North Putnam looks to replace doors at start of school year

Monday, July 31, 2017

BAINBRIDGE -- With the last week of summer remaining on the North Putnam Community School Corporation (NPCSC) calendar, its school board is using the remaining time to straighten out a few lingering construction projects.

Not to be confused with ongoing construction efforts at the high school initiated by now-former firm Johnson-Melloh, two sets of doorways at the elementary schools need replacement, becoming a topic of interest during the corporation’s July public session.

“Mr. (Terry) Tippin recently got some information of some serious door problems,” Superintendent Dan Noel said. “On the stage, for example, at Roachdale (Elementary) ... and a serious problem down at Bainbridge (Elementary).”

Tippin, who serves as director of operations for the corporation, has been working with Central Indiana Hardware (CIH) and other bid-submitting companies to resolve the matter while focusing on overall value. Though no bids have been officially accepted at this time, Tippin and others seemed confident CIH would be in charge of the replacements.

Noel went on to explain that the boiler-room doors at Bainbridge are especially troublesome in that the set of double-doors will not close or lock, while the stage doors at Roachdale are in such bad condition, joking that “natural stage lighting” can be seen through the door frame.

He added that, while there are issues with the opening and locking of the boiler-room doors at Bainbridge, security is not an issue in that the doors are “absolutely shut” and cannot be reopened.

“The building is secure, we just can’t use it,” he said.

CIH has worked with NPCSC before. In a similar situation, a set of boiler-room doors at Roachdale needed attention. Also, the entryway at Central Office was recently replaced by CIH.

The board will officially select a bid at its next meeting on Aug. 17 at North Putnam High School.

In other business:

• The board decided to move October’s regularly scheduled public session to Oct. 11 at NPHS, citing fall break. Meetings for August, September and October will all take place at NPHS.

• A presentation from members of FFA was heard by the board. The group would like to attend a livestock-judging competition in Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 25-29 after great success in recent ventures. The board will investigate and have an answer for the group on Aug. 17.

• A building committee has been formed to select an architect to handle further construction plans at the high school. The committee is made up of board members Travis Lambermont, Mark Hoke and Dustin Osborne. Updates are expected in the coming months.

• A “consent agenda,” which comprised resolutions, plans, claims, contracts, agreements, stipends, grants and pay increases was approved in one fell swoop with no discussion from the audience once prompted.

• The board approved the hiring, transfer, termination, resignation and retirement of several employees as part of the aforementioned consent agenda. They were:

Certified -- Wendy Pickett, hired as eighth-grade English teacher at NPMS (one-year, temporary contract); and Brooke Layton, hired as fourth-grade teacher at Roachdale Elementary.

Classified -- Katherine Hamstra, hired as special education instructional assistant at Bainbridge Elementary; Sherry Hansen, hired as cafeteria aide at NPHS; and Tina Hall, resignation as instructional assistant at NPMS.

ECA -- Kayla Kocher, hired as Art Club sponsor at NPMS.

Athletics -- Katey Copsey, resignation as assistant girls’ basketball coach at NPHS; Mallory Carver, resignation as head swim coach at NPMS and NPHS; Jim Hess, resignation as head softball coach at NPHS; Hilary Vukovits, hired as assistant girls’ basketball coach at NPHS; Kerry Roussey, hired as assistant boys’ basketball coach at NPMS; Kyle Gilliatt, hired as assistant boys’ basketball coach at NPHS; Jarrod Duff, hired as head softball coach at NPHS; Brian Jeter, hired as head baseball coach at NPHS; James Miller, hired as assistant baseball coach at NPHS; Matthew Gurney, approved as assistant football coach at NPHS; Jason Monnett, approved as volunteer head baseball coach at NPMS; Robert Hensley, approved as volunteer assistant baseball coach at NPMS; Chris Geeser, approved as volunteer game filming and statistics manager for football at NPHS; and Dana Tennis and Macey Lambermont, hired as part-time summer help.

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