AKRON – At Monday night’s Tippecanoe Valley School Board meeting, the board heard about a spring driver’s education session, retirements and indoor air quality requirements.
Tippecanoe Valley Middle School Principal Earl Richter is retiring and Assistant Principal Jeff France is taking an early retirement at the end of this school year. All retirements were approved by the board.
Superintendent Brett Boggs said later in the school year, all retirees will be recognized.
Richter started at Valley in 2000, and France started in the middle of 1994.
Akron teacher Kay Garrett is retiring after also about 12 years, and Akron teacher Pam McFarland is retiring after 29 years.
“We do want to thank those folks,” Boggs said.
Boggs presented the board with the initial reading of required policies regarding indoor air quality. He will ask the board to approve the policies at the March meeting.
In May, the Indiana State Department of Health issued new regulations addressing the indoor air quality for public schools and state agencies. These regulations address the major areas in a school that affect the air quality inside school buildings, Boggs said.
One of the requirements is that schools are to appoint an indoor air quality coordinator. The coordinator is the person who will be the lead contact person for IAQ issues for students, employees, parents, visitors and the ISDH. Director of Maintenance Todd Glenn has been appointed the school corporation’s coordinator.
Boggs said Glenn already has been to one training session as Valley’s coordinator.
Along with the requirements, the rule requires local school boards to adopt and enforce policies on animals in classrooms, vehicle idling and chemical management.
Animals may be allowed in a school building for educational purposes. The policy requires schools to address the care of the animal, length of its stay and the process of addressing students and staff who may be allergic to the animal or have asthma related to pet dander.
The second policy required prohibits vehicle idling while on school grounds. The policy must state that all vehicles on school grounds may not idle for more than three to five minutes. This includes all vehicles, including school owned vehicles, buses and private vehicles.
The third policy is in regards to storage of chemicals on school grounds. The rules set out guidelines such as inventory, storage and disposal of chemicals.
Doug Heinold, director of the driver education program at Tippecanoe Valley High School, asked the board for approval to host a spring driver’s education session. The board unanimously approved.
The fee for the spring session will be $265 per student. A minimum of 30 students will be required for the spring session to be conducted.
Heinold said he put out a feeler for the spring session and had 53 students interested, 13 more than last summer’s session. He said he would begin signup today, and it will go until Feb. 24. Classes would then start Feb. 27.
“Doug,” Boggs said, “I appreciate your willingness to try this.”
In other business, the school board: – Reviewed an addition to the expanded criminal history check policy. The language clarifies that the expanded criminal history check for all prospective employees and volunteers must be completed by the vendor approved by the school corporation.
It also states that documentation of a previously completed expanded criminal history check provided by a potential employee or volunteer must show the expanded criminal history check is not more than three months old.
Boggs said he will ask the board to approve the policy change at the March meeting.
– Upcoming board meetings will be March 12, Tippecanoe Valley High School; April 16, Akron Elementary; and May 14 at Mentone Elementary. All meetings are at 7:30 p.m.
– Approved a Sunday afternoon facility use request by boys basketball coach Bill Patrick. The facilities will be used as needed by Tippecanoe Valley AAU basketball teams in grades 3-6 for practices and games.
