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MENTONE - What should Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. do with Burket Elementary? How should the overcrowding at the high school be resolved? Should students write, edit, publish and print "View of the Valley?"
TVSC board members tried to answer those questions Monday at their regular monthly meeting.
Their decisions?
The board members voted to approve advertising for bids for a feasibility study. The feasibility study will look not only at the high school but also at Burket Elementary.
Several corporation patrons said they want Burket Elementary to remain an elementary school.
As for the "View of the Valley," the school corporation's newsletter, the school board approved a motion recognizing that the printing press the corporation owns is not capable of publishing a newsletter, challenging the students to increase the quality of the yearbook and newsletter, challenging the administration to review the validity of "View of the Valley" and eventually challenging the students to publish "View of the Valley."
Superintendent Dr. Karen Boling said she will do a survey of the community by May 2000 to gauge the public's view of the newsletter.
Dr. Judith Najib, director, North Central Accreditation Commission on Schools, presented the school board with information relating to the NCA COS accreditation process and where Tippecanoe Valley schools stand. Najib was in the area looking at the school corporation's plan validation yesterday and today as part of a three-person panel. At 3:30 p.m. today, they will give an exit report.
NCA COS is an accreditation organization with more than 8,600 elementary, middle and high schools as members in 19 states. Tippecanoe Valley joined in 1982. All schools in the school corporation are members in good standing, Najib said.
She said she is pleased with where the school corporation is in the accreditation process and presented the school board with an accreditation certificate.
In other business, the school board:
• Recognized Emily Jackson, grade 12, for placing first in the state for her art entry in the REMC calendar contest. Additionally, she won "best of show."
• Recognized Fred McSherry, board member, for receiving a Level II Certificate Awards Programs from Indiana School Boards' Association. Recognized Bruce Andrews, board president, for receiving Level I CAP. To qualify for the awards, they had to attend state ISBA professional conferences and regional meetings.
• Recognized all Tippecanoe Valley schools for receiving full accreditation status from Indiana State Board of Education.
"It takes everybody, not just the teachers, to accomplish these things," Boling said.
• Approved a grant from schools and libraries division, E-Rate Program, for $22,948.95 for technology.
• Approved a correction to the student discipline rules. Principals can now suspend students for up to 10 school days instead of five.
• Accepted the resignation of Drew Keller, TVHS assistant baseball coach.
• Tabled a decision on whether to hire Duane Burkhart for head baseball coach and Scott Backus for assistant baseball coach. A school patron suggested the school hire Bill Kelly for the assistant job.
• Approved hearing an expulsion appeal at a future meeting.
• Postponed discussion related to Prill School.
• Heard the first reading of the proposed changes in graduation requirements.
• Approved bus specifications and bidding through Northern Indiana Education Service Center.
• Approved an addition to the Skillman Corp. contract for $15,937.
• Announced graduation will be June 4. Baccalaureate will be at 2 p.m. and commencement will begin at 2:30 p.m.
• Announced the school board will meet next at 7 p.m. Dec. 13.
