GEER grant has provided internet access to 92 GCSC families

Meeting to wrap up a year unlike any other, Greencastle School Board members and administrators continue to operate as they have since March — one day at a time.

With the board covering a number of items during a brief meeting Monday night, COVID-19 was an underlying subject to almost everything discussed.

During his report to the Board, Supt. Jeff Gibboney said 92 GCSC families have taken advantage of getting wifi internet access through the school’s GEER grant program, thus improving access for these students when they are learning virtually.

The Governor’s Education Emergency Relief grant was announced for the school in October and provided funds for the school to purchase funds for those lacking access.

Families who reside in the footprint of Xfinity service can be provided with 14 months of Xfinity service at no cost. Those who live outside of Xfinity’s service area may qualify for 12 months of service on a mobile hotspot provided by T-Mobile or Verizon.

“We just need to continue to get the word out so we can use those dollars to support our families,” Gibboney said.

Any family that currently lacks internet and has a child enrolled at GCSC is encouraged to complete the application form by visiting https://tinyurl.com/GEER2021.

Such access can be especially valuable at the current time, with middle school and high school students at home three days a week through the school’s hybrid schedule.

Gibboney noted, however, how much the staff and community members have responded in challenging times. He noted the job the foodservice department is still making free meals available to the students on weekdays they aren’t at school.

“That’s certainly been a need and that’s a nice thing we can do to support our families,” he said.

What the school schedule will look like after the holiday break remains to be seen. Gibboney said officials are waiting to see what the COVID-19 statistics look like from the Indiana State Department of Health.

“It’s my goal to announce our plan for starting second semester by Dec. 30, if not this week, so that way families have time to plan,” Gibboney said.

He thanked everyone who has helped the students work through a challenging school year so far.

“Everyone has just been willing and flexible to meet the needs of our kids,” Gibboney said. “I hope that everyone has a safe and happy holiday.”

The superintendent also noted that the corporation was waiting on the budget order from the Department of Local Government Finance in order to finalize the 2021 budget.

In other business:

• Board President Mike White noted that former Greencastle Principal Mike Tzouanakis recently passed away.

Tzouanakis was the longtime principal at Northeast Elementary, which now bears his name as Tzouanakis Intermediate School.

White noted how fortunate the students of Greencastle have been for that school to have stood since 1964, while enduring very few changes in leadership.

There have been five principals in the history of the school, Tzouanakis followed by Susan O’Brien, then Dan TeGrotenhuis, Jon Strube and now Jennifer Rhoades since 2018.

“That’s pretty remarkable,” White said.

• On the subject of buildings named after staff members, White said some community members had asked about the possibility of naming the transportation center after Dan Green, the school’s director of operations who died in June.

Green was a big part in the planning and construction of the new center.

“There seems to be a precedent of doing that for people who have had long-term positive impact in this corporation,” board member Brian Cox noted.

• Students of the month were recognized: Greencastle High School-Lauren Hopper; Greencastle Middle School-Jackson Rodgers; Tzouanakis Intermediate-Hailey Baker; Deer Meadow Primary-Tucker Shadwell; and Ridpath Primary-Michael Knuth.

• The board accepted the following donations: $1,300 from the middle school PTO to GMS, $500 from the Gary and Linda Huber Fund for Cultural Arts and Learning to the GHS Art Department, $500 from the Putnam County Community Foundation (PCCF) to GHS, $500 from PCCF to GMS, $500 from PCCF to Ridpath and $1,535.58 from Walmart Distribution Center to Ridpath.

• The board approved a number of personnel items.

Resignations: Diana Myers as GMS swim coach; Doris Collins as substitute bus driver; Baylie Stoltey as Deer Meadow noon aide.

Leaves of absence: Kari Schimpf, intermittent FMLA as Deer Meadow preschool teacher; Malinda Mann, FMLA as GHS math teacher; Courtney Dickey, leave of absence as fifth-grade special services teacher at Tzouanakis; Carol Morgan, FMLA at GMS.

Extra hours worked: Cory Hill, technology director; Stacy Robinson, systems support technician; Polly Shuee and Rhonda Kessler, school nurses.

Substitutes: Makinna Bacon hired as long-term third-grade substitute for Coons FMLA; Kaitlyn Price, Rachel Neumann, Gretchen Weliever and Leia Viers hired as substitute teachers.

Extracurricular activities: Robert Johnson hired as seventh-grade girls’ basketball coach; Margaret Walters approved as GHS assistant girls’ track coach; Sean Ramey approved as GHS assistant girls’ tennis coach; Travis Linneweber hired as GMS head wrestling coach; and Kyle Shafer hired as GMS assistant wrestling coach.