Greensburg — In the regularly scheduled Decatur County Community Schools Board of Education meeting Wednesday, several announcements were made and superintendent Johnny Budd asked teachers to speak to lawmakers about the upcoming voucher bill.

The DCCS board will be attempting to sell a piece of land which buyers are concerned may be contaminated from a factory which was once located nearby. In order to put potential buyer’s worries to rest, DCCS will spend $1,000 to conduct a phase one environmental study. Conducting the study will also relieve DCCS of any responsibility to maintenance the land should issues arise in the future, after purchase.

South Decatur High (SDHS) students received a total of $5,000 for their Maverick Challenge; “Grandma Lexie’s Herbtastic Popsicles,” won $2,500 for innovation, and Morgan Tomson’s “Tomson’s Recipient Herd” won $2,500 for viability.

DCCS will be expanding their internet connection due to the new strain on bandwidth resulting from the technology of the One to One program involving iPads.

DCCS plans to eventually use 100 megabytes of bandwidth once One to One is fully established.

Project Lead the Way will be expanding to the junior high-level grades with Gateway to Technology. Gateway to Technology is a project-based, middle-school level engineering program which will serve as a foundation for Project Lead the Way.

DCCS accepted a donation totaling $200 to the milk fund, which South Decatur Elementary (SDES) principal, Kara Holdsworth, alleges stemmed from a misunderstanding that a student would not receive milk for his or her lunch. All students will receive milk should they ask for milk, Holdsworth said. $100 was given from Centra Credit Union, and $100 from 80’s Ladies.

Several programs may be coming to an end, superintendent Johnny Budd announced. Among the programs include the IREAD program, which implements a pass-fail system, requiring students to pass IREAD reading standards or be held back a grade. Six students failed their first attempt, said Budd, but all passed the following year, giving Decatur County Community Elementary Schools a 100 percent pass rate.

The Common Core, which was initiated in 2010 and outlines what students are expected to learn, may be coming to an end, said Budd. The alternative to the Common Core nor the monetary investment for new learning standards were addressed during the board meeting.

The A-F grading scale will be adjusted, Budd announced, though he admitted to not being aware of the new percentages.

Budd implored his fellow teachers to protest the upcoming voucher bill in the Indiana Legislature. The bill, Budd said, would take funding from the public school system to create a scholarship-like program which allows students to attend private schools. Public school funding was cut last year, and though raised this year to allegedly compensate for the voucher program, the public schools would be receiving even less money than in the past.

North Decatur High School’s eighth grade will be going on a field trip to the Cincinnati Museum and Newport Aquarium April 26.

SDHS teacher of more than 40 years, Dennis Cox, will be retiring at the end of the 2013 school year.

Jim Jameson, SDHS principal said, “He’ll be greatly missed,” and fondly recalled Cox’s gifts of donuts.

SDES educational assistant, Karen Walterman, will be resigning due to having been offered a new position elsewhere. She will leave after Spring Break, and DCCS will need to find a candidate to work with special needs and medically sensitive students.

SDHS band director Nicole Smith requested unpaid leave in order to pursue required hours for her degree in counseling. The DCCS board praised and encouraged Smith’s perusal in furthering her education, but remained undecided about granting Smith’s hours until a band director can be found for Tuesday and Thursday high school classes.



Contact: Tess Rowing 812-663-3111 x7004