The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/65813
The Press-Dispatch board meeting on May 9 with the hiring of new su- perintendent Suzanne Blake, the loss of two school prin- cipals, a highly respected teacher and two coaches as well as concerns presented by two parent groups. The meeting began with It was a very active school By Mike Johansen Amy Carnahan speaking for a group of parents from Win- slow Elementary School ar- ea. They presented petitions signed by many parents and other concerned citizens asking that the school board consider reducing the sizes of classes next school year. They hope to have a small- er size for at least the third grade classes if not the oth- er grade levels as well. They are concerned with the new tests that their students face for the IREAD3, which de- termines whether those stu- dents are promoted to fourth grade or not. They feel with smaller class sizes their students will have a better chance to learn what is need- ed for the test to keep their education going with the oth- er students their age. The other group express- ton as Middle School Princi- pal, LeAnne Kelley as High School Principal, Tonya Wal- ton as Head Volleyball Coach and Kyle Runyan as Head Boys Basketball Coach. At this time, Runyan plans on remaining in his position as Assistant to the Principal at Pike Central High School but not have coaching as part of his duties. He cited attending advanced educa- tion classes and family mat- ters as reasons for giving up the basketball coaching job. He has had the job the past three seasons. Tonya Walton is stepping Thomas, who resigned last September and went to Co- rydon a month later. Paul Roads was selected in De- cember, but resigned in late January because of medical and other issues. The board then restarted the selection process interviewing candi- dates in April. Blake and the school will She replaces D. John down from her coaching po- sition for family reasons. They have another child due in June. "With the new baby coming in June, I feel that it's time to focus on my family," Walton said. She has been head volleyball since com- ing to her teaching position at Petersburg Elementary. She plans to remain in that teaching post. Suzanne Blake was named have their hands full this spring as two other top ad- ministrators have resigned, High School Principal Le- Anne Kelley and Middle School Principal Phil Lud- ington. Ludington will be retiring with the two board mem- bers in their feelings and helping the kids train for the work force, but he also sees the other side. He is a shop teacher at Southridge High School. The board approved a handbook while Lemond, Jerry Grubb and Chris Sat- terfield voted for approval. Satterfield said he was Pike Central High School Project Lead the Way En- gineering teacher Ray Nie- haus. He has resigned his position and will be moving to take over a similar pro- gram at Forest Park High School in Ferdinand. Also listed as resignations on the agenda were Phil Luding- WES 'Students of the Month' These Winslow Aaron Bayer and Samuel Avis; second row (l to r): Isaiah Greer, Isaac Marchino, Aiden Hagemeyer, and Seth DeWeese. Kaila Lamey, Braydon Cooper, Kena Cannon, Sam Tegmeyer, Kelsey Barrett and Maddie Sloan. Not pictured: "Student of the Month" for April. First row (l to r): Shylee Russell, Tatum White, Kaylee Tharp, Jerry Taylor, Elementary students were selected as ing their concern was repre- sented by Dawn Young for Otwell Elementary School. They are concerned that a portion or all of the pre- school program will be elim- inated. They expressed their feelings about the positive in- fluence this program has on their kids before they get to kindergarten. The parents asked for two pre-school classes at Otwell noting that they do not have anywhere else in the area that pro- vides the pre-school their kids need to get a success- ful start in school. One of the losses will be to the position of superin- tendent of the Pike County School Corporation in the board meeting held May 9 with her duties to begin this summer. Blake has been the princi- pal at Southwestern Junior- Senior High School in Shelby County since 2004. She pre- viously worked at Pike Cen- tral High School as a math- ematics teacher and school counselor. Blake graduat- ed from Pike Central High School in 1979. She com- pleted her teaching degree at Oakland City University and her school counseling degree at Indiana State Uni- versity. She also completed the requirements for school administration, both at the building level and corpora- tion levels, at Indiana State University. She is currently completing her PhD in cur- riculum and instruction. Her husband, Danny, graduated from Pike Central in 1977 and is employed by Indianap- olis Power and Light. They have three children and five grandchildren. of Washington and served as an assistant principal at Washington High School before moving to Pike Cen- tral High School. She was selected May 8 in a special meeting of the Washington School Board and will be- gin her duties there in July. She will take over for Paul White, who is moving to an assistant superintendent's position. There was also controver- to the family home in Paris, Ill. He has been traveling back and forth from there since losing his wife earli- er this year. He has served for 48 years in schools in Il- linois and Pike Central Mid- dle School (12 years). Ms. Kelley is a resident playground equipment proj- ect at Petersburg Elementa- ry that will result in about an $18,000 to $19,000 expendi- ture. The PTO program is providing $15,000 in fund- ing for this