The Press-Dispatch
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A-4 Local Wednesday, March 16, 2016 The Press-Dispatch Choose from 5 great reclining sofas available in 50 select fabrics at no additional charge. 5 great reclining sofas + fabrics 50 $ YOUR CHOICE ONLY ea. See store for details. Plus ... Upgrade these styles to Power and/or Memory Foam cushions. LANCER PINNACLE ASHER JACE ADDISON PIN PINNACL R ADD AD ADDIS ON THE SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN JASPER Phone: 812-482-6477 • Hours: Mon.-Thu. 9-5:30; Fri. 9-7; Sat. 9-3 Plus... Upgrade any of these recliner or sofa styles to Power and/or Memory Foam Cushions. See store for details. MIKE HOUTSCH'S LETTER Following is Friends of Otwell Ele- mentary president Mike Houtsch's un- dated letter to the Pike County School Corporation's board of trustees and Superintendent of Schools Suzanne Blake: As I am sure you are aware, the Friends of Otwell Elementary will be opening the Otwell Miller Academy in Otwell for the 2016 -2017 school year. We hope to have a charter ap- proved and offer daycare through 5th grade services. Even without a charter, we will offer daycare, pre- school and wrap-around elementa- ry services. We have secured a quote for tem- porary buildings to be placed on the Ruritan property, but this is not the ideal location. Ideally, with the Ot- well Elementary School to be vacat- ed by the school corporation, use of the facility for the purpose for which it was built, would be preferred. The community of Otwell, the stu- dents and their parents were disap- pointed in the school board's deci- sion to close Otwell Elementary. The school corporation, under the lead- ership of Ms. Blake, has taken great strides to reduce the debt from past decisions and we all understand the need to take further reductions to bring the school corporation back to black while not diminishing the quality of education offered to our county's children. The Friends of Otwell Elementary are proud to be able to offer an alter- native educational choice to keep stu- dents in Pike County for those stu- dents and parents who do not wish to enroll outside the Otwell area. By keeping these students in Pike County, we strengthen the chance they will enroll in the Pike Central Middle and High School. By offer- ing a unique educational opportuni- ty, we hope to keep, or even bring in, students who would otherwise seek educational opportunities in neigh- boring schools, such as Holland and Ireland. As you may have heard, our straw poll estimated that 80 percent of the current Otwell student body preferred transfer out of county to enrolling in either Winslow or Pe- tersburg. While we do not believe the preference is due to the quality of the other elementary schools, but rather the belief that the alternative schools are already at capacity. Without a use for the Otwell El- ementary building, the building will be placed on the vacant proper- ties list this August per IAC 20 -26 - 7-1 "Unused School Building List." Otwell does not need another va- cant building. While state law al- lows charter schools to lease or pur- chase unused buildings for a mere $1 (IAC 20 -26 -7-1(h)), we believe that a higher amount is fairer and will allow us to secure the facility prior to the mandatory listing in August. As is required under the law, Otwell Mill- er Academy will assume utilities, in- surance, maintenance, repairs and remodeling (if necessary and with approval) relieving the school cor- poration of these expenses. We understand that there are sev- eral repairs which will need to be performed on the building to keep it operational. For this first year, a lease with the option to purchase may be the best alternative to allow Otwell Miller Academy to assess the extent of the repairs, maintenance and utility costs involved in upkeep. The school board has mentioned the need to update/replace the HVAC system as one of the reasons to close the school. Additionally, maintaining the utilities and insurance for the va- cant building is a cost the school cor- poration does not need. As for the fixtures currently in the school, it is our understanding that the school corporation will begin to strip the school at the end of the school year. We would like an oppor- tunity to purchase/lease much of the equipment as well. This will save the school corporation time and money it does not have to spare in removing, transferring, storing and maintain- ing unneeded equipment. Finally, current state law requires a school corporation to bus non- public school children who live on routes with public school children. The current bus routes operate on a hub-based system, bringing high and middle school students to the closest elementary before transfer- ring to the Pike Central campus us- ing fewer buses. Considering the lack of main roads in the county, we believe that this economical mod- el will continue to be the most effi- cient method to transport students. If the school corporation wishes to continue to use the Otwell school grounds as the hub to transfer high, middle, Winslow and