GCSC putting final touches on 'super' selection

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

In a story that has been slowly (but surely) evolving throughout the summer months, the Greencastle Community School advisory board has narrowed its field of candidates yet again for the successor to outgoing superintendent Dawn Puckett.

With great effort to utilize the input of its employees, GCSC announced at its monthly public session Monday a list of events that have been so far observed with more that have not yet come to pass.

With a total of eight executive sessions held in the months of July and August, an original field of 16 candidates has now been narrowed to just two and, with anonymity paramount at this point in the process, those involved are seemingly itching to hit the home stretch.

"We've had a lot happening in the last month," Board President Denise Sigworth said Monday. "And we've had a lot of meetings.

"We've had four executive meetings to interview our potential candidates; we've had two executive meetings with (a randomized panel of) 35 school employees for 'meet-and-greet' sessions -- one on Aug. 1 and one on Aug. -- for each of those to present each of our finalists," Sigworth continued. "On Aug. 3 we asked those 35 in attendance to send an email to all the board members to tell them which candidate they felt they would select as their next superintendent."

Sigworth went on to say that the input of the employees has aided the process tremendously as the board wishes to hire a candidate that suits the needs of the entire district.

In addition to particulars from those employed by GCSC, the board has hired the consultation of the Indiana School Board Association (ISBA) in Indianapolis to aid in the process, as well.

On Aug. 5 and 6, two further executive sessions were conducted in order to select the "presumptive nominee" and enter into negotiations with him or her.

"After the final two candidates were selected, we called and verified that the references they listed on their applications were indeed positive," Sigworth said. "Once we selected our finalist, we began thorough background checks on that candidate.

"We've had the first ... and second check come through with no issues," Sigworth added. "We are taking the investigations into our new superintendent very seriously -- we've begun communicating with community members in (his or her) hometown -- organizations such as Rotary, Kiwanis, local churches, (co-workers), the mayor, the police chief, guidance counselors, principals -- we're digging deeper to make sure this candidate exemplifies the type of individual we truly want to lead our organization."

With background checks now complete, the board announced that the negotiations process has officially begun and that employees will soon be notified after what is hoped to be a positive response from the candidate.

Once the employees have been notified, the contract will be sent to the Banner Graphic for publication; once the contract has been advertised for a period of 10 days, the board will hold a public hearing to field comments and remarks; and seven days after that public hearing, the board will hold another meeting to sign the contract and officially hire the candidate.

"We're almost there," Sigworth added before concluding the selection update.

In other business:

* Meeting times were discussed and ultimately changed Monday. GCSC public meetings will now take place on the fourth Monday of each month with the time of day and location unchanged.

* A speech and language pathologist contract with Cornerstone Rehabilitation, Inc. for the 2016-17 academic year was approved.

* An overnight/out-of-state field trip for the GHS Band was approved to New York City. The band will spend 10 days playing at various places around the city.

* Permission was granted to add five additional days to the director of guidance contract at both the high school and middle school.

* A collective bargaining agreement, which allows for a three percent compensation adjustment to be implemented ahead of schedule on the Sept. 2 payroll was approved for the following: administrators, hourly/classified employees, salaried employees and bus drivers.

* A resolution approving preliminary plans, a form of lease, publication a lease hearing was approved. This includes the building of a new transportation center and various renovations currently being made throughout the district.

* Several hirings, transfers and resignations were approved Monday:

-- Shawn Wooden, resignation as principal at Greencastle Middle School (effective Aug. 1).

-- Scott Weltz, transfer as technology integrator to interim principal at Greencastle Middle School (effective Aug. 2).

-- Lance Sluder, resignation as math teacher at Greencastle Middle School (effective Aug. 4).

-- Anne Kinton, resignation as instructional assistant at Tzouanakis Intermediate (effective July 26).

-- Nicole Bartels, resignation as instructional assistant at Tzouanakis Intermediate (effective July 29).

-- Lance Sluder, resignation as boys' and girls' cross country coach at Greencastle Middle School (effective immediately).

-- Paige Paquin, resignation as varsity cheer coach at Greencastle High School (effective date Oct. 31).

-- Kevin Kendall, hire as guidance counselor at Greencastle High School (effective July 25).

-- Rose Stephens, hire as director of guidance at Greencastle High School (effective July 25).

-- Lori Gillespie, transfer as eighth-grade social studies teacher at Greencastle Middle School to eighth-grade special education/English teacher at GMS (effective Aug. 4).

-- Kim Brattain, hire as third-grade teacher at Tzouanakis Intermediate (effective Aug. 4).

-- Amy Weliever, transfer as media center specialist at Greencastle Middle School to media technology teacher at GMS (effective Aug. 4).

-- Courtney Smith, hire as eighth-grade social studies teacher at Greencastle Middle School (effective Aug. 5).

-- Brittney Daly, hire as sixth-grade math teacher at Greencastle Middle School (effective Aug. 4, pending background check).

-- C.J. Shields, transfer as technology education teacher at Greencastle High School to technology integrator (effective Aug. 4).

-- Ande Warren, transfer as technology education teacher at Greencastle Middle School to technology education teacher at Greencastle High School (effective Aug. 4).

-- Jennifer Rhoades, approve as high ability coordinator (effective Aug. 4).

-- Cassandra Hyde, hire as second-shift custodian at Greencastle High School (effective July 21).

-- Megan Tesmer, hire as instructional assistant at Deer Meadow Primary (effective Aug. 8).

-- Melinda Short, hire as instructional assistant at Greencastle Middle School (effective Aug. 8, pending background check).

-- Erica Porter, hire as instructional assistant at Greencastle Middle School (effective Aug. 8, pending background check).

-- Blaine Hagen, hire as instructional assistant at Tzouanakis Intermediate (effective Aug. 15, pending background check).

--Amanda Rady, hire as instructional assistant at Tzouanakis Intermediate (effective Aug. 8, pending background check).

-- Susan Garl, transfer as full-time substitute cafeteria assistant to cafeteria assistant at Deer Meadow Primary (effective Aug. 1).

-- Marilyn Bakehorn, transfer as full-time substitute cafeteria assistant to cafeteria assistant at Tzouanakis Intermediate (effective Aug. 8).

-- Bethany Ford, transfer as cafeteria assistant at Deer Meadow Primary to pre-K instructional assistant at Deer Meadow (effective Aug. 8).

-- Heather Sell, hire as substitute bus driver (effective Aug. 8, pending CDL licensure).

-- Jessica Marilley, Cecily Girton and Cassidy Crawford, all hired as substitute teachers (effective Aug. 8).

-- Bryce Rector, approved as fall athletic events manager at Greencastle High School (effective 2016-17 school year).

-- Michael Scott, hire as boys' and girls' cross country coach at Greencastle Middle School (effective 2016-17 school year).

-- Cody Mitchell, hire as boys' assistant soccer coach at Greencastle High School (effective 2016-17 school year);.

-- Jessica Casteel, hire as assistant cheer coach at Greencastle High School (effective 2016-17 school year).

-- William Dibble, approved as volunteer girls' assistant soccer coach at Greencastle High School (effective 2016-17 school year).

-- Michael Tucker, approved as volunteer boys' assistant soccer coach at Greencastle High School (effective 2016-17 school year).

-- Gayle Hansen, hire as academic math team coach at Greencastle High School (effective 2016-17 school year).

-- Craig Jordan, approved pay adjustment due to amended contract days (2015-16 school year).

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  • Where is South Putnams school board meeting notes? You always have Greencastle's right away!

    -- Posted by cen98 on Wed, Aug 17, 2016, at 6:40 PM
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