North Putnam rolls into school year

The North Putnam School Board discussed upcoming fiscal matters when it met Monday night.

North Putnam School Corporation Superintendent Dan Noel brought to the attention of the board that this year's school budget would be published in future editions of the Banner Graphic.

Along with dealing with the upcoming budget, the corporation is also looking for ways to keep its debt service at a viable level. The corporation has a 20-year loan coming off the books and has seen an opportunity arise with technology loan.

This loan is a Common School Loan for technology. It would be a loan at a three percent interest rate over the term of the loan.

The loan would help replace workstation for students and teachers. John Hayes, school board president, wondered if the loan was worth it.

"(I'm) hesitant to go into debt for things that might not be that bad," Hayes said.

A representative from Five Star Technology stated that several of these stations were upwards of eight years old and were "ancient" by computer standards. The board decided to go for the loan.

Also on the financial side the school corporation has decided to change waste service companies. The corporation will now be doing business with Republic. The corporation's monthly trash service bill is being reduced by almost $500 by switching companies.

The corporation had also been facing a problem with having too few bus drivers to drive the school routes.

At this month's meeting the problem was solved by the hiring of seven bus drivers and substitute bus drivers. Noel said that this helped but the corporation is still low on bus drivers.

In other business:

-- The school board announced it will be looking internally to fill the high school principal's position when Alan Zerkel retires at the end of the 2013-14 school year.

-- Three employees have resigned: Anita Ferguson and Michell Hagar as bus drivers and Dana Young as an instructional assistant at Roachdale.

-- Mary Wilson has retired as a bus driver.

-- James Hess took up the position at the high school on Project Leads the Way.

-- Other new employees include Kenny Bottoms, Wilson Rosado, Brien Wilard and Jack Wright as bus drivers; Roy Bumgardner, Bill Green and Jim Hazelwood as substitute bus drivers; Larry and Louise Miller as bus aide; Krista Fuhrman at the Roachdale Elementary media center; Kathy Pike and Laura Pope as instructional assistants; Ryan Blinn as high school JV baseball coach; Ciara Boyer as middle school head swimming coach; Myra Cox as a volunteer high school cheer coach; Joe and Mark Lehr as volunteer high school swim coaches; Craig Smith as JV boys' basketball coach, and Jessica Tarr as middle school head volleyball coach.

-- Maria Wilson has resigned as Spanish Club sponsor at the high school. Ashley Moeller took her place.

-- Other new hires include Lauren Alspaugh as senior class sponsor, Linda Gjesvold as major production director, Krysten Kingery as junior class sponsor, Kirstie McClamroch as sophomore class sponsor, Brittney Nees as art club sponsor, Nyki Treash as freshman class sponsor and Alan Zerkel as a volunteer chess club sponsor.

The next meeting of the North Putnam Community School Board will be on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at the NPHS Auditorium.