Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH MANCHESTER - And then there were nine.
Earlier this year, Manchester Community School Corporation announced its reduction in force list contained 25 names. As of Tuesday night, that list was down to nine.
According to Superintendent Dr. Diana Showalter, the reduction in force is due to smaller enrollment, not budget cuts. And most of the nine teachers remaining on the RIF list will see a reduction in their contracts instead of the elimination of their positions.
The high school and junior high school classes at Manchester Community Schools are smaller than in past years due to a smaller population.
"All (the RIF letters) are precautionary," Showalter said. She hopes to reduce the list even more by the end of the year.
Later in the meeting, the board heard business manager Steve Shumaker present bids for two new buses. Shumaker told the board he advertised bids and sent specifications for the new buses to three companies initially then sent another company the specs at the company's request.
Kerlin Bus Sales of Silver Lake and Midwest Transit submitted bids for consideration. Speedway International of Indianapolis and Cardinal Bus Co. did not send bids. Speedway International no longer exists and the bus company Cardinal uses is in the middle of a reorganization for bankruptcy.
The new 66-passenger Thomas Freightliner F565 buses will be purchased from Kerlin Bus Sales of Silver Lake for $60,414 each. The company will give the school corporation $2,000 for two trade-in buses. Since $65,000 was budgeted for each bus, the leftover money will be used to buy parts and service for the school's bus fleet.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a motion to set an administrative guideline regarding paid holidays for hourly workers. Hourly employees at MCS will get paid for 10 days considered holidays.
• Approved changing the seventh- and eighth-grade athletic mascot from pages to squires. Since the schools have joined, "it just makes sense to have grades seven through 12 all under the same athletic name," said Showalter.
• Approved the school health and wellness policy.
• Gave permission to advertise for substitute bus drivers for the school corporation.
• Approved professional leave requests for Kevin Walter to attend the World Power State Championship Friday in Indianapolis and Angilee Beery to attend Ohio River Workshop March 17 in Louisville, Ky.
• Approved overnight field trip requests for Sue Gnagy to take the Science Olympiad team members to the State Science Olympiad at Purdue University in West Lafayette March 24-25 and Mike Schlitt to take MHS students to Italy and Switzerland March 30 to April 9.
• Approved a request from German Baptist Church to rent the MHS gym and cafeteria for youth activity April 16.
• Approved the hiring of Amy Lambert, long term substitute at Manchester Elementary School; Trina Semler and Carrie Boyd, paraprofessionals and lunch/recess assistants at MES; Laura Mooneyhan, assistant musical director for the junior high spring musical; Ulonda Burdette, part-time cook at MHS; Brittany Denney and Kessie King, volunteer assistant girls tennis coach at MHS; Ben Vineyard, volunteer assistant golf coach at MHS; Brittany Fratus, volunteer assistant softball coach at MHS; and Sandy Monce, Andrew Gathany, Scott Kelly and Jana Anderson, boys and girls soccer coaches at Laketon Elementary School.
• Approved the resignation of Lorie Sorg as assistant cheer coach at MHS.
• Approved the retirement request of Barbara Williams as MCS K-12 media technology assistant coordinator at the end of the 2005-06 school year.
Manchester school board members are Sally Krouse, president, Todd Speicher, Jan Fahs, Kent Terrill, Brian Schilling, Carlye McLaughlin and Steve Flack. Superintendent is Diana Showalter.
