The Switzerland County School Board on Monday night saw the outgoing of the old and the incoming of the new, as it honored retiring teachers while welcoming new educators to the school system.
The school board honored transportation director Ivan Green, who retired with 40 years of service to the corporation; Switzerland County Elementary teacher Denise Crawford, who returned to this community which she grew up in to teach here for 19 years; teaching assistant Cleo Detmer, who has been employed by the school corporation for 32 years; middle school and high school teacher Paul Hewitt, who has taught here for 41 years; elementary teacher and high school librarian Anne Findley, who has worked in the corporation for 34 years; high school teacher Denny Jackson, who is completing 39 years of service; and superintendent Mike Jones, who has been in the corporation for 39 years.
Also honored on the occasion of their retirement, but not at Monday’s meeting, were bus drivers Bobby Owings and Donna Quick.
At Monday night’s meeting, the Switzerland County School Board honored members of the staff who are retiring at the end of this school year. At Monday night’s meeting was: Superintendent Mike Jones, Transportation Director Ivan Green, teacher Denise Crawford, instructional assistant Cleo Detmer, teacher Paul Hewitt, high school librarian Anne Findley, and teacher Denny Jackson. Also retiring, but not in attendance at the meeting, were bus drivers Bobby Owings and Donna Quick.
In matters discussed by the school board:
— Ivy Tech chancellor Milly Dodge and Director of Guidance Marla Edwards gave a presentation on the memorandum of understanding between Ivy Tech and the school corporation. Senior Bailey Bennett, who earned an associate’s degree from Ivy Tech while attending Switzerland County High School, also spoke t the school board about the benefits of the class offerings and the savings to parents by taking college classes in high school.
— The student handbooks for the 2018-2019 school year for Jefferson-Craig Elementary School and Switzerland County Middle School were approved; and the first reading of the student handbook for Switzerland County Elementary School was held.
— Textbooks for agriculture, science, business, music, and art for the coming school year were approved.
— The syllabus for a new science course that will be offered at the high school was approved.
— Rod Hite was hired by the school board as a consultant on the interviewing and hiring of principals at Switzerland County Elementary School and Switzerland County High School. His contract is for no more than 20 days, and will be at the daily rate of pay for the superintendent.
— High school teacher Matt Yung’s resignation was accepted.
— The retirement request of Switzerland County Elementary School teacher Rob Banta was approved.
— In new hirings for the 2018-2019 school year, the school board approved Katie Temple as a teacher at Jefferson-Craig; Cameron Everage as the band and choir director; Allie Mathews as the corporation’s speech and language pathologist; and Cindy Welch as the new transportation director.
—The next regularly scheduled meeting of the school board will be on Monday, June 18th.
At Monday night’s meeting of the Switzerland County School Board, some new hirings were approved for the coming school year. Shown here are, from left: new transportation director Cindy Welch, new band and choir director Cameron Everage, new speech and language pathologist Allie Mathews, and new elementary teacher Katie Temple.
As the school board continues the process of hiring a new superintendent of schools, in today’s edition there is a state-required Position Description and also a Notice of Public Hearing on the contract of employment for the next superintendent.
On Monday, June 4th, the school board will hold a public hearing on the proposed contract, will receive input on the contract, and then potentially consider the proposed contract as an agenda item that night. State law then requires a waiting period before a new superintendent can be hired.
The Switzerland County School Board honored Laura Humphrey at Monday night’s meeting. Laura attends the Southeast Career Center, and participated in the Skills Competition at the center, where she finished in third place overall in the technical drafting competition. She was honored by the board and is shown here being congratulated by school board President Katie Collier.