project. The school board delayed voting on the health insur- ance for employees as they need additional time to con- sider the matter. Action must be taken by June 1 on the proposals. The school board met behind closed doors in an executive ses- sion to hear from German American Insurance and another provider about their health insurance and to hear monetary propos- als. They met about 20 min- utes beyond the announced starting time for their open meeting with the insurance representatives. A special meeting for Wednesday, May 16, 2012 A-5 Personnel changes, parents concerns come before school board Press-Dispatch GUIDE TO THE Jean Kellems from Winslow Elementary and Debra L. Leslie from Petersburg El- ementary. • The appointments of • The retirement of Mary Jarrod Gideon as girls golf coach; Barb Yochem as as- sistant girls golf coach; Al- len Clements and Colin Ma- honey as assistant boys ten- nis coaches and Phil Knust as volunteer boys tennis coach; Nathan McCord as boys assistant soccer coach and Amber Schwindt as girls assistant soccer coach. • The appointment of Jill Keepes as assistant middle school girls tennis coach; Randy Meece as head mid- dle school cross country coach; Andrew Dick as head middle school girls soccer coach and Chad Western as head middle school boys soccer coach; as well as all the football coaches. • A teacher and aide for the IREAD3 summer pro- gram. • Earl Meeks as second shift custodial, supervisor; Erin Fish, Michael Scott, Missy Dorst and Charmain Tegemeyer for custodial staff positions. • Staff recommendation Lemond said she feels the school should not be the par- ent and cannot restrict such items. Board member David sy over approval of the Pike Central High School stu- dent handbook. Board mem- ber Ryan Edrington said he felt there should be restric- tions against tattoos, nose rings and some other items. He felt those items should not be allowed in the middle school or high school. Board member Debbie County School Board ap- proved— • The elementary and middle school handbooks. • Fuel escalation costs for May totaling $4,085.10. • Approved applying for a grant from Win Energy since there was no match re- quired from the school. • A four day work week Waltz said he supports such restrictions, but then again has problems with how do you control such items. He asked where the control stops. He and Edrington voted against approval of the for most offices in the school corporation with the stipula- tion the corporation offices be open five days a week. • Accepted a donation of $500 from Mitch Parker and $500 from IPL for the Pike Central cross country pro- gram. Tuesday, May 22, has been called to consider insurance and a couple of other items. They will meet in executive session at 6 p.m. and open session at 8 p.m. In other action the Pike Subscriptions: Subscription rates: One year: $25 for Pike and surrounding counties and all 475 addresses; elsewhere in Indiana $27; out of state $43 Paid in advance. Change of address — sub- scribers changing addresses will please give their old ad- dress as well as new one along with phone number. We cannot guarantee prompt change un- less this is done. POSTMASTER: Send ad- dress changes to The Press- Dispatch, P.O. Box 68 Pe- tersburg, IN 47567-0068 subscriptions@pressdispatch.net How to contact us: or e-mail us at By Phone: ...........812-354-8500 By Fax: ................812-354-2014 By E-mail: General and Church News news@pressdispatch.net for the extended year pro- gram and for supplies and other needs. • Accepted a $2,500 grant for Otwell Elementa- ry from Grants and Schol- arships from the Communi- ty Alliance Fund for the Mo- bile Technology Lab. • The PCMS Academ- ic Teams and Spell Bowl Teams going to St. Louis May 31 through June 1. • The 4-H Council using the portable bleachers dur- ing the fair week. • Textbooks for various to Kansas City for the na- tional Skills USA Welding Contest. • High school cross miscellaneous programs. • Welding students trip country teams to New Har- mony State Park Aug. 1-3. • FFA to Purdue Univer- sity June 18-20 for the state convention. sports@pressdispatch.net Advertising Sports Department classifieds@pressdispatch.net Andy Heuring, Editor ads@pressdispatch.net Classified Advertising editor@pressdispatch.net Obituaries obits@pressdispatch.net Subscriptions/Circulation subscribe@pressdispatch.net Legals/Public Notices legals@pressdispatch.net Accounting Department accounting@pressdispatch.net About us: Mr. and Mrs. Frank Heuring, Publishers Andrew G. Heuring, Editor John B. Heuring, Adv. Manager Eric Gogel, Production Manager Cindy Petty, Adv. Sales Nancy Copley, Adv. Sales Frank Copley, Adv. Sales Published every Wednesday by the Pike County Publishing Co. Telephone 354-8500 820 Poplar Street P.O. Box 68 • • • • • • sion through the mails as Periodical Mail, postage paid at Petersburg, Indiana. Published weekly. (USPS 604-340) Entered at the Post Office in Pe- tersburg, Indiana for transmis- Petersburg, Indiana 47567 • • • • • • Are you experiencing painful cramping in your hip, thigh or calf muscles when you walk? Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) develops when your arteries become clogged with fatty deposits, limiting the blood ow to your legs and feet. Just like clogged arteries in the heart, clogged arteries in your legs put you at increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Don't let Peripheral Artery Disease slow you down. The most common symptom of PAD is painful cramping in your hip, thigh or calf muscles during activity. 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