Construction ongoing as GCSC summer ending

With the return of students just days away, construction at Greencastle Community Schools buildings will continue, with some changes.

In his comments to the school board during their monthly meeting this week, Supt. Jeff Gibboney noted some updates on the progress of building projects.

“Things are moving along rapidly at the high school with closing up some holes in the ground and opening up an even bigger one between the high school and McAnally,” Gibboney said.

The superintendent is referring the connector to be constructed between the high school and adjacent McAnally Center, but it is certainly not the only work going on at the main campus.

Additionally, work is going on in the courtyard area as well as the media center, with upgrades coming to both of those spots.

Likewise, crews have been at work this week on constructing a permanent entrance to the high school parking lot off of Washingon Street.

The trick, Gibboney noted, is finding ways to have access to essential areas while parts of the school and campus remain active construction zones.

One such solution was the recent completion of a driveway to the back of the building off of the tennis courts parking lot west of the high school.

Gibboney noted that more information on some specifics would be shared with families of high schoolers.

Work has also been going on this summer at the corporation’s three elementary schools, some of which won’t quite be done when students return on Wednesday, Aug. 3. The work has been to further secure the entrances to the three schools.

“We’ve been hit a little bit by delays in the supply chain. A couple of the buildings won’t be ready for the start of school,” Gibboney said, noting that temporary walls will be installed to start out the school year.

Gibboney also noted that building envelope work at Tzouanakis Intermediate school has taken care of 80-90 percent of the humidity issue at the school.

The last of the school buildings to be touched, bids on work at Greencastle Middle School were due on July 28, meaning that phase of the project will begin moving forward as well.

Gibboney also addressed the back-to-school season more directly, noting that teachers come back two days earlier than students, on Monday, Aug. 1.

Administrators have been working to fill any remaining faculty vacancies.

“Staff shortage in Indiana is real,” Gibboney said. “There are not enough licensed teachers out there.”

He noted they are doing their best to fill any final vacancies. For more details, see the personnel report below.

In other business, the board:

• Reorganized for the year, keeping Mike White as president, Russell Harvey as vice president and Brian Cox as secretary.

Additionally, board meetings will remain at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at GCSC Central Office, 1002 Mill Pond Lane, Greencastle.

The two exceptions to this will be Monday, Dec. 12 and Monday, March 20, due to winter and spring breaks, respectively.

• Approved three donations, all of them to Greencastle High School Athletics.

Dave’s Heating and Cooling, York Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Plainfield and Seniour’s Towing each donated $1,500 to the athletic program.

• Approved a lengthy personnel report that included:

Resignations: CJ Shields as corporation technology integrator, GHS STEM teacher and GHS Ethics Bowl coach; Jamy Whitaker as Ridpath kindergarten teacher; Laura Minor as Deer Meadow first-grade teacher; Katherine Asbell as corporation testing coordinator; Jody Newton as GMS special services teacher; Kyley Lewis as Tzouanakis attendance secretary; Nicole Waters as Tzouanakis instructional assistant; Janet King as GMS cafeteria assistant; Cynthia Pierce as GHS cafeteria assistant; Donna McFadden as McAnally head custodian; Morgan Wright as GMS instructional assistant; Jennifer Gambill as Deer Meadow instructional assistant; Levi Hoffman as GHS instructional assistant; Randi Lady as Deer Meadow noon aide; Holli Hill as GMS assistant cheer coach.

New hires: Ashton Butler as Deer Meadow/Ridpath PE teacher; Alison Nevins as GHS special services teacher; Skyler Ward as Ridpath second-grade teacher; Katharine Bonnoront as Ridpath kindergarten teacher; Jennifer Perrin as GHS English teacher; Jennifer Grimes as Deer Meadow/Ridpath art teacher; Grace Rice as Deer Meadow first-grade teacher; Erica Lee as Ridpath kindergarten teacher; D’Nette Mahan as GMS special services teacher; Angela Wood, Jennifer Do Nascimento, Jenny Wiggs, Emily Hatfield, Evelyn Tharp, Lisa Walter-Marse, Kelly Brown, Neva Brown, Joy Fortune, Kelly Plott and Kaylee Smith as Tiger Cub Club after school program instructors; Rochelle Mendenhall as GHS cafeteria assistant;

Transfers: Heather Miller from Ridpath second-grade teacher to Ridpath Title I teacher; Gloria Trejo from Ridpath to Deer Meadow cafeteria assistant; Julie Papoccia from Deer Meadow instructional assistant to Tzouanakis attendance secretary; Natasha Boles from full-time to substitute bus driver.

Leave of absence: Wendi Evans, Tzouanakis special services teacher, Aug. 1-Sept. 7.

Substitutes: Jerri Bastian, substitute custodian; Kelcey Wilkins, substitute teacher.

Extracurricular activities: Jennifer Perrin hired as GHS drama director; Ross Hanson approved as GHS music director; Annett Munoz approved as GHS band director; Margaret Walters approved as GHS yearbook sponsor; Candy Fiscus as GHS prom, junior class and Key Club sponsor; Diana Myers as GHS student council sponsor and social studies chairman; Brenda Meyer as GHS honor council and ambassadors club sponsor; Donovan Wheeler as GHS ELA department chairman and senior class sponsor; Brad Kingma as GHS science department chairman, environmental club sponsor and science Academic Super Bowl coach; Logan Kuhne as GHS math department chairman; Lisa Duggan as GHS special services department chairman; Amy Berry as GHS world language department chairman and French club sponsor; Amy Coons as GHS freshman class sponsor; Matthew Williams as GHS sophomore class and Spanish club sponsor; Kara Jedele as GHS DECA club sponsor; Dan Hankee as GHS FCA club sponsor; Nicole Burkhalter as GHS Latin club sponsor and ELA/interdisciplinary Academic Bowl coach; Brenda Weeks as GHS FCCLA sponsor; Pamalee Smith as GHS fine arts Academic Bowl coach; Gayle Hanson as GHS math Academic Bowl coach; Noah Smith as GHS social studies Academic Bowl coach; Rose Stephens as GHS diversity club sponsor; Matthew Dunigan and Brian Moell as GMS assistant football coaches.