North Putnam board approves SRO agreement

ROACHDALE — Seeking to continue a partnership with the Town of Bainbridge for security at North Putnam Schools, the North Putnam School Board approved an agreement for a student resource officer (SRO) Thursday evening.

Specifically, the board approved a memorandum of understanding for the town to provide a police officer, though at this point one has yet to be selected.

With applications having been taken, Supt. Nicole Allee said the town will interview candidates and select three. A panel of school personnel would then choose the SRO from among them.

Allee said the candidate could be someone already on staff with the Bainbridge Police Department or a reserve. This being the case, she said the department has had “a lot” of applications for the position be picked up or requested.

The only real change from the prior agreement, Allee said, was redefining the SRO’s work period to be eight-and-one-quarter hours, rather than specifically setting them (i.e. 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.). Meanwhile, school administrators would set up schedules and tasks for the officer.

Bainbridge Clerk-Treasurer Bobbi Boller told the Banner Graphic that the previous contract more-or-less expired in 2019 after it was considered by the school board the previous year.

The new agreement would be active through the 2022-23 school year and automatically renew for 2023-24. The agreement would be amended or not afterward. As such, the SRO’s salary, which would be covered by the school corporation, is set at $55,000.

It is not clear if the Bainbridge Town Council will approve or otherwise consider the contract at a rescheduled regular meeting this Thursday, July 21 at 7 p.m. at the Bainbridge Town Hall.

In other business:

• The board approved a contract for Vicki Berry as the school corporation’s library media specialist. The contract is not to exceed 30 days at $500 a day. Berry will train library media aides as well as be responsible for ordering books and maintaining collections.

• The board reapproved North Putnam’s teacher appreciation grant (TAG) policy, with Allee saying it has not changed. Teachers receive dollars if they are rated Effective or Highly Effective and are employed on Dec. 1. Allee noted that a portion would be given to teachers at Area 30 and Old National Trail Special Services.

• With Allee noting that it had been two years since it was revised, the board approved the handbook for non-certified staff. Allee outlined that the major changes were removing positions which no longer apply aside from clarifying parts of policies and procedures.

• Director of Operations Terry Tippin noted that the school corporation’s MyStop application will be fully implemented. The program will be used as a GPS to track school bus routes, as well as notify parents of students’ expected arrivals and delays.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• New hires: Ginger Claycomb - NPMS instructional assistant; Denver McMurtry - reclassified corporation employee; Eryn Moore - Raochdale Elementary fifth-grade teacher; and Drake Davis - NPMS/NPHS agriscience teacher;

• Summer services: Valerie Lenihan and Julia Nesbitt - summer Jump Start program;

• ECA: Drake Davis - NPMS/NPHS FFA adviser;

• Resignation: Dominique Owens - Bainbridge Elementary instructional assistant (effective 2022-23 school year); and

• Retirement: Nancy King - Roachdale Elementary teacher (effective July 13).

Ron Spencer was the only board member absent, while Eric Oliver arrived late. Joining Allee, Tippin and the board were Corporation Treasurer Tanya Pearson, Corporation Attorney Tyler Nichols and Administrative Assistant April Lambermont.

The next regular meeting of the North Putnam School Board is set for Thursday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. in the large group instruction room at North Putnam High School.