BOTKINS — Botkins Board of Education took several steps in preparing for the new school year at its Wednesday night meeting, including hiring several new employees.
The board spent the first half of its meeting focused on finances, with a lengthy treasurer’s report explaining how and where the school’s money was invested. Only a few negatives were on the report, one due to the purchase of textbooks and anther necessary classroom materials, and the last due to health insurance costs.
Treasurer Jody Jones noted that the payroll expenses was down from last year about $26,000, mostly because of supplemental positions. This resulted in a discussion about how supplemental employees are paid, with board member Becky Hoelscher asking why basketball and baseball received supplemental positions, but other sports did not. The discussion resulted in a plan to see what other sports have supplemental positions that are not paid.
Non-payroll increased about $27,000, because of new trashcans and tile, as well as high health insurance costs. Non-payroll expenses decreased from last month.
Board member Jack Koenig said the stairs outside the athletic complex were “looking good,” as well as the planters, but asked for low-maintenance plants to be planted there. Superintendent Jeff McPheron said the ultimate goal was to get rid of the planters.
“Once they’ve pressure-washed everything and treated those bricks, I would like to see if that holds,” McPheron said. “It’s a lot of expense to get those ripped out and the sidewalk redone. They look brand new now that they’ve been revamped.”
Board Vice-President Mark Goubeaux went to the park board meeting, and found that plans for redoing the basketball courts are still in the works, as well as evaluating the possibility of redoing the park drive. Goubeaux asked the board if they had any input for the village’s developing capital plan. Koenig asked if it included a parking facility west of the track, and Goubeaux will speak with Village Administrator Randy Purdy on the issue.
The board also approved the kindergarten bus routes, the Midwest Educational Service Agreement, volunteers, student observers and students teachers, the overnight trips for FFA to Indianapolis and for the track team to Cedarville, the purchase of a buzzer and accepted the state-given tuition rate. They also approved the prices for athletic passes for the 2017-2018 school year, at the rate of $85 for adults and $45 for students, same as last year.
The board approved a motion to no longer allow coaches to return student athletes to play, but instead allows the athletic trainer to determine whether a concussion or other injury will prevent an athlete from playing. The board then also approved the same change in the athletic handbook.
The board also approved the following list of personnel for hiring. Koenig abstained from voting because Jason Jones is his son-in-law.
• Deb Zimpfer – sub-aide
• Emily Gill – part-time cafeteria worker
• Sybil Koenig – grade 3 test prep (tutoring)
• Heather Thaman – grade 3 test prep (tutoring)
• Chad Berning – 5th quarter grant
• Becky Walters – after school tutor – 3 days per week
•Kayla Sherman – after school tutor
• Katie Greve –after school tutor – 2 days per week
• Kendra Berryman – after school tutor
• Debbie Faulder – after school tutor
• Jodi Alig – after school tutor
• Jenny Luebke – in-school tutor
• Luanne Powell – in-school tutor
• Becky Walters – in-school tutor
• Lavelle Smith – driver training manager/driver’s ed instructor
• Tina Flora – driver’s ed instructor
• Rob Berryman – RoBotkins
• Annette Henseley – substitute bus driver
• Jill Steinke – substitute cafeteria worker
• Chris Abke – volunteer coordinator
• Cindy Cox – substitute secretary/cafeteria
• Brad Bergman – JV boys basketball coach
• Brad Schmerge – varsity assistant boys basketball coach
• Jason Jones – varsity baseball assistant coach
• Samantha Riffell – varsity softball assistant coach
• Allen Egbert – track and field assistant coach (pole vault)
• Kaitlyn Underwood – track and field assistant coach (shot put/discus)
• Tina Paul – JH boys and girls track and field coach
• Margie Haehn – musical assistant director
• Stacy Braun – senior class adviser
• Jena Holtkamp – freshman class adviser
• Christine Johnson – 8th grade girls basketball coach
The next Botkins Board of Education meeting will be Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. in the media center.