Petersburg students, we would be happy to ac- commodate. In light of our after/be- fore school care, placing a hub in Ot- well will help Winslow and Peters- burg students/parents participate in these additional educational servic- es. If the school corporation intends to not place a hub in the Otwell area, Otwell Miller Academy will seek al- ternative transportation for the esti- mated 140 students who have pre-en- rolled to transfer the students from the school corporation's drop off/ pick up spot. We request access to the current provisional bus routes to be able to more accurately pre- pare our class schedules and allow for transportation time. We hope that we can work together for the good of the children and the county in mak- ing the busing experience as smooth as possible. By partnering with the Pike Coun- ty School Corporation through the use of the Otwell Elementary build- ing, shared busing and Otwell Miller Academy after school care, we stand to build a better and more compre- hensive school experience. Time is of the essence and there are many details to be discussed to bring this offer into reality. The Friends of Otwell Elementary must commit to the grounds and build- ings well in advance of the August mandatory Unused Building publica- tion. Therefore, this offer to reach an agreement is for a limited duration. Please respond no later than March 15th to allow time to draft an agree- ment. We must have a committed fi- nal agreement prior to May so that we can show our incoming Kinder- garten class their new classroom! Sincerely, Mike Houtsch President of the Board Friends of Otwell Elementary, Ltd. and Blake that state law re- quires a school corporation to bus non-public school children who live on routes with public school children. "The current bus routes operate on a hub-based sys- tem bringing high and mid- dle school students to the closest elementary before transferring to the Pike Cen- tral campus using fewer bus- es," Houtsch said. "Consid- ering the lack of main roads in the county, we believe that this economical model will continue to be the most ef- ficient method to transport students. If the school cor- poration wishes to contin- ue to use the Otwell school grounds as the hub to trans- fer high, middle, Winslow and Petersburg students, we would be happy to ac- commodate." "If the school corporation intends to not place a hub in the Otwell area, Otwell Mill- er Academy will seek alter- native transportation for the estimated 140 students who have pre-enrolled to transfer the students from the school corporation's drop off/pick up spot," Houtsch's letter continues. "We request ac- cess to the current provi- sional bus routes to be able to more accurately prepare our class schedules and al- low for transportation time. We hope that we can work together for the good of the children and the county in making the busing experi- ence as smooth as possible." Houtsch requested that the school board respond to Friends of Otwell Elemen- tary's requests "no sooner than March 15th." "Time is of the essence and there are many details to be discussed to bring this offer into reality," Houtsch wrote. "The Friends of Ot- well Elementary must com- mit to the grounds and build- ings well in advance of the August mandatory Unused Building publication there- fore, this offer to reach an agreement is for a limited duration." "Please respond no soon- er than March 15th to allow time to draft an agreement," Houtsch's letter concludes. "We must have a committed final agreement prior to May so that we can show our in- coming Kindergarten class their new classroom! " In a response dated Fri- day, March 11, Blake stated that she planned to re-pur- pose the building as a ca- reer center "which would offer additional CTE pro- grams as well as continuing education opportunities for our community." "In this capacity, the cor- poration could generate rev- enue that could support or sustain the cost of the build- ing and programs," Blake wrote. "Should the discus- sions proceed in a timely manner, it is possible that the elementary building may not be listed as an un- used facility." Saying she wanted to clar- ify the transportation issue mentioned in Houtsch's let- ter, Blake wrote that state law requires a school corpo- ration to transport students to a charter school located in a rural school corporation "if the student resides on or along the highway consti- tuting the regular route of a public school bus." "The school corpora- tion is not required to pro- vide transportation from the home to the charter school but may pick up at a point near the home and drop off at a point near the char- ter school along the regu- lar route of the school bus," Blake wrote. "The school corporation will work with the parents of such stu- dents on the transportation in compliance with the law." Blake concluded her let- ter by saying she could not obligate the school board to negotiations for the possible sale or lease of the Otwell El- ementary School building or the contents of the building. "We have not had an op- portunity to review the