Student honored, personnel changes made at SR mtg.
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Braden Gibbs was recognized at the regular meeting of the South Ripley Community School Board of Trustees, Monday, February 20 for winning the South Ripley Junior High Spelling Bee. Gibbs placed fifth in the regional contest that was held at Cincinnati recently. He was presented a certificate of recognition, a pen set and a Raider stick from board President Jim Miller.

Under personnel items:

· The resignation of Mollie Walker as sixth grade teacher was accepted. This will be effective at the end of the 2005-2006 school year. Walker is currently on a one-year maternity leave of absence. The position of Walker will be posted for the 2006-2007 school year. The position will be posted with a preference listed for a teacher with a math and/or language arts endorsement.

· A maternity leave of absence for the entire 2006-2007 school year for elementary teacher Kathy Deaton was approved. Her position will be posted as a temporary non-benefit position.

· Mrs. Liconda Stutler's daily schedule will be increased to 4.5 hours per day, five days a week to accommodate a new special education student. It was noted that this action depends on the enrollment of this student in early March.

· Kristen Leever was approved to serve as bus aide for the new special education student, again pending enrollment in March. This would be for two hours per day at experience-level aide pay.

In other business, minutes, claims, and the financial report was reviewed by board members. Business Manager Lana Miller gave information from the Department of Local Government Finance in regards to the 2006 budget. She noted that the school's General Fund budget was cut, but with doing a line 2 reduction, was fully certified at the advertised level of $9,200,000. She further noted that the lowering of assessment of farmland from $1,050 per acre to $880 per acre, causes an increase in the tax rate. She noted that whenever assessed value is lowered, that causes an increase in the tax rate. The lowering of farmland will be for a two-year period.

Superintendent Ted Ahaus recommended the approval to participate in the Project Lead the Way program. This is a pre-engineering college credit program offered to South Ripley students. The school will be reimbursed $450 per student each year.

Golf fees for 2006-2007 will be $550. This is for a maximum number of ten students at $55 each.

A trip request from Mrs. Geyman and Ms. Hafer to take Spanish Club students to Ballet Folklorico Mexicana in Cincinnati, was approved. Approximately 60 students will be participating.

Ahaus sought approval of the bus specifications and advertisement for the purchase of a 2007 72-passenger bus. A 1993 Thomas International will be traded in on the new bus.

Members voted 7-0 to change the high school health requirement to one credit per student. This places the school in alignment with state guidelines. Also approved was changing world geography from a required class to an elective class.

Business Manager Miller gave the annual energy savings performance report. She told board members that an Impact Aid payment of $74,400 was received on February 7 for fiscal year 2004.

Board members heard that as of December 31, 2005, the State of Indiana is no longer allowing schools to return academic honor diploma monies to students.

All board members were in attendance: Chris Bradford, Robert Garcia, Keith Mathews, Randy McIntosh, Jim Miller, Ralph Miller and Jim Samples. Superintendent Ted Ahaus and Attorney Merritt Alcorn were present to advise the board.