corporation will be reimbursed).

-- Dollars for Scholars: Secretary Whitaker announced that Dollars for Scholars will be paying the transportation costs for the junior and senior students’ trip to the National College Fair in Indianapolis. She also said Scholarship America will be sending her to the National Collegiate Awareness Network Conference “for the specific purpose of becoming the area expert on FAFSA.”

-- Personnel report: The board approved the following personnel report:

Employment: Emily Kaufman (CES), Cynthia Gamble (CHS), Esta Poulton and Mandy Evans (Knoy) as instructional assistants; Beth Wernz as Knoy program director.

Resignation: Dawn Tucker as Knoy program director; Loreena Powell and Helen Graziano (CHS) as instructional assistants.

Coaching/Hire/Volunteer: Kurt Kyle (CMS baseball and wrestling head coach); Billy Boyette (7th grade boys’ basketball coach); Chad Chrisman (8th grade boys’ basketball coach) and Kim Fulkerson (CMS volunteer volleyball coach).

-- Students of the Month: The September Students of the Month were Kory Galloway (4th grade), Grant Maners (7th grade) and Chad Stevens (senior).