North Putnam board approves travel programs

ROACHDALE — Students at North Putnam’s middle school and high school will continue to have opportunities for immersion learning moving forward.

The North Putnam School Board approved requests brought by principals Bucky Kramer and Jason Chew Thursday evening to have a travel program for both schools. Trips have been scheduled this summer, with Chew and a group going to Greece and Italy, while Kramer’s will go to Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

With having the approval now to give students time to accrue funds, Chew and Kramer suggested a move to not have two trips at the same time each summer. Rather, they would have one large group put altogether.

In the meantime as such, a trip to Boston and New York City is being planned out for spring break next year. Domestic trips have gone to Washington, D.C., for the last several years. Even so, cost becomes the greatest consideration for students to travel at all.

“Kids are looking for opportunities that aren’t super expensive,” Chew said. He added that seniors in general want these opportunities to be more connected as classmates.

Kramer noted that while logistics issues will invariably be possible, traveling ultimately allows students to take more responsibility.

“It allows us to teach our people adversity and how to overcome those things and how they can solve problems,” Kramer said.

“I think it’s awesome that you guys are doing that,” board member David McCollough said about the trips before the request was approved. “You’re showing some real-world experiences to these kids.”

In other business:

• On a recommendation from Operations Director Terry Tippin, the board approved moving the batting cage at Bainbridge Elementary School. Tippin noted that the new location would improve safety with a road crossover.

• The board approved for Roachdale Elementary Principal Beth Waterman to attend a conference on conscious discipline for school administrators in Chicago, Ill., from July 9-15. Supt. Nicole Allee noted that the trip would be covered by professional development grant funding.

The board also recognized North Putnam High School’s executive secretary Anita Himes as North Putnam’s Educator of the Month.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• New hires: Karen Webb - NPMS instructional assistant; Bonnie Osborn - Homebound teacher; Kim Brattain - summer school teacher; Haley Norton - NPMS boys’ track head coach; Christina Miller - NPMS cross country head coach; Matt Couch - NPMS cross country assistant coach; Tarra Lawrence - seventh-grade volleyball head coach; Kate McElhany - eighth-grade volleyball head coach; Mike Martellero - NPMS boys’ soccer head coach; Scott Curran - NPMS girls’ soccer head coach; Jeremy Windmiller - NPHS/NPMS baseball statistician; Grant Jarboe - NPHS boys’ volleyball club; Caitlyn Osborn - Roachdale Elementary instructional assistant; and Michelle Hunsicker - bus driver; and

• Resignations: Jonathan Hathaway - NPHS guidance counselor (end of school year); and Kyle Kirkham - NPMS football head coach (April 10).

With Ron Spencer absent, Corporation Treasurer Tanya Pearson, Corporation Attorney Tyler Nichols and Administrative Assistant April Lambermont joined Allee, Tippin and the board for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the North Putnam School Board is set for Thursday, May 18 at 7 p.m. in the large group instruction room at North Putnam High School.