Rising insurance rates among many topics at NPCS meeting

BAINBRIDGE -- Insurance costs, potential funding losses and the continuation of the swim program were but a few of multiple topics discussed at North Putnam School Board's monthly meeting Thursday night.

The Affordable Care Act was blamed for a looming 15 percent increase in health insurance costs due to hit the district in January.

Superintendent Dan Noel spoke openly with the board about where it might be able to save money in preparation for the increases.

"It will affect our schools," he asserted in regard to the federal healthcare increases.

Noel cited his own experience of dealing with rising costs as a diabetic, with medicines and healthcare visits costing him significantly more than it once had.

Although no decisions were made by the board, the topic was brought up as a preliminary discussion about what the school will do to prepare for the increase.

In other financial business, Noel warned that the agents within the state of Indiana are pushing for a decrease in vocational program funding for schools, something that, if passed, would greatly affect North Putnam Schools.

The decrease would be targeted at introductory vocational courses, which cover everything from business to agricultural classes and would result in significant loss of funding and classes for North Putnam.

The board approved continuing with the swim program but to put it on pause during the month of January due in anticipation of winter conditions.

"In my opinion, it has been a very successful program," Noel said, and students seemed to agree with him.

Board president Jill Summerlot read from a stack of letters written by students who participated in the swim program, showing that they really enjoyed the recreational time and had progressed greatly, with one referring to his development of becoming "a pro" after the first few months.

A family swim night was approved that will see each Wednesday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. beginning Dec. 3. Costs will be $5 per family or $1 per person.

In a rare dead-split of votes for the school board, the motion to allow formation of the North Putnam Alliance saw three members in favor of, three members against and a remaining board member abstaining from a vote.

After school attorney Gene Hostetter informed the board that a split vote with no deciding voter would equate to the motion failing, Noel offered the board a chance to recast votes but, all parties maintained their positions.

Johnson-Melloh Solutions presented an update to the board on the present state of school remodeling, energy-savings thus far with the new materials and outlined the scope of work that can be accomplished with the next $2 million allocation, due to be administered in April.

Most projects of the current phase should be completed by the end of February, with a few items needing the time of spring break to finish smaller projects.

As part of the Celebrating Success campaign, students were recognized for their achievements.

Bainbridge Elementary Principal Rodney Simpson awarded students Zach Huff and Gavin Simonson; Roachdale Elementary Principal Scott Spencer awarded RJ Human and Orion Landaw; North Putnam Middle School Principal Scott Miller awarded Academic Spell Bowl team members Kayla Bray, Greeley Eastep, Emily Fink, Josie Lyons, Kysen Montgomery, Grace Timm, Jacob Walls, Zachary Williams and Hailey York; while North Putnam High School Principal Jason Chew awarded students Ryan Muse and Matt Dawson.

In other business:

* The board approved a $10,000 Indiana Literacy Early Intervention Grant for Bainbridge Elementary, a $1,334 grant from the American Dairy Association as well as a High Ability Grant for the corporation with an expected value of $30,000.

* The board tabled discussion to receive medicine services from Hendricks Regional Health in exchange for right-of-refusal rights in naming athletic facilities with the phrase "Hendricks Regional Health" integrated into potential facility names.

* The board approved numerous NPHS athletic hires, including Greg Barrett as head football coach; Dave Catt as assistant football coach volunteer, Brandy Dickson as head volleyball coach; Dan Fouts, Travis Franklin, Bucky Kramer, Randy Summers, Shane Vandivier and Dan Vukovits as assistant football coaches; Chase Hiland as girls' assistant basketball coach, girls' head soccer coach and junior varsity softball coach; Kevin Lutes as head cross country coach; David Moeller as boys' head soccer coach; Linda Patrick as girls' head golf coach; Jessica Reed as junior varsity volleyball coach; Greg Freije as wrestling coach for both NPHS and NPMS; Ciara Boyer as assistant swim coach at NPHS as well as head swim coach at NPMS; and at NPMS Chris Davies was hired as the boys' basketball assistant coach volunteer.

* The board also approved hiring Bill Brothers as physical education and health teacher at NPHS; Bradi Fielden as NPMS math teacher; Monique Fields as NPHS English and language arts teacher; Megan Allen as Bainbridge Elementary yearbook sponsor; Aleksei Haslett as winter guard assistant coach volunteer at NPHS; Jamie Pieper and Kristy Stratizcar as bus drivers; Megan Rentfro and Patricia Stuckey as cafeteria employees at NPHS and NPMS respectively; Greg Freije as bus aide and substitute bus driver and Patrick Ruble as custodian at NPMS.

* The board approved the termination of Greg Murray as eighth-grade boys' basketball coach and Brian Willard as bus driver. Additionally, the board also approved the resignations of Lynette Hodges from the NPHS cafeteria; Steve Joyce as bus driver and Crystal Kean as special education instructor at NPHS.

Regularly scheduled meetings of the North Putnam Community School Corporation, Board of School Trustees are held at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month and are open to the public.

The next meeting is slated for Dec. 18 and will be held at the school corporation administration office located at 300 N. Washington St. in Bainbridge.