DELAWARE COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2006

6:30 P.M.

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

 

 

An Executive Session was held at 6:15 p.m. on personnel matters.

 

MINUTES

 

Present:  Sean Burcham, President; Harry Fowler, Vice-President; Norb Heban, Secretary; John Adams, Member; Pat Mapes, Assistant Superintendent; Steve Hall, Assistant Superintendent; Steve Gookins, Superintendent.

 

Absent:  Lisa Clawson, Member

 

I.                   CALL TO ORDER

 

At 6:30 p.m. President Sean Burcham called the meeting to order.

 

II.               PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

III.            MINUTES

 

A.     A motion was made by Norb Heban and seconded by Harry Fowler to approve the minutes of the executive session and business meeting held on Tuesday, December 5, 2006.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

IV.             FINANCE

 

A.     A motion was made by Harry Fowler and seconded by John Adams to approve the list of vouchers as presented.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

B.     Request to purchase over $5,000.00.

 

Transfinder                     Transportation                     TSP                    $26,535.00

 

A motion was made by Norb Heban and seconded by John Adams to approve the Transfinder Software for Transportation as presented by Assistant Superintendent Mapes.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

C.     Financial Report – November, 2006

 

Superintendent Gookins presented the Board with the financial report for November of 2006.  He added the Board will have a more accurate accounting after everything is completed for the calendar year-end.  That will be presented at the January 16, 2007 meeting.

 

D.     Capital Projects – transfer of funds

 

A motion was made by John Adams and seconded by Harry Fowler to approve the Capital Projects transfer of funds as presented by Superintendent Gookins.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

E.     Approval to pay year-end expenses from 2006 budget

 

A motion was made by Harry Fowler and seconded by Norb Heban to grant permission to the Corporation Treasurer to pay year-end expenses from the 2006 budget.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

V.                 OLD BUSINESS

 

A.     Policy #5850 – School Sponsored Publications and Productions

 

A motion was made by Norb Heban and seconded by Harry Fowler to approve the school sponsored publications and productions policy to be implemented immediately as presented by Superintendent Gookins.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

VI.             COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE FLOOR

 

A.     Royerton student Evan Liggett was present at the Board meeting with his father, Mr. Trent Liggett, Assistant Principal of Delta Middle School.

 

VII.          NEW BUSINESS

 

A.     Extra Curricular

 

1.      A motion was made by Harry Fowler and seconded by John Adams to correct the appointment of Ryan Flannery to the assistant freshman football coach at Delta High School for the 2006-2007 season as presented by Superintendent Gookins.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

B.     Conference Requests/Field Trips

 

A motion was made by Norb Heban and seconded by Harry Fowler to approve the following conference and field trip requests as presented by Superintendent Gookins:

 

1.      Jennifer Olfier requests permission to attend the Indian Music Educators State Convention on Thursday through Saturday, January 18-20, 2007 at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN.

 

2.      Rebekah Weaver requests permission to attend the Indian Music Educators State Convention on Thursday through Friday, January 18-19, 2007 at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN.

 

3.      Don Harman, Amy Claghorn, Sheila Piazza, Melinda Stephan, Frida Cannon, Nannette Triplett, Carol Arms, and Emily Filler request permission to attend the Indiana Conference on Learning on Monday, February 5, 2007 at the Adams Mark Hotel in Indianapolis, IN.

 

4.      Deborah Christopher requests permission to attend the Hoosier Association of Science Teachers Annual Conference on Thursday through Friday, February 8-9, 2007 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN.

 

5.      Jan Smoot requests permission to attend the insulin pump training for students on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 at Riley Hospital in Indianapolis, IN.

 

6.      Jan Smoot and Cindy Glaze request permission to take the fitness clubs from Albany Elementary School and DeSoto Elementary School to Clancy’s Village Bowl to introduce a different form of physical exercise on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

 

The motion was approved unanimously.

 

C.     Information and Proposals

 

1.                  Superintendent

 

a.      Addition of a music history and appreciation course at Delta High School

 

Superintendent Gookins informed the Board Mr. Anthony Jones, band director at Delta High School, has submitted a proposal for the addition of a music history and appreciation course at Delta High School.  Mr. Greg Hinshaw, Principal of Delta High School, recommends approval feeling the class would work well within the Delta High School schedule and would not require extra staffing.

