NPSC solar farm nears completion

BAINBRIDGE -- North Putnam School Corporation partner Johnson-Melloh updated board members Wednesday on the status of the nearly-complete solar farm adjacent to the high school.

Vice President of Sales and Operations Jamie Krynski of Johnson-Melloh said the farm is currently about 55 percent complete and expects the panels' modules to be fully installed by Christmas Eve.

"It's moving along pretty well," Krynski said. "All of the underground work is done and most of the mechanical (work) is done."

Johnson-Melloh Solutions has been involved in various efforts throughout the North Putnam school district, including a recent donation of LED lights that are estimated to cost more than $60,000.

"We're just about done with the LED-lighting, we've gone through both the middle school and high school," Krynski said, adding that they will hopefully be done by the end of this week.

With more than 5,000 modules to be installed, this nearly $4 million project is nearing completion.

And with so many projects taking place at once, another Johnson-Melloh representative, Project Development and Account Manager Andy Cooper, updated the board on some other ventures.

"Project B is essentially an extension of Project A -- two separate projects with the same type of work," Cooper said. "Heating and cooling, ceiling work -- we're going to paint and put some new ceilings in the restrooms by the commons area -- and we're doing some with in the kitchen as well.

"Rooftop units have been set and wired, we're (also) installing refrigerant lines now."

Project B, which includes several areas of improvement, is expected to be complete by the Jan. 3 deadline.

In other business:

* Several students from the elementary schools, middle school and high school were recognized for their efforts in and out of the classroom Wednesday by their respective principals: Bainbridge Elementary School Principal Rodney Simpson and student Sierra Watson; Roachdale Elementary School Principal Scott Spencer and students Jubilee Majors and Arrick Kramer; Middle School Principal Scott Miller and the Parliamentary Procedure Team; High School Principal Jason Chew and student Noah Poynter.

* Several teachers and instructors were given permission to attend 11 different conferences in the coming semester.

* An overnight Winterguard lock-in for the night of Jan. 8 was approved.

* Superintendent Dan Noel recently approved the Winterguard Spin-a-Thon fundraiser for "pledges, donations and registration."

* Approval was given for qualifying students to graduate ahead of schedule. The names of the four students who hope to graduate early were not given.

* The middle school writing club, to be led by Susan Trent, was approved.

* Donation Day, part of seventh-grade service-learning activities, was approved and will take place on Jan. 16.

* An internship for the high school athletic department was approved for Payne Stewart.

* Prospective student-teacher Bonnie Osborn was denied approval to begin student-teaching until she ceases other employment.

* The attendance of high school and middle school students to the May 7 Shakespeare Festival at DePauw University was approved.

* A "Service-Learning mini-grant" for $250 to be used for the "Service-Learning Project" at the middle school was approved.

* A 5-1 approval was given to accept a $2,767 donation from John Allen for the high school's basketball program.

The next North Putnam School Board meeting will take place on Jan. 13, 2016 at 7 p.m. at the school's administration office in Bainbridge.