Art teacher works to salvage parts of old SPHS gym floor

While the sudden need to replace the South Putnam High School gym floor last summer created some financial and scheduling strain, the Eagles have a new gym floor to show for it, one on which their varsity boys’ team has yet to lose.

The school may also get some beautification outside of the gym as a result of flooding and subsequent upgrade.

During their meeting Wednesday evening, the school board heard a letter from high school art teacher Holly Cooper on how salvaged pieces of the old high school gym floor would be made into decorative pieces.

Cooper said she and husband Andrew were able to save a part of a free-throw line as well as a set of letters that spelled out “South Putnam.” They were also able to salvage the pieces of the eagle adorning the center circle.

Cooper said that the “S” and “P” letters have already been made in wall pieces installed inside the locker rooms, and that the “A” is hanging inside the athletic training office. The eagle, which is still a work in progress, is planned to hang on the commons wall next to the concession stand.

Cooper’s students are currently seeking an airbrush artist to touch up the eagle, as well as organizing fundraising to pay the artist. Cooper said the fundraising could also come through South Putnam alumni.

It is hoped that the eagle can be mostly finished before the impending boys’ basketball sectional, which is set to begin on Feb. 26.

“It is quite an undertaking,” Cooper wrote, “but I have eight amazing students and through their ‘business’ and ‘execution’ teams, I have confidence they can get the job near completion before sectionals.”

The remaining eight letters are currently in storage, though Andrew has been restoring the “T” into a coffee table. They plan to raffle the table off for $5 a ticket at home events and announce the winner during sectional.

Some of the proceeds from the coffee table would reimburse Andrew for time and expenses, with the rest going toward the eagle’s repair and material costs. The letters being used as wall hangings would cost $225 in materials.

With the board’s approval, the remaining letters will be sold through a website at www.bristleandbracket.com. The Coopers intend to donate 10 percent of all sales back to South Putnam High School, and also to promote Bristle and Bracket through handing out business cards.

Since this marked the first meeting of 2019, the board addressed a number of reorganization matters as well as appointments.

The board voted to appoint Hollie Hutcheson as president, Anthony Heavin as vice president and Wes Hacker as secretary.

The board also voted to reappoint Hilary Logan and Terri Beasley as secretary and deputy secretary, respectively. Beasley will also continue her slate as privacy officer.

In other reappointments, John Zeiner was also approved to remain the corporation’s attorney. South Putnam Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt, Logan, Beasley and board member Larry Bottorff were also appointed to the bid opening committee, which reviews acceptance of offers for professional work like renovations.

Bernhardt also provided a brief synopsis of the function of the Board of Finance, which oversees school investments through its interest-bearing checking account. He further related that the school corporation made just over $32,620 in interest for 2018. The board approved for the same officers to be reinstated on the board.

Additionally, board members approved regular meeting times for 2019 as well as discussed uniform conflict of interest statements and salary/benefits.

The board also recognized South Putnam’s Students of the Month for January. Fourth-grader Logan Deal and first-grader Ahna Howard were recognized from Central and Fillmore Elementary, respectively, sixth-grader Luke Hutcheson represented South Putnam Middle School and senior Drew Bratcher was honored by South Putnam High School.

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in the MS/HS Learning Center.