Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH MANCHESTER - Junior high students won't be watching commercials as a captive audience in school.
Manchester Community Schools Acting Superintendent Kim Thurston Tuesday pulled the proposal to implement "Channel One News," a current events news program geared to a middle school-age audience, from the table. School board members did not object.
Manchester Junior High School Principal Randy Gratz was interested in the technology "Channel One News" brings into schools. He said it was worth the two minutes of commercials.
For no charge, Channel One installs the networking equipment and 19-inch television sets in each classroom. The monitors will be upgraded to 27-inch sets in 2004. That equipment was estimated at $15,000 to $20,000.
"We never intended to infringe upon, or alter the beliefs of, students by utilizing the resources available in the Channel One network," Thurston said.
The school corporation instead will use 2003 capital projects plan funds to round up the technology.
Parents objected to commercials pushing unhealthy food products. Some students' religious tenets bar them from viewing television.
Thurston and Gratz are investigating other avenues to gather the technology, "not dependent upon students viewing advertisements," Thurston said.
Also, the board narrowed the applicant pool for the superintendent position from 12 to seven candidates, board president Sally Krouse said.
Board members met in a screening session earlier Tuesday in executive session.
In other business, the school board:
• Approved a transfer of $81,563 from the transportation operating fund to the general fund. This offsets the tuition support shortfall from the state for this year.
Other school corporations are making similar transfers.
• Heard about policy revisions issued by NEOLA, an organization providing schools with updates on guidelines and bylaws. The board will vote on the changes at the Feb. 4 meeting.
The school board members are: president Sally Krouse, vice president Todd Speicher, secretary Brad Perrott, Larry Miller, Thom Frantz, Kent Terrill and Caryle McLaughlin. Acting superintendent is Kim Thurston, and school corporation attorney is Al Schlitt.
