North Putnam moving with superintendent search

ROACHDALE — The North Putnam School Board will be under way on finding the district’s new superintendent. An interim has yet to be tapped in the meantime.

The board formally approved engaging with the Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) to begin its search on Thursday. Board President Joanie Knapp noted that the board recently met with IBSA’s Steve Horton for preliminary work.

While on the action agenda, Knapp motioned to table appointing an interim superintendent, in which the board will conduct interviews before doing so. No timeline on when a decision could be made was stated.

The board then broached a new measure that has wider implications beyond North Putnam, as it approved a new policy regarding the cataloging and potential removal of media materials.

In bringing it to the board, Corporation Attorney Daniel Taylor said the policy follows a new law passed by the state legislature, allowing parents to petition the removal of media (e.g., books, films, etc.) from school libraries and classrooms. The law emphasizes material that is “obscene” or “harmful” to minors.

Taylor noted that schools need to have a complete catalog of materials created and posted on their websites by Jan. 1. Ultimately, school boards have to decide at public meetings whether recommendations should be followed.

Ron Spencer brought up whether the changes would affect the contractual duties of a newly approved media specialist. Taylor responded that he could not say if this would be considered an additional responsibility.

“The challenge is, every classroom features a library that is likely not cataloged,” North Putnam High School Principal Jason Chew noted. As such, every teacher will have to compile their own lists.

“The state legislature didn’t ask us if we thought this was a good idea, I might just say that,” Taylor said candidly, acknowledging the work the cataloging will entail. “I just thought it was important to get it in front of you right away, so you can have your administrators start planning to get it done.”

In making the motion to approve the policy, David McCollough provided that it was so the effort will be, “proactive, rather than reactive.”

In other business:

• Beva Miller and Tia Kirchner, the Putnam County Health Department’s school liaison and medical office manager, addressed the board about students’ health needs. They echoed comments on the same they made recently at Cloverdale and South Putnam.

• On a recommendation from Tippin, the board approved going with a new software through Chartwells for managing school lunch payments. A point-of-sale entity will be associated with Titan Merchant Services, which he said will provide more reliable capability.

The per-login fee is $2.60, though Tippin noted that a parent may pay multiple students’ lunch accounts in one login. Corporation Treasurer Tanya Pearson added that checks and cash can still be submitted.

• The board approved an updated memorandum of understanding with the Town of Bainbridge for a school resource officer. Tippin noted a five-percent salary increase like all employees received last year, with the compensation remaining within a $60,000 school safety grant.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• New hires: Ashlee Crowder and Kandace Wireman - Roachdale Elementary instructional assistants; Alexis Duell - Bainbridge Elementary kindergarten teacher; Michael Ruble - custodian; Kristin Osborn - Roachdale Elementary secretary/treasurer; Brian Henry - NPHS social studies teacher; Brett Sheldon - NPHS football assistant coach; Kevin Lutes - NPHS girls’ track head coach; and Brent McColgin - NPHS boys’ and girls’ track assistant coach;

• Resignations: Matt Couch and Christina Miller - NPMS teachers; Kathrine Parker and Adriene Clampitt - Roachdale Elementary instructional assistants; Leanna Collisi - Roachdale Elementary secretary/treasurer; and Tawnie Martin and Amanda Kramer - NPHS teachers;

• Leave: Keith Gilpatrick - NPMS assistant principal/athletic director;

• Retirements: Mary Lee Rippy - Roachdale Elementary teacher (effective July 6); Becky Clahan - NPMS custodian (end of 2023-24 school year); Terry Tippin - director of operations (end of 2023-24 school year); and Kristy Lippencott - NPHS teacher (end of 2023-24 school year);

• Termination: Jordan Evans - Bainbridge Elementary custodian (effective June 20);

• Transfers: Judy Rozelle - transfer from bus driver to assistant treasurer (effective July 18); and Angela Moore - transfer from Bainbridge Elementary preschool teacher to Roachdale Elementary special education teacher (effective immediately).

“Her dedication to special education and Roachdale Elementary is exceptional,” Knapp commented about Rippy. “We are truly fortunate to have had Mary Lee as an educator for 44 years in our community, and we wish her well.”

With Spencer opposing, the board approved striking one name from the report. It was pulled from the consent agenda as a whole and voted on separately.

With Eric Oliver absent from the board, Administrative Assistant April Lambermont was present for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the North Putnam School Board is set for Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. in the large group instruction room at North Putnam High School. It was moved from the following Thursday with the board’s approval.