GCSC to host statewide conference, prepares to repair Dear Meadow roof

The Greencastle Community School Corporation (GCSC) will be hosting its first state educators conference in June, expecting between 200-600 guests at the event.

Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey Hubble told the school board with excitement Monday night that he sees this as the "first of many" future events and that a request for a grant approval related to the conference will be placed on the agenda for the board's January meeting.

The board discussed the creation of a prioritized list of capital improvement projects for the 2015-16 school year, projects that are controlled by the release of bond money. At the top of that list is the repair of the Deer Meadow roof.

"That is our number one priority and the process is under way," Superintendent Dawn Puckett said.

Puckett sought the board's approval to enter into a short-term agreement with Moisture Management so that the firm can begin working with a structural engineering firm to detail solutions to repair the roof and get it to proper working order.

"We feel like we really need some highly qualified help in order to make that happen and Moisture Management is exactly that, roofing and waterproofing experts," she concluded.

The board approved the professional service agreement, which is not to exceed $10,000.

Also on that list was the acquisition or construction of an administration building; purchase and installation of a lighting system in Parker Auditorium; seal-coating all blacktop surfaces that have been resurfaced in the district recently; renovating McAnally locker rooms and Greencastle High School (GHS) restrooms and installing digital controls for Tzouanakis Intermediate and Greencastle Middle School (GMS) heating and cooling systems.

According to Puckett, there are more items on that list but those presented at Monday's meeting are projects the board believes can be completed in 2015.

The board approved the priority list and will see bids received for those projects when bond money is given to the school to perform capital improvement projects.

The board approved a bid to replace the McAnally lobby ceiling, specifically the lobby area outside Parker Auditorium in the upper area near the swimming pool. Only two bids were received, the lesser of which came from Spiker Excavating, to put in a new drop ceiling grid system with tiles at a cost of $32,696. The work would be done over the winter, but probably not as soon as Christmas break and should take about one week to replace.

Audience member Wayne Lewis asked the board for an update on the McAnally roof in general, being informed by the board is withholding a sum of money until a few items and blemishes can be finished when the weather becomes warmer and drier.

The board approved a five-year contract that names Hendricks Regional Health (HRH) as the sole athletic training service provider for GCSC. In the past, HRH has provided these services on a year-to-year basis, the new contract aims to "lock in" the cost of services for five years, eliminating annual fluctuations.

"We see that as a real positive. We've been very pleased with the service that they provide and we think it is a very valuable service for the safety of our athletes," Puckett elaborated.

A classroom technology spotlight was presented by GMS science teacher CJ Shields.

Shields showcased the use of Google classroom as part of the GCSC1:1 technology integration.

"It's a very non-traditional classroom discussion, lots of students posting back and forth," Shields told the board, explaining that the technology provides opportunities for immediate feedback.

"It's also very easy to see the what students have done, it easily generates a list of who has done the assignment and who has not completed the assignment."

Shields has also created a YouTube channel that allows students to re-watch lessons, review for exams or projects and for students to see what they might have missed on a sick day.

Shields also highlighted an app that alerts and filters information about earthquakes from around the world, saying that many students have kept receiving the updates on their phones despite having finished the lessons in October.

The school board approved $52,313 coming from the state of Indiana, to be dispersed among 114 GCSC teachers who received effective and highly effective ratings, as per the teachers bargaining agreement.

Administrators are also subject to receive financial incentives under the rating system, but those funds do not come from any taxes or public funding, they are financed by grant money acquired specifically for that purpose.

Certified personnel will also receive the payment, which will come from the general financial fund of the school district.

Payments are expected to be distributed before the end of the week.

In other business:

* The board approved reappointment of Dr. Wayne Lewis to the Parks and Recreation board.

* The board approved to receive a $500 grant from American Chemical Society's science coaches program. The grant was procured by GMS science teacher Stacie Stoffregen and a partnership with DePauw University. The grant will go toward purchasing science education resources and additional experiences in the classroom for the current school year.

* The board approved an overnight wrestling trip for Jan. 2.

* The board approved a number of extracurricular personnel for Greencastle High School (GHS), including Steve Paquin as varsity boys' golf coach; Brett Weleiver as volunteer assistant boys' golf coach; Kyle Johnson as volunteer baseball coach; Glenn Hile, Laura McMaster, Joy Pershing, Thomas Lausee and Jamie Bierkemeier as assistant track coaches; Samantha Burke as speech/debate team sponsor. At Greencastle Middle School Luke Thomas was approved as assistant wrestling coach.

* The board also approved the hiring of multiple new personnel, including Lisa Rotino, Claudio Schlagenhauf, Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Hedge as substitute teachers; Amy Carter as substitute nurse; Joshua Hayes as substitute bus driver and Samantha Call as athletic department secretary for GHS.

* Jessica Faust was approved as a temporary teacher for Kaitlyn Hicks at Tzouanakis Intermediate and Lisa McCoy was hired as a temporary teacher for Jenny Riggle at Deer Meadow Primary.

* Total November expenditures were $1,522,512.01.

* The board approved the superintendent's contract as presented during a public hearing on Dec. 2.

GCSC holds its monthly meetings on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Ridpath Elementary School.

Next month's meeting is currently slated for Monday, Jan. 19 but is subject to change in response to school holidays and potential snow make-up days.