H1N1 vaccine available to South Putnam students

GREENCASTLE -- South Putnam School Corporation Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt discussed the instant alert message sent to parents Monday regarding the availability of H1N1 flu vaccine for students.

During the regular school board meeting Monday, Bernhardt said any parent who wishes for their child to receive the shot can do so free of charge by returning the permission slip sent home with students.

School-age children will receive the inactive, injectable vaccine.

For seventh through 12th graders, students can receive the shot during school hours with the permission slip. But parents will need to bring elementary students to the high school following school hours with a permission slip to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine.

There is no charge for the shot, Bernhardt said. It is being provided by the Putnam County Health Department; South Putnam is only providing the space for shots to be administered, he noted.

Parents of Fillmore Elementary students did not receive the H1N1 flu information provided by the health department Monday due to the school's copy machine malfunctioning. Those students will receive the information Tuesday, Bernhardt added.

"These shots are strictly voluntary," he said. "Parents do not have to allow their child to receive the shot."

In other business:

* The school board voted to make junk computers stored at Central Elementary surplus equipment.

The computers, which are "broken and of no value," will be given to a recycling company, Bernhardt said.

The school corp. will receive a percentage of the money made off the equipment from the recycling company.

* School board members voted to accept the personnel report with the exception of the freshman boy's basketball coach.

Board member Dave Bombei made the motion to approve the report, including the hiring of a boys' freshman basketball coach on the condition there is a boys' freshman basketball team. Board member Steve Cash seconded it.

Should South Putman High School have a freshman team, Ryan Gilman will replace Nick Carver. Gilman resigned as boys' basketball junior high coach.

In addition, Jennie Halcomb resigned as bus driver; Dan Snellenberger was hired as a bus driver; Lindsey Roberts was hired as a kindergarten instructional assistant at Fillmore Elementary; and Andrew Lade was hired as the boys' basketball junior high coach.