Corporation appreciates cleanup help
South Ripley board honors rescue units
Mary Margaret Moorhead - Staff Writer

Superintendent Ted Ahaus and members of the South Ripley Community School Board honored rescue units who had come in large numbers to help with cleanup following storm and water damage on Sunday, May 30.

At the beginning of the Monday, June 21, meeting of the board, Superintendent Ahaus introduced representatives from the Versailles, Friendship, and Osgood Volunteer Fire Departments. He noted that others were invited but could not attend.

"It was really a mess," said Ahaus. "When I got there, Richard (Purvis) was already there. Around 50 men came in and in two hours did the work it would have taken us two days to do. We lost very little in terms of equipment and supplies, and we are very, very appreciative."

The superintendent explained that a number of other people in the community had come to help move books and equipment from the 18 rooms that had been affected when wind blew off portions of the roof and rain flooded the rooms and hallways.

"A lot of people put a lot of effort into helping and stayed till after 3:00 o'clock in the morning," Ahaus continued.

Updating the board on the progress the workers are making, Superintendent Ahaus said the roof is completed, but a lot of work remains to be done. "The response from Indiana Insurance was amazing. On Tuesday - the next day after Memorial Day - 35 workers showed up at 7:30 a.m. to do the work. They will have everything in order by the time school starts."

Ahaus also praised the custodial and summer cleanup crew for their efforts in lieu of the fact their job at the junior-senior high school is so much harder this summer.

Among the action items on Monday's agenda, Board Member Randy McIntosh reported as chairperson of the salary committee:

* A 2% across the board raise for noncertified employees instead of a Christmas bonus;

* $14.50 per hour for corporation bus drivers;

* Substitute teacher pay for licensed teachers at $70.00 per day; those with college degrees at $65.00 per day; and those with high school diplomas at $60.00 per day;
* A contract roll-over of one year for all administrators and a 2% across-the-board increase in salary;
* An additional $2,000 for the superintendent and $1,000 for the corporation business manager; * A decrease of 10 days for the assistant to the superintendent from 240 to 230 contracted days.

All recommendations from the salary committee received unanimous votes. President Barry Lauber thanked the committee for their work.

The following personnel items also received affirmative votes from the five board members in attendance:

* Malena Smith's request for a year's leave of absence from her teaching position at the elementary school;

* Kathy Hamm, a Ball State graduate with five years of teaching experience in New Castle, to replace Smith for one year;

* Kindra Moorman, a graduate of Franklin College and a certified teacher, to replace Kathy Deaton as prime time aide at South Ripley Elementary;

* Rae Jean (Nealis) Auterson to be choral director at South Ripley Jr.-Sr. High School. A graduate of South Ripley, she has her bachelor's degree in music from Eastern Kentucky University and is working on completion of her teacher certification. She qualifies for an emergency permit.

* A retroactive leave of absence for Bus Driver Mary Ray for health reasons from May 14-26;

* Acceptance of Jodie Grossman's resignation as an office secretary at South Ripley Elementary School. Both Principal Mark Collier and Superintendent Ahaus praised her work as "outstanding" in the three years she has been employed. She leaves for a position at Forethought in Batesville.

* Change of job responsibilities for Karen Sieverding, who in addition to bookstore management will be teaching one class in web page design and monitoring the computer lab in physics.

Board members approved the 2004-2005 calendar with a change in grading periods for the elementary school. After contacting all neighboring schools, Guidance Counselor Kris Wood reported that only South Ripley and Jac-Cen-Del elementary schools remain on six-weeks grading periods.

South Ripley Elementary will pilot the nine-week grading periods during the 2004-2005 school year before a permanent decision is made.

During bid opening for the cafeteria, Prairie Farms received the milk bid. Cafeteria managers will review the food bids and select the best prices. Lunch prices will remain the
same: $1.20 for the elementary, $1.50 for the junior-senior high school. Breakfast continues to be 85 cents for both schools.

Textbook rental fees received approval as per copy in board members' packets.

Under information items, Superintendent Ahaus reported that Robert Garcia had submitted a letter bringing attention to the fact that the corporation's resident policy for board members differs from the state statute.

School Board Attorney Merritt Alcorn will research the matter and bring a recommendation to the board.

In attendance along with Superintendent Ahaus, Assistant Dennis Stockdale, Business Manager Lana Miller and Attorney Alcorn were Board President Barry Lauber, Jim Miller, Ralph Miller, Dan Goris, and Randy McIntosh. Board members absent were Robert Garcia and Keith Mathews.

At the beginning of the meeting, Ryan Strimple, who will be an eighth grader, received recognition from the board for receiving Best of Category at the State Media Fair for his photo display of the Indiana Statehouse.

The board meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

MARY MARGARET MOORHEAD PHOTO

Representatives of local volunteer fire departments receive recognition from the South Ripley Community School Corporation at the board meeting on Monday, June 21. Superintendent Ted Ahaus praised their work on Sunday, May 30, when a windstorm took the roof from areas of the junior-senior high school, allowing flooding in the halls and 18 rooms. On hand to receive afghans from the corporation are Versailles Fire Chief Richard Purvis, Assistant Dwight Bauman; Tim Huntington from the Friendship Fire Department; and Gary McCoy from the Osgood Fire Department.