mat- ter and any such decision must be voted on," Blake wrote. During the school board's regular monthly meeting held on Monday, March 14, Blake acknowledged that she and the board had re- ceived Houtsch's letter on behalf of Friends of Otwell Elementary. "I know it was men- tioned in July when we met with some gentlemen from Friends of Otwell, and I think it was mentioned again in November, that it's my in- tent to re-purpose that build- ing for continuing ed or a ca- reer center or some type of educational purpose for the community," Blake said. "People have asked why is that a good thing if we're go- ing to close the school. Well, it's because those programs generate revenue for the dis- trict." Blake said that she had been in discussions with Vincennes University, Oak- land City University and the University of Southern Indiana regarding having continuing education class- es at the Otwell Elementary School building. In addition, Blake said that she had spo- ken with Grow Southwest In- diana Workforce executive director Jim Heck regard- ing the possibility of using the facility to house a GED program. "So whether it's the GED or continuing education- al opportunities for people who are currently employed, we're looking at that," Blake said. "Again, something that will generate revenue back into the community and keep it sustained." Blake also took the op- portunity, during a portion of the meeting reserved for comments by the super- intendent, to address the transportation issues raised in Houtsch's letter. "The law was amended a little over a year ago, if there is a charter school in a rural district, and if the child and school is on our route, we can transport them," Blake said. "But we are not obligat- ed to adjust a route in order to pick up the child or drop them off at the school. But if the parent agrees, you can make arrangements, and you can help cover some of the distance, but we're not obligated to adjust the route to deliver them to the char- ter school." Blake said that while Friends of Otwell Elemen- tary had filed its application in February, and are plan- ning to open in August, Ball State University is officially in the process of reviewing charter school applications for the 2017-18 school year. "There's still a lot of things that have to be worked on, discussed and accomplished," Blake said. "There's a lot of these things that we may not know until the doors open in August, RESPONSE FROM SUZANNE BLAKE The following is Pike County School Superintendent Suzanne Blake's re- sponse, dated Friday, March 11: Dear Mr. Houtsch, I have received our letter request- ing to negotiate a sale or lease of the Otwell Elementary school build- ing. It is my desire to repurpose the building as a Career Center, which would offer additional CTE pro- grams as well as continuing educa- tion opportunities for our communi- ty. In this capacity, the corporation could generate revenue that could support or sustain the cost of the building and the programs. Should the discussions proceed in a time- ly manner, it is possible that the ele- mentary building may not be listed as an unused facility. I would also like to clarify the transportation issue mentioned in your letter. You are correct that state law requires a school corpora- tion to transport students to a char- ter school located in a rural school corporation if the student resides on or along the highway constituting the regular route of a public school bus. The school corporation is not required to provide transportation from the home to the charter school but may pick up at a point near the home and drop off at a point near the charter school along the regular route of the school bus. The school corporation will work with the par- ents of such students on the trans- portation in compliance with the law. At this time, I cannot obligate the board to negotiations for the possible sale or lease of the Otwell Elemen- tary school building or the contents of the building. We have not had an opportunity to review the matter and any such decision must be voted on. Sincerely, Suzanne Blake Superintendent Pike County School Corporation but we have to prepare the best we can, and continue to move forward, and we will keep the staff involved as the steps progress, keep the community updated. If it's necessary to have anoth- er community meeting, we will do so." Blake noted that, during a public meeting held at Ot- well Elementary School on Monday, Feb. 29, to discuss how the closing of Otwell El- ementary School at the end of the current school year would affect students, there were more teachers from Pe- tersburg and Winslow el- ementary schools present than there were parents of Otwell students. "I appreciate the teach- ers who showed up, be- cause they were trying to let the families know that they're ready for those stu- dents and they're welcoming those students," Blake said. "We've had a lot of negative publicity, and they were try- ing to help offset that." CHARTER Continued from page 1 Puzzled about what to read? ..and you will have your solution. subscribe to 812-354-8500