MENTONE - Although part of the Tippecanoe Valley High School building project is behind schedule, at least one aspect of the project is right on schedule - the heat.

Throughout the project, the goal for turning on the boilers has been Oct. 15, and the boilers will be fired up for the first time this school year Thursday after school. According to construction manager Jim Mitterling of the Skillman Corp., everything looks good for the startup.

Mitterling also said contractors are approximately two to three weeks behind schedule. A period of dry weather helped contractors go from three to four weeks behind to two to three weeks behind.

And the board postponed making a decision on a cooling unit for the auxiliary gym. The bid for the equipment costs will be good until the next board meeting, but after that, the price may rise. The board has delayed making a decision on the cooling system to see if a roof coating will reduce the temperature of the structure adequately.

The board also heard a report on the school newspaper, "Runic Review." The status of the paper was up in the air after Daniel Franklin, graphic arts teacher and newspaper sponsor, was called to duty in Afghanistan. While Franklin is serving in Kabul, Afghanistan, Lisa Paxton is filling in as newspaper adviser.

But there was still a problem. Since Franklin was the only person who knew how to run the Tippecanoe Valley High School presses, no one was sure how the paper would be printed. Senior student editor Jason Thompson contacted Hardesty Printing in Warsaw. The printing company decided to donate the time and supplies necessary to print the paper for free. The first issues of the newspaper hit the school hallways last week.

In other business, the board:

• Approved Lisa Demske, Brenda Ebersole, Peggy Keenan, Stacy Mikel, Teresa Mikel, Nichele Van Diepenbos and Nicole Weaver as instructional assistants at Mentone Elementary School.

• Approved Larry Howard, fifth-grade boys basketball coach at Akron Elementary School; and Mary Ellen Ward, assistant swim coach at Tippecanoe Valley High School.

• Approved adult basic education contracts for Rick Phillips and Eula Smith.

• Approved an out-of-state trip for the FFA National Convention.

• Approved an out-of-country field trip for the Spanish Club. Advanced Spanish students will have the opportunity to take a trip to Mexico over spring break.

Tippecanoe Valley School Board members are David E. O'Brien, Bryan D. Murphy, Rod Eaton, Hal D. Hoffman and Mark Wise. The superintendent of schools is Daniel V. Kramer. [[In-content Ad]]