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MENTONE -ÊTippecanoe Valley school board questioned the effectiveness of the View of the Valley magazine but opted to keep the contract.
With diminishing funds funneling from the state, $20,000 could be used somewhere else, said the board. The magazine's publisher convinced the board about the positives of the magazine.
"People are starving for ... good news. Give me some good news," said Todd Kidder, owner of Kidder and Co., publisher of View of the Valley.
The board signed a two-year contract with Kidder. The contract gave an option for terminating the agreement after the first year.
Per issue, View of the Valley costs $4,995. The total cost for the publication stands at $19,980 for the year.
"Why aren't we using that money to educate my kid, is what I hear," said Mark Wise, school board president, about the complaints heard from some parents.
Wise said students should use their skills to put out a magazine.
"I have not seen a school who could do it," said Kidder. "They're not going to do the job of a professional."
Student articles were used before in the magazine but the piece had to be rewritten, said Kidder.
"Can we be the exception?" said Wise.
"I have a note at the bottom (of the back page of the magazine) that says after you realize you cannot do this, here's my phone number," said Kidder.
Tom Weaver, school board member, calculated the $20,000 advertising cost as minimal compared to the overall budget.
"We are running a big business here. We need to let them know what we are doing," said Weaver.
Tippecanoe Valley School Board members are: president Mark Wise, vice president Rod Eaton, secretary Tom Weaver, David O'Brien and Hal Hoffman. Superintendent is Dr. Karen S. Boling.
