By JONATHAN SNYDER
Over 30 people were in attendance at the Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District Board meeting Monday as sixth graders shared their stories.
Sixth grade English teacher Clarissia Tijerina and the BHMSD board allowed some of Tijerina’s students to share excerpts from short stories they wrote and published earlier this year. The stories ranged from the adventures of a dog named Koontz, a soccer player competing in an important game and retellings of classic fairytales.
Eli Brooks, Abe Atkins, Wes Kunkel, Rowan Drayer, Abby Garrett, Jordan Simpson-Barkley, Emily Priester, Leona Veselji and Madelyn Platt all shared stories. Each excerpt was met with a round of applause and sometimes laughter from the audience and board members.
These books were written as a part of the National Young Authors Fair, a writing festival that gives young students an opportunity to write, publish and sell books they have written. The books are then made available on Amazon, and the kids collect royalties based on the amount sold.
So far, 32 books have been published and 169 copies have been purchased, according to Tijerina. The board also announced that they will be buying some of the books and creating space to display them in the middle school library. The board hopes that other kids will be inspired to write by seeing their friends’ success.
“Every year I try to take something from the community … to take (the students) writing outside of the classroom.” Tijerina said. The board members — Angie Sheets, Bruce Holland, Mike Murray, Julie Thompson and Trent White — echoed their pride in the students.
In addition to the sixth graders, Ella Wheeler was also honored as the recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, and as such, she was given a bouquet of lilies for her accomplishment. Wheeler’s scholarship means that her tuition and other required fees for any public or private Indiana college or university are paid for.
“No doubt she will go on to do many great things in the future,” Holland said.
After the celebrations passed, the board heard from Communications Specialist Jessica Bricker, who updated them about the success of ParentSquare’s technology, which allows the school to send out electronic alerts via text and email for school delays and other important updates. Bricker also mentioned the success of both the new website and the roar report podcast on YouTube.
Assistant Superintendent Julie Meitzler also updated the board about the success of the Indiana Learns Tutoring Program, which has seen over 500 hours of tutoring given to fourth through eighth grade students from 14 adult staff members. Meitzler also mentioned that the Early Literacy Achievement Grant funds have been received, but how they will be distributed amongst the Kindergarten through third grade staff is still unknown.
Superintendent Brad Yates updated the board further with construction updates involving the completion of middle school pool locker rooms, the coming updates to the high school storage area and a new window for security purposes in the main office. Yates further commented that the asphalt concourse area of the football stadium had some significant cracks that were filled in.
Other items the board discussed included:
• Closing on the bond issuance for the building envelope project, which totalled over $9.6 million.
• Approved the 2023 and 2024 capital projects plan to include replacing the turf field, track surface and stadium lighting for the high school. Beynon Sports will be replacing the track at $750,687, and Energy Harness will replace the lighting at $168,466. The board is still looking for a vendor for the turf replacement, but the estimated cost is between $600,000 and $700,000.
• Approved of Middle School Food Service worker Jessica Clark’s resignation and recommended employment for Danielle Macias, a speech language pathologist, Amy Hipsher, a middle school intense intervention instructional assistant, two long-term substitutes, two academic bowl coaches, a substitute cook, four substitute teachers and multiple sports assistant and head coaches.
• Approved an addition to the district’s supplement payment plan because of Chris Kruchkow’s role expansion from a part-time Career and Technical Education Electrical Teacher to a full-time role.
• Added five contract days for Sebastian Baxter to address the needs of students who are taking dual credit and dual enrollment classes.
• Approved a fix to an error on Scott Ribich’s contract, which listed him as an employee for one year, instead of the appropriate two years.
• Accepted donations from multiple organizations. These donations include: 50 school supply sacks from the Salvation Army; over $2,750 for unpaid lunch accounts from Calvary Lutheran Church, Six Mile Church Missions and Clean Fuels National; dictionaries for every third grade student from Bluffton Rotary; 35 coats, hats and gloves for students in need from Midwest Credit Union; $500 for both elementary and middle school students in need from Buckets for Santa, $1,000 dollars to the eSports program from Auction IT, and $2,000 dollars toward the wrestling program from First Bank of Berne, Edge Manufacturing, Dicky’s Partners Bluffton, Family Ford of Bluffton, Craigville Appliance and Matt Bertsch.
• Approved to update the Community Use of School Facilities and Visitors to Schools policies.
• Adopted the Wells County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• Approved an end of year transfer resolution, allowing the district to transfer funds that were underallocated.
• Approved the transfer of no more than $1,000,000 from the education fund to the operations fund.
• Approved the BHMSD Healthy Operations Plan.
jonathan@news-banner.com
