May 14, 2008

NW board OKs exploring architects for renovating Norwell High School

The defeated 2006 Norwell High School reconstruction project may resurrect itself as a remodeling project.

Members of the Northern Wells Community School Board Tuesday night gave Supt. Dr. Scott Mills permission to seek qualifications from area architectural firms as the first step toward a potential remodeling project.

“It’s no secret that there are some renovation and remodeling needs at Norwell High School. The needs that were there two years ago are still there today,” said Mills.

His comments were echoed Tuesday night by former Northern Wells Supt. Dr. Michael Sailsbery, who has been assisting Mills as he becomes better acquainted with the role and responsibilities in his first superintendent’s position.

‘The building’s needs are not going to go away on their own,” said Sailsbery. But he clarified his comments by observing that a year ago the community made it clear it was not supportive of the complete classroom rebuild project being proposed by the school board. Sailsbery was retired before the building project came up in 2006.

The board now has to find a way to address the needs of the high school building in such a way that is satisfactory to the community, he said, adding that there are means of funding a remodeling project other than the bond issue process discussed in connection with the building project back in 2006 and early 2007.

Mills plans to discuss the building needs with several area architectural firms and determine their qualifications for a remodeling project. He plans to report back to the school board with his findings.

He observed that the structural analysis currently being performed on the building by engineer Kurt Heidenreich has shown that the building is worth saving. Now the challenge is to make the necessary renovations within the existing structure.

One of the problems cited by the board back in 2006 was with the water. The school corporation is in the process of a major water line replacement project using existing capital project funds. Galvanized drinking water pipe is being replaced with PVC and copper pipe this summer and the plans are to run the water through the school’s existing water softener system.

Action on a reverse osmosis system has been put on hold. Sailsbery, while serving as interim superintendent last year between the regimes of Dr. Gina Berridge and Dr. Scott Mills, sought a solution to Norwell’s bad water problems by investigating a reverse osmosis purification system.

Mills sought and received bids for the system last month, but was disappointed when the lowest bid of $190,000 was about $70,000 more than what he had budgeted for the project.

Mills said that replacing the lines and running the water through the softener will be tried as a first step toward solving the drinking water woes. He noted that running the water through the softener is what is done at the middle school and the school corporation has received few complaints about the water at the middle school.

In other business, the board members:

—Learned from Mills that the state has granted Northern Wells’ waiver and the last day of school will officially be Thursday, May 29.

—Learned from business manager Brandon Penrod that property tax revenue is not expected to start coming into the school corporation until July or August. Sailsbery commented that in his 20 years as superintendent at Northern Wells he could not recall a year when the property tax revenue was so late. The late arrival is putting a bind on the portions of the budget funded by property taxes.

—Learned from Penrod that Title I reading program funding to Northern Wells will be cut $50,000 next year.

—Following presentations by the principal and staff members of both elementary schools, approved of the Public Law 221 school improvement plans for Lancaster and Ossian for the 2008-09 school year.

—Learned that the following people plan to retire at the end of this school year: Kathy Fritts as high school family and consumer science teacher; Sharon Ann Crozier as a school bus driver; and Linda Smith as a half-time Ossian fifth grade teacher. All three have given more than 30 years of service to the school corporation.

—Learned from high school principal Greg Mohler that area schools not only do not let students carpool to vocational classes, nearly all of them do not let any students drive to the classes—period. There are some exceptions to the rules, such as if a student lives nearby where the class is taking place. Mills recommended that the board stick with its policy of not permitting students to carpool to vocational, Interdisciplinary Education (ICE) or internships. The board agreed with that recommendation. It was observed that some students have to provide their own transportation to these classes—especially to health occupation education courses—because of the differing hours.

—Approved of a leave of absence for seventh grade math teacher Staci Stimmel for the 2008-09 school year.

—Approved of medical leave for Lancaster Elementary teacher Linda Crow. The leave is for May 7-20—or until the doctor states she can return to work.

—Approved of moving Anita Wendell to a full-time position in the Ossian Elementary library to fill an existing halftime vacancy.

—Learned of the following resignations: Amy Burns as middle school yearbook advisor for the 2007-08 school year; Kelly Rubin as middle school basketball and volleyball coach effective immediately; and Miranda Wilson from the latchkey program effective at the end of this school year.

—Learned from Mills that the grant application has been sent to the Indiana Department of Public Education to fund the full-day kindergarten program next year. Right now 12 sections of full-day kindergarten are planned with an incoming combined class total of approximately 190 students.

—Approved of a bid of $54,060 from the Lee Company, Terre Haute, for soccer bleachers.

—Approved of improvements to the high school track from Wayne Asphalt of Fort Wayne at a cost of $118,700.

—Approved of construction of a playfield parking lot at the high school/middle school complex by Brooks Construction of Fort Wayne for $68,544.

—Approved of a bid of $145,300 from Strahm Co. of Fort Wayne for renovations to the middle school pool.

—Approved of total reconstruction of the Ossian Elementary south parking lot by E&B Paving of Fort Wayne at a cost of $71,068.

—Approved of advertising for replacement of about 10,000 square feet of roof at the middle school.

—Adopted the Advanced Placement Spanish language textbook Nuevas Vistas: Curso de Introduction. According to Curriculum Coordinator Amy Leeson, the book is better than the original book adopted by the board and is $5 cheaper.

—Adopted the student and parent handbook for the high school for the 2008-09 school year.

—Adopted student fees for the high school for the 2008-09 school. According to Mohler, 87 percent of the fees will be staying the same as this past school year.

—Approved of an overnight field trip to Purdue University by the Future Farmers of America for the state convention June 16-19.

—Approved of an out-of-state field trip by the high school band to Cedar Point June 9. The trip is intended as a reward to the students for their hard work.

—Reviewed the following professional development days for teachers for the 2008-09 school year—Oct. 6, Nov. 26 and April 13. Mills plans to return to the board with a formal recommendation for their approval at the May 27 meeting.

—Learned from Mills that he has received many expressions of thanks from Business Professionals of America students following the recent national convention in Reno, Nev.

—Learned from Mills that he has met with the staff of all of the schools and the building principals with the aim toward filling any openings on the staff from within.

—Heard some concerns and clarifications by HVAC employee Ron Bowman.

The next regular meeting of the board is set for May 27 at 5:30 p.m.

glenw@news-banner.com

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