BOURBON – Triton School Board approved a memorandum of understanding for the Plymouth, Argos, Triton Helping Students Special Education Cooperative Monday.
Superintendent Jeremy Riffle said it is cooperative agreement for special education services. Riffle said the agreement does talk about how the cooperative will structure who will pay what, which will be based on percentage of student population.
He said Triton used to be part of Joint Educational Services in Special Education (JESSE). JESSE is a special education cooperative in North Central Indiana comprised of the Argos, Culver, John Glenn, Knox, North Judson - San Pierre, Oregon-Davis, Plymouth, Triton and Union-North school corporations, according to the Indiana Disability Resource website. Riffle said with the agreement, Argos, Plymouth and Triton will be in its own cooperative.
All the structures will be kept the same at Triton, he said. The cooperative just helps the school corporations to hire physical and occupational therapists and for speech services. The three school corporations will share those staff members.
Riffle said there was a meeting about the cooperative Monday where the three school districts worked to figure out financials and staffing.
Riffle said the cooperative will start for the 2024-25 school year.
“We truly believe we will be able to follow through with our promise of being more nimble, providing a better service” at an equal or slightly higher cost, he said. He said he didn’t know exactly where the finances “will find itself.”
In other business, the board:
• Learned Triton High School recently achieved a 100% Indiana Department of Education approved graduation rate. This achievement means all students who were supposed to be part of the 2023 graduating class fulfilled their graduation requirements on time.
• Approved teacher appreciation grants. Riffle also asked the school board to approve supplemental pay for noncertified staff. The checks will be distributed to staff on Friday.
• Approved the following personnel hirings: Sierra Hart, part-time high school cafeteria clerk/dishwasher; Logan Lynd, substitute custodian; Madeline Doll and Ashley Ameigh, substitute teachers; Lacy Martin, substitute cafeteria worker and substitute teacher; Priscilla McKeands, substitute cafeteria worker; Tayla Lynd, substitute teacher; Susan Stackhouse, fourth-grade substitute teacher for Diane Murphy’s medical leave; Casey Yarbough, volunteer junior high cheer coach; Jaela Miester, boys track head coach; and Bryon Overmeyers as the winter weight room supervisor.
The board also approved the resignation of Samantha Phenix as a high school drama productions co-director.
• Learned signage has been put up on the school district’s bus garage.
• Learned planning is underway for April 6’s Triton in the Kitchen Foundation Gala to raise money for the Triton Student Life Foundation.
Riffle said more information will to come out later.
• Learned the junior/high school choir concert will be Monday and the band concert will be Dec. 21.