TCSC Board Meeting - May 14, 2019

Tipton Middle School - College and Career Ready

Facilities & Transportation, Scott Wessel
Student Services, Staci Eller
Food Services, Adam Proulx
Technology

The monthly report provides you with a summary of the monthly revenue versus expenditures.  For April, our expenditures exceed the revenue by $159,000, giving us a cash balance of $992,244 in the Education Fund.  he other funds listed in the middle of the page include Debt Service with a cash balance of $1,313,403, and the Operations Fund with a cash balance of $1,880,718.  The year-to-date interest at 1st Farmers is $61,378. 

TCSC - Tipton Community School Corporation was recently notified that they have received official accreditation by AdvancED.

THS - Indiana Department of Education and College Board is recognizing Tipton High School’s efforts to provide students with access and success in Advanced Placement courses and exams. This event recognizes schools where at least 25 percent of the graduating class cohort earned a score of three or higher on at least one AP exam in 2018. The event will be held on Thursday, June 13, in the Indiana Statehouse.

THS Band - recipient of the Indiana State School Music Association All-Music Award for 2018-2019.

Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10.   Retirements:  Lisa Fettig, Natalie Thompson, Kathy Heaston, Bruce Thompson

Congratulations to the Lady Blue Devils Softball Team - winning the Hoosier Conference Championship last week.  We wish them and the baseball, golf, and tennis teams as they prepare for their sectional tournament.

We have been working on the school improvement process. The AdvancED Steering Committee continues to meet and develop strategies from the AdvancED Report. Those strategies will also encompass the suggestions from the community meetings this past fall. Some of the immediate activities include:

• Continued examination of marketing our schools. Ms. Duncan's report provides a brief summary of some of the things she has been working. I will be meeting with a couple of school public relations consultants this week to discuss other options for enhancing the marketing of our schools..
• We are forming a corporation curriculum committee that will help provided ongoing communication and focus with the staff in better aligning the curriculum K-12. Some summer professional development opportunities are being planned for teachers in this area. We will be working with Wabash Valley Education Service Center in this area.

TCF hosted an informative meeting last night with Dr. Michael Hicks and David Terrell from the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University presenting. They provided considerable data that is directly related to Tipton County economic and demographic indicators as well as the different aspects of community development. Jim, Gary J, and myself were able to attend.    

The staff of Tipton High School has been working hard throughout the school year to plan for the implementation of the new required Pathways for students and initiating other courses now required by the state of Indiana.  It is recommended that the following courses be approved for 2019-2020, including the textbook recommendations.

• ACP Speech
• AP German
• AP Music Theory
• Finite Math
• Indiana Studies
• Introduction to Computer Science
• Ethnic Studies
• Precision Machining I
• Principles of Business Management
• Principles of Marketing
• Digital Applications and Responsibility

Tipton Elementary staff has found a way to bring enough iPads together to provide the 1:1 opportunity at that grade level.  It is recommend that we proceed and approve their request for the use of iPads for 1:1 at Grade 2.

During the course of the 2018-2019 school year, there have been a couple of incidents that have presented themselves where a change in the calendar may be warranted.  With that the following changes are recommended:

1. The 2019-2020 school calendar be amended to have Friday, March 27 as part of Spring Break and school not be in session.  That day would be added to the end of the calendar and school would be in session for its last student day – Thursday, May 21.
2. The 2019-2020 school calendar be amended to move the eLearning Day scheduled for Friday, April 10 TO Friday, April 17.
3. The 2019-2020 school calendar be amended by adding the graduation date for the Class of 2020 for Saturday, May 30, 2020 beginning at 11:00 AM.

The 2019-2020 Textbook Rental and Fees are being submitted for approval.  This recommendation includes rental for new textbooks that were approved last month, as well as the other textbooks considered tonight.  It also includes the $75 Technology Fee assessed at grades 2 through 12.  It is recommended that the Board approve the the 2019-2020 Textbook Rental and Fees.

Bona Vista provides services for preschool children with disabilities.  We have contracted with them for a number of years to provide these service.  Special Education funding is used to help pay the cost of these services.  It is recommended that TCSC continues with the services for preschool children with disabilities offered through Bona Vista.

The Crossing provides an alternative education for students who struggle in the traditional classroom.  TCSC has partnered with The Crossing in Kokomo for the past few years.  TCSC is only charged tuition for those students who are actually enrolled in The Crossing's program.  It is recommended that the Board approve the continued partnering with The Crossing for 2019-2020.

This is a busy time of year in filling positions; schools are in competition to find the best candidate possible. In addition, we do not know what may happen with some teachers who may be looking for other positions, or deciding to leave for other reasons.  By giving the Superintendent permission to hire, we can go ahead and secure qualified candidates without having to wait for the Board to act on resignations, and allows us to get the commitment from the candidate before they accept another position.

At the end of 2018-19 school year, we will have laptops that will become surplus equipment.  Some of these computers will continue to be used as loaners, for spare parts, and to replace damaged or non-functioning laptops where needed. Laptops that are currently assigned to senior students will be made available for purchase by those graduating students. As we have in the past, those that we no longer have a use for will be sold to Diamond Assets, a company which specializes in the purchasing of used technology. Laptops: 131 Macbook Air (Grade 12), 108 Macbook Air (Grade 5)

Also, Tipton Middle School has some old items such as printer cartridges, cables, and other assorted items that are no longer needed by the school. 

It is recommended that the mentioned items be declared as surplus for the purpose of disposing of these items. 

• May 15, Facilities & Technology, 5:30
• June 17, Personnel, 5:30
• July 15, Business Affairs, 5:30

• May 15, TMS Awards Program, 7:00 PM
• May 16, ISBA Regional Meeting, 6:00, Kokomo
• May 17, Stage & Swing, THS, 7:00
• May 20, Top 10 Banquet, 6:00 PM
• May 21, End of 4^th 9-weeks
• May 22, Teacher Work Day
• May 23, Senior Award Night, 7:00 PM
• May 25, Graduation, 2:00 PM
• May 27, Memorial Day