South Putnam youth football needs heard by school board

Supporting a goal to simplify needs for its youth football program, the South Putnam School Board approved a new outbuilding to store equipment Wednesday evening.

Bringing the request and other input to the board, youth league representative Clay Henry advocated that it has “outgrown” a small concession stand used at Central Elementary School. As such, he said additional storage was needed.

“It’s not ideal,” Henry said about having to unload and put back the equipment into the stand. With that, a similar 12-by-16-foot structure located adjacent to the stand was proposed. Though the cost was not stated, Henry noted that the league would cover the new building with funds raised last year.

Henry provided that it could be on skids, but otherwise anchored on a rock foundation. Maintenance Director Jared Hutcheson added that it would not have to be claimed on insurance if it was movable.

Henry also brought up that there are “zero” bathroom facilities for games, with portable toilets being used otherwise. With this being “honestly gross,” he proposed that a security gate could be used for utilizing bathrooms located on the southeast side of the school.

Board President Lisa Cooper encouraged Henry to come up with a concrete plan and work with Supt. Corey Smith, athletics and maintenance. The issue is expected to come up next month.

In other business:

• The board approved the purchasing of two new school buses. While their type was not specified, Smith noted that the buses would be covered through general obligation (GO) bonds.

• The board approved an updated version of a memorandum of understanding with Cloverdale Schools and the Town of Cloverdale for a shared school resource officer. Smith said that while there were adjustments made, South Putnam and Cloverdale would still split 50 percent of the costs through school safety grants.

• The board approved moving a make-up day next school year from April 19 to April 8, 2024. The next solar eclipse will occur on the latter, so it was determined by Smith and administration to not have school due to safety concerns.

“In hindsight, that was a great move,” Smith said, providing that the county’s emergency management leaders are planning for traffic congestion and straining of resources during the event. “We want to avoid all complications with that day, so we’re just not gonna have school.”

• Being a last-minute addition, the board approved moving forward with sealing and resurfacing the middle/high school parking lot. While the quote for this was not stated, Hutcheson noted that numbering individual spots would also be tacked on.

Hutcheson added that there was an additional $20,000 quote to chip up and repave the entrance off of U.S. 231. Meanwhile, work on the parking lot at Central Elementary is to be under way.

The board also recognized South Putnam’s Students of the Month: Nova Herschell (Central Elementary), Ethan Cash (Fillmore Elementary), Garrett Hutcheson (South Putnam Middle School) and Elias Shake (South Putnam High School).

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• Resignations: Sandra Thomas - bus driver; Cara Cash - MS/HS teacher/assistant cheer coach; Kyle Swafford - MS/HS teacher/varsity boys’ basketball coach; Gretchen Wallace - MS/HS data analyst/guidance secretary; Erin Roach - MS/HS athletic office secretary; and Mandy Wells - middle school Student Council sponsor;

• Termination: Haleigh Dunn - bus monitor;

• Employment: Helen Eaglin - MS/HS agriculture teacher/FFA sponsor; Erin Roach - MS/HS data analyst/guidance secretary; and Katie Downing - MS/HS assistant cheer coach.

With Joseph Roach absent, Corporation Treasurer Hilarie Logan and Executive Secretary Terri Beasley joined Smith and the rest of the board for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the South Putnam School Board is set for Wednesday, June 14 at 7 p.m., with meetings returning to the South Putnam MS/HS Learning Center.