MENTONE - Advertisements will increase at Tippecanoe Valley sporting events as a means of fundraising for the athletic department.
The Tippecanoe Valley School Board Monday approved to move forward with advertising sign cabinets for the Tippecanoe Valley High School gym through Slam Dunk Sports Marketing.Schools are being asked to do more with less money, and athletics are no different, according to Tippecanoe Valley Schools Superintendent Brett Boggs.
At Monday's meeting, Boggs said Athletic Director Duane Burkhart was asked to explore different means of funding. Burkhart reviewed two vendors and looked at what they had to offer.
Burkhart said he looked at the vendors and asked Slam Dunk Sports Marketing, Middletown, Ohio, to make a presentation.
Paul Collier, director of marketing for Slam Dunk, Indianapolis, said the company is not new to this. They have 120 schools around Indiana they do business with and do projects all across the Midwest.
He said they can provide several options. They having fundraising if a school needs something right away, if it needs something long term or if it needs a mix of both. Whatever a school chooses, however, it's not "cookie cutter," he said. The fundraiser is targeted to the community and school and what the athletic department is looking for in terms of a fundraiser.
One of the things Slam Dunk does is sign cabinets. Signs people see scrolling with advertisements at games is their product, he said. With sign cabinets, you're looking at the potential for businesses to buy a panel in the cabinet for a period of time.
Collier said a cabinet can hold 20 panels, but the first and last is usually reserved for the school's name. However, the other 18 can be divided into two to allow for 36 advertisers.
Slam Dunk does a soft sale to advertisers, he said. The company has a lot of experience dealing with businesses that get hit a lot with fundraisers and advertising sales, he said. First the business will receive a letter of support for Slam Dunk from the school corporation. Then, Slam Dunk representatives will call the business to see if they're interested. If they're not, that's it, he said.
Panels are 3 feet by 8 feet, or 3 by 4 for a half panel. Sponsorship prices for a full ad panel are $1,200 for two years; $1,500 for three years; or $2,000 for five years. For a half panel, prices are $650 for two years; $850 for three years; and $1,150 for five years. Pricing includes all design and layout costs.
Collier also provided the school board with a copy of the contract. "There's nothing in here that is shocking," he said.
The cost for the cabinet, 20 ad panels, shipping and marketing costs is $15,000. The school corporation does not pay that. Instead, the amount is paid by ad panel sales. Once Slam Dunk recoups their threshold, the rest of the profit from the sale is split 50/50 with the school corporation.
Collier said if they collect 18 sponsors at $1,500 per panel for the first year, that results in $27,000. The amount over Slam Dunk's threshold remaining would be $12,000. Splitting that between Tippecanoe Valley and Slam Dunk would net Valley $6,000 for the first year.
He said Slam Dunk has national and regional retailers interested in the program.
"We're going to bring in money that's not in your community," he said. "... We don't make money on these projects until we fill the cabinet."
After further discussion, the school board voted to go ahead with Slam Dunk. Board member Hal Hoffman said he wanted all the proceeds to go to the athletic department only.
"This is derived from athletics, so that's where it needs to stay," he said.
Curriculum Director Angie Miller gave a presentation on the spring 2009 ISTEP results.
Testing was different in many ways, including it being taken in the spring instead of the fall. With all the changes, she said it could not really be compared to previous years.
In English/language arts, Miller said Valley's ISTEP results are right with the state average, except eighth grade. While the state average is about 65 percent passing, Valley's eighth-graders were around 55 percent passing.
However, in ISTEP language arts Pass-Plus, Valley was below the state average in percentage passing except grades four and five. In fourth and fifth grades, Valley students were above state average.
Valley also was right with the state average in mathematics, except again with last year's eighth-graders.
Miller said the eighth-graders have never been high when that class took a test, but 2009 was the first year they took a drop.
Boggs informed the school board that Tippecanoe Valley was one of six school corporations in the state recognized for district accreditation by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.
"It is quite an honor to be recognized as one of six school corporations to be accredited in the state of Indiana," he said.
The school corporation received a plaque, which will hang in a prominent place at the central office.
In other business, the school board:
n Approved a request for proposals for Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract for advertisement in two local newspapers on Oct. 16 and 23.
The Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. is seeking proposals for the implementation of energy conservation measures, repairs and replacement services at Tippecanoe Valley High School and Middle School on a performance contracting basis.
n Announced upcoming meetings will be Nov. 9 and Dec. 14 at Mentone Elementary and Jan. 18 at the Burket Educational Center. All meetings are at 7:30 p.m.
n Approved Leslie Brouyette's request to use the Tippecanoe Valley Middle School gym from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on seven Sundays in November and December. She will open the gym for girls from Akron and Mentone elementary schools interested in learning to play and enjoy basketball.
