GCSC to receive $150,000 grant for school safety

Usually a routine (though greatly appreciated) portion of the Greencastle School Board agenda, the approval of donations and grants was marked by a larger-than-normal influx of money at the February meeting.

Superintendent Jeff Hubble announced that Greencastle Community Schools will received a Global Grid for Learning Safety Initiatives Grant in the amount of $150,000.

The money will be distributed $50,000 at a time over three years.

Assistant Superintendent Donovan Garletts, who wrote the grant, did not speak to how the money will be used specifically, saying “it could be anything from fingerprint scanning to blocking specific internet sites.”

Whatever the use, the thought is that the influx of safety funds will ultimately make district schools safer.

Global Grid recently announced $9 million in grant funding around the country as part of the program.

“The Safer Schools in America Impact Grant Program will support the implementation and usage of select EdTech products from leading education providers who are focused on school safety solutions for K-12,” a release from Global Grid stated. “These solutions will be implemented and studied for a period of three years at no cost to the school grant recipients.

“The grants will also address an industry-wide need to capture data-driven validation research around a significant range of activities believed to foster safer teaching and learning environments. These include emotional, physical and digital safety as well as emergency preparedness, school facilities, culture and community engagement.”

Unsurprisingly, the school board unanimously approved the grant.

Two other grants were also accepted by the school board — $3,150 to Greencastle Middle School and $2,500 to Ridpath Primary School — to bring Project Lead the Way programming back into the school corporation.

In other business:

• Hubble said that an offer on the old bus barn property has fallen through, so it is back on the market.

He said he is hopeful to be bringing a new offer to the school board very soon.

• The board approved a number of personnel items.

Retirement: Beth Bax as speech and theater teacher at Greencastle High School

Resignation: Brittany Adams as Tzouanakis custodian.

New hires: Jill Nichols, Richard Melville, Purva Patel and Barbara Castellini as 21st Century Learning Center instructors at GMS; Joann Snapp, Deer Meadow noon aide; Jeff Lancaster, Deer Meadow instructional assistant; Sara Byrum as GMS instructional assistant; Keegan Lammers, 21st Century Learning Center instructional assistant at GMS; Alyssa Murphy as Ridpath instructional assistant; Matthew Sabin as student cafeteria assistant.

Leaves of absence: Jon Strube, extended FMLA at Central Office; Brittany Satoski, FMLA (maternity) at GMS; Lori Lamb, unpaid leave at GMS.

Substitutes: Denise Thede as longterm substitute teacher for Brittany Satoski at GMS; Debra Meyer, Adam Wahl and Alison Howard as substitute teachers.

Extra-curricular activities: Scott Monnett, GHS girls’ soccer head coach; Craig Whitaker, JV baseball coach; Amy Coons, JV softball coach; Brittany Labhart, GMS spring intramural tennis coach; Lynn Ramey, Jamey Landry, Kara Jedele, Jill Gooch and Kayla Flegal, GMS spring intramural tennis volunteer assistant coaches; Ande Warren, GHS P.I.E. Club sponsor.