Cloverdale board approves COVID stipends for employees

CLOVERDALE ­— Cloverdale Schools will be getting another boost of funding to continue mitigating lingering effects of COVID-19 on learning and providing for students and staff.

The Cloverdale School Board approved to receive $1,703,451.50 through the third phase of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) grant program.

ESSER funding is a secondary stimulus and emergency COVID-19 relief funding stream authorized under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act. The legislation was passed by Congress last December.

Cloverdale Schools was recently awarded a grant of more than $78,000 through ESSER II. Superintendent Greg Linton said the fund’s purpose was to help schools recoup learning opportunities lost due to COVID-19 and leverage efforts by teachers and administrators to keep students learning.

With their approval of the ESSER III funds, the board also approved a resolution and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for stipends for school employees. Full-time employees will receive $1,000, while part-time employees will receive $500. The stipends will be paid one time and drawn from the ESSER III funds.

Part of the ESSER III requirements was the school board approving an instruction plan for next school year. Linton emphasized that whether students and staff continue to wear masks would be optional. However, he added that the corporation would “take another look” if they might be needed again.

The statewide mandate for wearing masks on public school properties expires on June 30, after which school corporations will be given local control on requiring them going forward.

In other business:

• The board approved to renew its MoU with the Town of Cloverdale providing a student resource officer. Linton said the cost was $50,000, with half of this covered by a Putnam County Safe Schools grant.

• The board approved Derrick Raymer as a representative at the Owen County Public Library. He will replace Emily Haltom.

• The board approved an agreement with TechTrep to provide an online learning environment for the 2021-22 school year. TechTrep emphasizes STEM and CTE education.

• The board approved textbook fees throughout the corporation for the 2021-22 school year. Linton stated that fees for the middle school were increased due to the incorporation of digital curriculum.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• Retirement: Frances Lanphier - CES/CMS cafeteria; and Julie Gellert - CMS math teacher;

• Resignations: Matthew Langdon - CHS special education teacher; Claire Graham - CHS language arts teacher; Loreena Powell - CHS media center; and Kyle Walter - CHS math teacher/CHS girls’ golf coach;

•Employment: Jenna Lanham - CES kindergarten teacher; Dorothy Hoffman - CHS special education teacher; Shelby Aguirre - CES special education teacher; Kenneth Schnepp - CHS Spanish teacher; Lisa Mendenhall and Richard Pettit - CHS custodians (full time); Cindy Pettit - CMS custodian (part time); and Karen Bessell, Christina Bessell, Barb Cummings, Lindsey Peck, Pam Wade, Salem Creceilus, Chandra Titus, Penny Minnick and Marcia Vaughn - summer food program.

Board Vice President Katrina Lewis was absent at the meeting.

With the school mask mandate being lifted, the board provided that its regular meetings could return to the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Office. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 12 at 7 p.m.