North Putnam looking at changes for the future

BAINBRIDGE-- New projects are in the works for North Putnam School Corporation.

The projects and the announcement of the beginning of several programs for next school year were discussed at Thursday's school board meeting.

One major topic discussed was the health care reform act or so-called "Obamacare" and how having affordable health care available to all full-time corporation employees could affect the corporation.

The act covers business and corporations that have 15 or more employees. The act is to give full-time employees, those who work 30 or more hours, affordable health insurance.

North Putnam Superintendent Dan Noel recently attended a class that went in depth on the ins and outs of health care reform. He urged all of the board members to try and attend the next class with him in April.

A decision on to either reduce hours or cover those employees needs to be made before May 1 or the corporation could be facing a $2,000 penalty for each full-time employee that is not covered.

One project that the corporation is tackling is to get updated technology into the schools. One way this is happening is the addition of Smart Board Technology.

Smart Boards will be added to the high school and middle school on March 28-29. These boards are a combination of a white board and a computer. They allow for teachers to create a range of different dynamic lessons for students.

Also in the technology area, several committees were set up that included teachers and board members to help address issues that schools face. One was technology, this group proposed several plans for the future that would put more technology in the hands of students and the installation of a wireless info structure into schools.

The corporation is in talks with Five Star Technology Solutions about the addition of a wireless network in the schools.

The board is also looking to upgrade the way it distributes information at meetings. To cut down on the amount of paperwork provided to the board, Noel suggested that it be looked at for the board to use either tablets or laptops. The board will look at this again in April.

The board also received an overview of the grades received by each school last year.

* Roachdale Elementary: 2.5, C

* Bainbridge Elementary: 1.75, D

* North Putnam Middle School: 1.00, D

* North Putnam High School: 4.00, A

The schools are graded on different standardized tests given to the students each year and how students may have improved those scores. The high school is also graded based on college and career readiness and how many students graduate on time.

The scores are used to show were improvement may be needed. These scores have helped a Curriculum Committee also come up with ideas on how to best improve what students are learning.

North Putnam High School Assistant Principal Jason Chew and Roachdale Elementary Principal J. Scott Spencer head the curriculum committee, and they along with their team hashed out ideas on how to best improve the school corporation.

One of the main goals Chew and Spencer discussed was getting teachers from all of the schools to start working together to improve students' education. They are also looking at putting together a document that states what students should be able to do and know by the end of each grade.

The board also approved the start of open enrollment for North Putnam Schools for the 2013-14 school year.

Open enrollment allows for students outside of the school district to become students at a North Putnam school. Such students would have to provide their own transportation to and from the school.

Students wishing to enroll into one of North Putnam schools must fill out an application that can be found at www.nputnam.k12.in.us.

Meanwhile, bids for the Bainbridge Elementary roof have been given and approved. Gene Hostetter, North Putnam Community Schools attorney held reservations about how some of the bids were presented to the school board and some of the legality of how some of the bids were obtained.

"It is incumbent that all board members know what they are bidding on," Hostetter stated.

Construction is to begin at the end of May and be completed by Aug. 10.

The next North Putnam School Board meeting will be on April 18 at 7 p.m. in the North Putnam Middle School Media Center.

In other business:

-- Clay County YMCA has offered to start an after-school program in the schools. The school board will be looking over the information presented and will discuss it at the April meeting.

-- Putnam County Kids Count asked for the use of North Putnam School Corporation buses to transport area children to a camp over the summer. The board will discuss it more at the April meeting.

-- New seats and carpeting are to be added to the high school. This should be completed before the end of the school year.

-- Snow make-up day for Feb. 23 will be April 22 and the make-up day for March 6 will be on May 28.

-- The last day of school for students will be May 28 and for teachers it will be May 29.

-- The board approved the resignation of several employees, Nancy Brock, David Marksberry and Kasandra Tompkins as bus drivers; Heather Cline as Media Center/computer instructional assistant at North Putnam Middle School; and Tammy Surber as cashier and cafeteria aide at Bainbridge Elementary.

-- Suzy Rudes has been hired as Media Center and computer instructional assistant at North Putnam Middle School and Kristy Straziscar as health aide and attendance instructional assistant at North Putnam High School.