South Putnam school board discusses gym floor design

Monday, September 17, 2018

After a meeting with no major items on the agenda, South Putnam school officials turned their attention to the new gym floor that will be installed at South Putnam High School Wednesday evening.

With input from South Putnam’s athletic director Tom Starnes, the South Putnam School Board discussed the potential design of the new hardwood surface that will soon be installed.

As of the Wednesday meeting, Starnes said that the new wood was scheduled to be delivered Thursday morning. The quick turnaround is because there will not have to be a wait for moisture checks, as the wood was sourced close by.

The new wood will replace the original court that was irreparably warped due to water damage sustained earlier this year.

The floor will be installed by the Cincinnati Floor Co., which is the same company that laid the original surface almost half a century ago.

Much of the discussion was centered around the look that the floor would have. Starnes, with collaboration from other school officials including principal Michael Schimpf, presented three designs to the board for consideration, including one more that a board member would submit later.

Starnes made it a point that the design had to involve currents students and staff, as well as South Putnam alumni. To that end, he suggested that the designs be put to a vote from students in the coming days, with the designs being sent out afterward to the alumni for their input.

While this process was not set in stone by any means, both Starnes and the board acknowledged that the decision would have to be made in the coming days to not further delay the project.

School officials are cautiously optimistic about the new floor being installed and prepped before the first high school girls’ basketball game against Cloverdale on Oct. 30.

The board also recognized the Students of the Month from each of the schools in the corporation. The students include kindergartener Brody Witt from Central Elementary; fifth-grader Blake Roberts from Fillmore Elementary; sixth-grader Jonathan Mitchell from South Putnam Middle School; and 11th-grader Victoria Huff from South Putnam High School.

Additionally, the board approved the following personnel changes:

Resignations:

•Riesha Dittemore - Central Title I teacher (temporary contract);

•Martha Scott - MS instructional assistant (special education); and

•Marcia Nichols - Fillmore instructional assistant (kindergarten)

New Hires:

•John Rissler - Central Title I teacher (temporary contract);

•Suzanne Hutcheson - MS instructional assistant (special education);

•Brandi Meece - Central instructional assistant (Title I);

•Kathy Bewley - MS/HS cheer coach; and

•John Tomaw - MS football

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the MS/HS Learning Center.

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