Cloverdale students will be tuning in for Channel 1 programs

Tuesday, November 14, 2006
The home of Eldon and Lois Boswell at 84 Ridgeland Rd., Greencastle, is one of five locations on the Candlelight Home Tour, hosted by Delta Theta Tau Sorority from 4-8:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $7 per person, and tickets may be purchased from downtown merchants, sorority members and homes on the tour.

Despite the concerns of one board member, the Cloverdale School Board unanimously approved the middle school's proposal to enter into a partnership with DirecTV and Channel One Communications Corporation to bring the television programming to the facility.

At Monday's board meeting, CMS Principal Jeff Brookshire explained to the board there would be 15 television units set up in the school. He said there would be four for sixth-grade classrooms, five for seventh-grade classrooms, and five for eighth-grade classrooms.

"Not all rooms will be equipped," Brookshire said.

Last month, elementary/middle school media specialist Jeremy Simpson and Brookshire presented the proposal to the board. Simpson said the programming is a 12-minute newscast created by students for students.

At the October meeting, he said he hoped to bring more technology to the corporation and believed the programming could help. He said the newscast would cover relevant news for students regarding current events, and that two minutes of the coverage was for advertisements.

Simpson also said DirecTV had planned to offer a free satellite dish, receiver and DVR to public school buildings through the program, but that the satellite dish would have to be installed by someone outside of Channel One.

On Monday, however, board member Todd Whitlock echoed his concerns from one month ago, saying he was leery of giving up class time for students to watch television. He also expressed concern regarding class rooms and if they were equipped to house the televisions.

"If we find that it doesn't work well, Channel One will come in and take the TV's out," Brookshire said. "I'm not saying it will not work out, because I think it will."

Administrators addressed Whitlock's concerns and board member Bobbi Nees made a motion in favor of the proposal, with Pamelia Hepfer granting the second. The board voted unanimous in favor.

"We'll utilize it very well," Brookshire said.

Meanwhile, the board learned Monday that the corporation had received a donation worth $9,600 from the Putnam County Community Foundation for its Nature/Fitness Trail.

CCSC Supt. Carrie Milner told the board the wooded area behind the school had been targeted for outdoor classrooms. She said plans included an amphitheater and observation decks.

Milner said the construction of the project would commence in the spring and that Phase 1 -- which included clearing brush and cleaning up the area -- had already started.

"We're pleased to have an area we don't have to purchase," Milner said of the 5.7 acre space for the proposal. "I think it's going to be a neat addition to our growing campus."

The board voted unanimous to accept the donation.

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