BOURBON - Lear Corporation is closing in Bourbon and Triton School Corporation could lose a large chunk of tax money based on the company's leaving.

Triton could lose $68,381 for the 2003-04 school year from the company's real estate and personal property tax assessment, said superintendent Ted Chittum at the Tuesday school board meeting.

Triton is fighting cash flow problems from the state, too.

"It is inevitable for us to borrow money for cash flow" by next August, Chittum said.

He said the state, which is caught in its own financial muck, will hold a month's payment to the school corporation next year.

Chittum said he wanted to know how many students in Triton's schools have at least one parent employed at Lear. The corporation's impact could result in a reduction of the student population.

In another matter, the school board approved Triton's elementary and junior and senior high school school improvement plans.

The plans' goals are to improve students' reading, writing and math skills. It should aid in aligning Triton with the state standards.

The plans are "concrete evidence of where we are, where we were and where we want to go," Tom Bowers, Triton Elementary principal, said.

In other business, the school board:

• Adopted school textbooks.

• Approved the updated student handbooks.

Triton School Board members are: president Kevin Boyer, vice president Steve Feldman, secretary/treasurer Larry Lemler, Dave Shively and Steve Blackford. Corporation treasurer is Janet Barker. Superintendent is Ted Chittum. [[In-content Ad]]