SP board considers CareDox system

With keeping students healthy and safe being a decidedly complex issue this year, health staff at South Putnam are now looking to improve their approach for the future.

South Putnam Middle School-High School Nurse Bethany Combs addressed the board during its final 2020 meeting Wednesday about transitioning to the CareDox system. This is a place where students’ medical records could be accessed.

“What this offers me is a safety tool,” Combs said. She provided that CareDox would allow her to document all medications in real time, as well as allow parents to communicate directing with her.

She emphasized that the system would be free to the school corporation. She added that the Brownsburg and Avon school corporations use it, with all administration being able to access information as it “talks” with Harmony.

Board Secretary Wes Hacker brought up the aspect of this being privileged information, to which Combs said the system was compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

As to potential costs, Combs related that DoxCare offers services to the area’s Medicaid population. Combs can make referrals as well, but all of this is optional. This, she said, is how the company “recoups” money.

Combs said she was looking to implement CareDox in the 2021-22 school year. Ultimately, the biggest barrier at this point is getting her and Central Elementary/Fillmore Elementary Nurse Amanda Hutcheson trained.

In other business:

• The board approved a $120,920 bid from CRG Construction to replace the shingle roof at Fillmore Elementary School.

• The board approved a request by K-12 Service Director Tammy Severe to purchase five new interactive boards, with two to go to Fillmore Elementary and Central Elementary each and one at the middle/high school.

The board also recognized South Putnam’s Students of the Month:

• Central Elementary School: Emma Pate

• Fillmore Elementary School: Reese Latta

• South Putnam Middle School: Blake Witt

• South Putnam High School: Dunkin York

Latta, Witt and York were not in attendance.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• Resignations:

-- Classified: Kathrine McDougall - part-time Central Elementary instructional assistant;

-- ECA: Dorothy Hoffmann - middle-school social studies academic coach;

• New hires:

-- Certified: Kaitlyn Hicks, Quinn Albright and Thomas Przybyla - temporary contracts (beginning Jan. 4, 2021);

-- Classified: Victoria Craddock - MS/HS instructional assistant; Maggee Boyce - part-time Central Elementary instructional assistant; and Kayla West - part-time Fillmore Elementary Pre-K instructional assistant;

-- ECA: Leah Henry - middle-school social studies academic coach.

The board also recognized the Central Elementary Spell Bowl team, which recently placed third in the state in the Red Division. The team is made up of Melissa Anderson, Nevaeh Reeves, Elliana Cox, Jackson Webster, Mollie Huber, Riley Casteel, Sophia Helton, Natalie Dobson and Drexel Partin.

The board also recognized Washington Township Representative Larry Bottorf, who is retiring. He will be succeeded by Lisa Cooper when the board convenes next month.

The next regular meeting of the South Putnam School Board is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 at 7 p.m. in the South Putnam MS/HS Learning Center. The meeting will be recorded and available on YouTube.