 

A motion was made by Harry Fowler and seconded by John Adams to approve the addition of a music history and appreciation course at Delta High School as presented by Superintendent Gookins.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

b.      Award bid for the Delta High School Exterior Wall Project – Phase II

 

Superintendent Gookins informed the Board bids had been accepted on Phase II of the Delta High School Construction Project.  The bids on Alternate one and Alternate two were difficult to compare due to bidders using different specs than the ones provided by the Corporation.  Superintendent Gookins recommended accepting the base bid from the lowest bidder, which would be the J. C. Ripberger Company at $996,000.  Superintendent Gookins also recommended not pursuing Alternate one or Alternate two.

 

Mr. Jerry Firestone of RQAW was present to accept any questions from the Board.  He stated J. C. Ripberger is a reputable company and it would be his recommendation to accept their base bid on the project.

 

A motion was made by Harry Fowler and seconded by Norb Heban to award the base bid to J. C. Ripberger for Phase II of the Delta High School Project at $996,000 as presented by Superintendent Gookins.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

A pre-construction meeting is being arranged for 9:00 a.m. on January 4, 2007.

 

c.       Natural Gas Co-op Update

 

Superintendent Gookins brought the Board up to date on the Natural Gas Co-op.  We now have twenty members and the Co-op is doing quite well.  We have the potential of expanding by ten more schools over this next year.

 

2.                  Steve Hall, Assistant Superintendent

 

a.      ISTEP Test Scores

 

Assistant Superintendent Hall provided the Board with various graph’s outlining the Corporation’s ISTEP test scores.  A lengthy discussion followed regarding the various ways of interpreting these test scores and what they mean.  Assistant Superintendent Hall pointed out that while the population of our Corporation has declined by one percent, the special education numbers have increased in several areas.

 

Superintendent Gookins informed the Board the good news is numbers state wide have increased on test scores since the beginning of testing several years ago.  Assistant Superintendent Hall added we will continue to find ways to improve as we move into the future.

 

b.      Ball Foundation Wellness Grant

 

Assistant Superintendent Hall informed the Board we have received word the Ball Foundation Wellness Grant has been approved for the Impact Clubs to be developed at Delta Middle School.  Assistant Superintendent Hall advised the Board these clubs would be both for improving physical fitness and community awareness with a community service component.

 

A motion was made by Norb Heban and seconded by Harry Fowler to approve the posting for the new impact club positions at Delta Middle School for $1,000 a piece.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

3.      Pat Mapes, Assistant Superintendent

 

a.      None

 

4.      Director of Maintenance

 

a.      None

 

5.      Director of Transportation

 

a.      Kim Kemper, Director of Transportation, thanked the Board for the new routing system software and encouraged them to stop by sometime and see the lights between the busses.  Ms. Kemper added the bus drivers are very appreciative and find the lights very helpful.

 

VIII.      LETTERS/NOTES

 

A.     None

 

IX.             BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS

 

John Adams – I’d like to thank everyone for coming.  Jerry Firestone, Barry Harris, Donnie Williams, Kim Kemper and Administrators, it is good to see all of you here.  Merry Christmas to everyone.

 

Harry Fowler – I agree with John.  Happy Christmas to all and see you all next year.

 

Norb Heban – Thank you all for coming.  Thank you Mr. Hall for putting the ISTEP scores into understandable language for us.  I had the opportunity to watch some of the “We the People Sessions” our eighth grade classes participated in recently in Indianapolis.  They did a great job.  Merry Christmas to all.

 

Sean Burcham – I concur with my fellow Board members.  It is nice to see the Administrators here.  Don Harman, thank you for the Christmas flyer.  Merry Christmas to all.

 

X.                 FUTURE MEETINGS

 

A.     The next regular meeting is scheduled for January 16, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. at the Administration Building.

 

B.     The ISBA Winter Board Member Academy will be held on Friday, January 19, 2007 at the Westin Hotel in downtown Indianapolis.

 

XI.             ADJOURNMENT

 

A motion was made by Harry Fowler and seconded by John Adams and Board President Sean Burcham adjourned the meeting at 7:33 p.m.

 

XII.          An executive session was held following the business meeting on personnel matters.

 

 

 

SEAN BURCHAM                                                                                                                            

 

HARRY FOWLER                                                                                                                             

 

NORB HEBAN                                                                                                                                  

 

JOHN ADAMS                                                                                                                                  

 

LISA CLAWSON