South Putnam 2024-25 calendar briefed

An element of a light agenda, the South Putnam School Board heard a brief overview of the corporation’s academic calendar for 2024-25 recently.

Presenting what he called an initial mock-up of the calendar, Supt. Corey Smith reported that the calendar mirrors this year’s with the start and end dates and major holiday vacations.

“We’re working right now with alignment as much as we possibly can with other county schools and Old National Trail schools,” Smith said, referencing the latter’s shared services between them all.

Stipulating that he still needed to get input from administrators and teachers, Smith provided that few tweaks would be expected before the calendar is ultimately approved by the board.

To a query from Board President Lisa Cooper about having one snow make-up day, Smith said more asynchronous days (i.e., no direct instruction) could be worked in for professional development.

In other business:

• Conducting their official second reading, the board approved updates to corporation policies. The changes were made with assistance from Neola, which assists school districts with such policies.

• Providing just as information, Smith briefly spoke to the corporation’s internet protection policy for filtering and restrictions. The policy is related to an agreement with AdTec, which provides E-rate funding for the corporation.

The board also recognized South Putnam’s Students of the Month: Hunter Landis (Central Elementary), Luke Underwood (Fillmore Elementary), Raylea Dilley (South Putnam Middle School) and Katherine Kempf (South Putnam High School).

The board approved the following personnel report:

• Resignations: Angela Miles - Central Elementary food service; Jana Boggess - South Putnam Middle School teacher; and Mark Hamilton - varsity softball coach;

• Retirement: South Putnam MS/HS custodian;

• Termination: Shanna Gilbert - South Putnam MS/HS instructional assistant;

• Employment: Pamela Kean and Terri Nicholls - Central Elementary food service; Nicole Waters - Central Elementary instructional assistant; and Joanna Crum - part-time seventh-grade math teacher.

With Corporation Treasurer Hilarie Logan absent, Executive Secretary Erin Roach joined Smith and the board for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the South Putnam School Board is set for Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. in the South Putnam MS/HS Learning Center.