The Decatur County Community Schools Board of Trustees met on March 13, 2024, at 6:00 pm. The meeting was called to order.
The board approved the minutes from their regular meeting on February 14, 2024, and the Special Session held on February 27, 2024. They approved all payroll and claims. Two field trips were approved to include South Decatur Jr.-Sr. High School FFA traveling to the IN FFA Leadership Camp on June 7-9, 2024, and the AP Physics Class traveling to King’s Island on May 16, 2024. All of the 4 resignations and 1 retirement were approved. The board approved the appointments of 12 staff and volunteers throughout the corporation.
Bill Meyerrose, Sheriff, and Eric Blodgett, Chief Deputy came to the board this evening to speak about their new partnership with the school corporation implementing the Handle with Care program. This program will allow the responding Sheriff staff to report to the school when a student has been involved in an event. Both Bill and Eric spoke to the fact that when a child is involved in a traumatic event this can affect the next day of school and even possibly the next few days of school. This program will allow the officers to utilize an online form that will be filled out with the student’s name, the name of the school the student attends, and the date of the incident. No other details or information will be requested or provided to the school. Staff have been trained on this and Chief Deputy Blodgett is training his deputies later this month. It was stressed that this is a program to help the school be aware of what the students have gone through so they can treat them with extra care. For more information please see the Press Release that is posted under Local News on wtrecommunity.com.
The board unanimously approved the resolution to allow the Treasurer of the school corporation to transfer amounts from the Education Fund to the Operations Fund. This was stated to be a request that occurs annually and allows the Treasurer to transfer funds out of the Education Fund to the Operations Fund, to reimburse the Operations Fund for expenses that are not allocated to student instruction and learning under IC 20-42.5
Doug Wilson, Decatur County School Corporation Attorney, presented a follow-up from last month’s meeting concerning Lease Proceedings. Doug stated that the school corporation did publish the required notices in the newspaper. A hearing was held to discuss the Fifth Amendment to the Lease. Doug opened the discussion for anyone who was in the room to discuss or ask questions about this process. No one spoke, Doug then closed the hearing. The board approved the following resolutions.
-Resolution Authorizing Execution of the Fifth Amendment of the Lease
-Resolution Assigning Construction Bids and Contracts to the Building Corporation
-Resolution Approving Third Supplement to Master Continuing Disclosure Undertaking and Issuance of Bonds
Dr. Jarrod Burns, Superintendent then asked the board to approve the distribution of the Early Literacy Grant Supplemental Program. On December 15. 2023 the Indiana Department of Education issued guidance on the Early Literacy Achievement Grant established through House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1001-2023. The funds were provided to public school corporations for distribution to teachers, instructional coaches, and other school staff responsible for implementing and delivering literacy and reading instruction to students through grade three. The board voted to approve a gross payment of $523.85 to 32 staff. This grant was distributed equally to all 32 staff.
The board approved three fundraisers. The board then approved donations in the amount of $10,850.
Dr. Jarrod Burns asked for approval to mark kitchen-specific equipment as obsolete for disposal. The board approved.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at South Decatur Elementary School at 6:00 pm.
The meeting was adjourned.
