Greencastle schools receive more than $13,000 in donations

Thursday, September 29, 2016

With classes under way, the Greencastle School District has received various donations in support of the ongoing school year.

Largely benefiting the district’s alternative education program and its athletic department, donations totaling $13,116.22 were approved by the school board Monday at its monthly public session.

More than half of the total, which stemmed from a variety of sources like Myers’ Market and York Automotive, was contributed by the Putnam County Community Foundation (PCCF) in the amount of $6,666.22 for the cost of new computers that will be used in the aforementioned educational program.

“We would like to publicly thank the Sherman and Maria Fund and the PCCF for the donation,” newly-appointed Interim Superintendent Jeff Hubble said. “(But) the check from the PCCF came up about $200 short of the cost for the computers.

“So ... the board president (Denise Sigworth) and her husband (Jeff Sigworth) have generously agreed to donate that $200 difference so that the program can have the entire cost of the computers.”

Separately, the athletic donations, totaling $6,250, will help replace money used from “rainy day funds” to make adjustments to the athletic complexes around the district.

In order to bring the district’s athletic complexes into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which is a law that “prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life including ... all public and private places that are open to the general public,” GCSC has recently made changes to various bleachers and athletic entrances that include new concrete sidewalks at the football stadium and bleacher adjustments at baseball diamond and soccer field.

“Some are sponsors and some are just outright donations,” Hubble said. Organizations donating to the athletic department Monday were: Sutherlin HVAC, $1,250; HBG Insurance and Bonds, $1,250; York Automotive, $1,250; Myers’ Market, $1,000; Greencastle Pediatric Dentistry, and Shuee and Sons, $750.

For more information concerning the distribution of these funds, contact the district’s administration office at 653-9771.

In other business:

• An approval request concerning the inner-workings of the transportation facility was approved. In total: A hearing was held for an amendment to the original lease of the land formerly owned by Hanson Aggregates for its new transportation facility, with no comment from the public; a hearing concerning additional appropriations was held, with no comment from the public; a resolution for “determining the need for project” was approved; a resolution authorizing the execution of the amendment to the lease was approved; a resolution to appropriate the proceeds and establish a construction fund was approved; a resolution reapproving the formation of the building corporation was approved; a resolution assigning contracts (once received) to the building corporation was approved; and a resolution to approve the Master Continuing Disclosure undertaking was approved.

It was also noted that the new transportation facility will be completely tax-neutral to the residents of Greencastle. The board stated that one of its goals was to leave taxes unaffected.

• A request for three full-sized buses to replace three the district’s aging vehicles was discussed. These buses, which are “mandated but not funded” by the government, will be brought back up for approval at the board’s October session.

• The superintendent selection process was updated.

The board recently appointed former assistant superintendent Hubble to the position of interim superintendent after lengthy and unfruitful negotiations with a leading candidate. The board was praised by members of the audience Monday who supported the decision to cease negotiations with a candidate who was unsatisfied with what the district had to offer. Hubble will continue as interim superintendent until the board can hire a new superintendent by July 1, 2017.

• The board approved several hirings, transfers and resignations Monday: Jeffrey Hubble, approved as interim superintendent (effective Aug. 22, 2016 through June 30, 2017); Jamie Nees, hire as media specialist at GMS (effective Sept. 6); Allison TeGrotenhuis, hire as substitute speech and language pathologist at Deer Meadow Primary (effective Nov. 9, 2016 through Feb. 19, 2017); Vicki Montgomery, hire as temporary teacher at Deer Meadow Primary (effective Sept. 12 through Dec. 20).

Sports: Bobby Hopper, hire as eighth-grade boys’ basketball coach at GMS; Brian Hammett, approved as seventh-grade boys’ basketball coach at GMS; Brett Weliever, hire as eighth-grade girls’ basketball coach at GMS; Jana Boggess, approved as seventh-grade girls’ basketball coach at GMS; Braden Gibson, approved as volunteer assistant volleyball coach at GHS; Tonya Welker, approved as volunteer assistant cross country coach at Tzouanakis Intermediate; Matt Hertenstein, approved as volunteer assistant cross country coach at Tzouanakis Intermediate; Dessa Frank, approved as cross country activity coordinator at Tzouanakis Intermediate; Ian Pingleton, hire as head wrestling coach at GMS; Michael Scott, hire as assistant wrestling coach at GMS; Maggie Walters, transfer from girls’ freshman basketball coach at GHS to girls’ assistant varsity coach at GHS; Christian Arvin, approved as girls’ freshman basketball coach at GHS; Mark Jedele, resignation as assistant boys’ and girls’ swim coach at GHS; Christian Arvin, resignation as seventh-grade girls’ basketball coach at GMS; Jessica Casteel, resignation as junior-varsity cheerleading coach at GHS; Tabatha Briones, resignation as assistant varsity girls’ basketball coach at GHS; Dessa Frank, resignation as head swim coach at GMS.

Non-certified: Jamie Burks, resignation as part-time custodian at GMS; Erica Porter, resignation as instructional assistant at GMS; Jacqueline Williams, resignation as cafeteria assistant at GHS; Cindy Chadd, resignation as cafeteria manager at GHS; Nicole Bartels, resignation as instructional assistant at GMS; Megan Tesmer, resignation as instructional assistant at Deer Meadow Primary; Cassandra Hyde, resignation as second-shift custodian at GHS; Katelyn Sibbitt, hire as cafeteria assistant at GMS; Brenda Blackmon, hire as cafeteria assistant at GHS; Nicole Bartels, hire as instructional assistant at GMS; Samantha Parrish, hire as student cafeteria assistant worker at Tzouanakis Intermediate; Steven Prosser, hire as student cafeteria assistant worker at GHS; Jacob Hanks, hire as student cafeteria assistant worker at GHS; Nancy Brock, transfer from full-time bus driver to substitute bus driver; Karen Phillips, transfer from substitute bus driver to full-time bus driver; Kathy Cox, hire as cafeteria assistant at Deer Meadow Primary; Debra Kleiss, hire as cafeteria assistant at GHS; Heather Sell, hire as cafeteria assistant at GHS; Billie Jo Bumgardner, transfer from cafeteria assistant at GHS to temporary cafeteria manager at GHS; Marcus Pulis, hire as second-shift custodian at GHS; Kathy Cox, hire as breakfast aide at Deer Meadow Primary; Angie Garl, hire as substitute cafeteria assistant; Brenda Wilson, hire as substitute cafeteria assistant.

Substitute teacher hires: Veronica Bryant, Brooke Cundiff, Denise Thede, Glenn Hile, Cory Tinsley, Karen Hirt-Mannon, Shandra Snowden, Rachel White, Jill Nichols, Danielle Wenning and Lauren Towne.

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