Departing board member urges questions

Thursday, December 13, 2007

CLOVERDALE -- At his final Cloverdale School Board Meeting Monday night, Todd Whitlock issued a challenge for the other board members as they move forward.

"Don't just be managers but leaders," he said. "Be willing to ask the tough questions."

Whitlock, who championed the importance of bringing technology into the classroom and school administration, announced in September that he intended to leave the board at the end of the year due to "personal and professional commitments."

Superintendent Carrie Milner announced near the start of the meeting that the district is currently accepting applications for Whitlock's replacement. Applicants must live in Cloverdale Township and must submit a resume and application to her by mid-January.

Milner also presented a schedule for the new ISTEP+ testing.

The superintendent said teachers and administrators will have to do "double duty" to make up for the change in testing dates from the fall to the spring in 2009.

When it came time to approve the district's monthly expenditures, Vice-President Bobbi Nees questioned Milner about a $2,000 bill to resurface the high school basketball court.

Howard Bowen, the Director of Extended Services, told the board that the $2,000 represented half of the money to do repair work on the floor in the summer. The district paid the resurfacing company only half of its fee when the work was first done since the floor was imperfect and needed to be reapplied

Board member Tony Hacker, who had voted against paying the bills the last two months running because he had "unanswered questions," voted to make good on the expenses. When questioned about his change of heart after the meeting, he would say only that his questions had been answered.

The board also unanimously approved a code of conduct and ethics for members.

School board members honored three students of the month.

Fourth-grader Evan Monnett was praised as an "exemplary student" who broke the record for most books read in a grading period.

Seventh grade student Amy Shoemaker's teachers described her as a "well-mannered student" who always has a smile .

Teachers gave freshman Sam Jordan praise for his leadership and being a "star student."

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